Alright, Seattle, listen up. As we roll into Week 7, the NFL playoff picture is already wild, and not in the way we’d necessarily want for our beloved Hawks. For the first time since the playoff format expanded back in 2020, *all four teams* from a single division are projected to make the postseason. That’s the NFC North, folks, completely dominating the field right now. Meanwhile, our Seahawks, last season’s champs, are nowhere to be found in this early look at the playoff party.
Why This Early Playoff Picture Actually Matters
So, you’re probably thinking, “Week 7? That’s barely one-third of the way through the season! What’s the point of a playoff lookahead now?” And yeah, there’s a valid point there. If you flash back to Week 6 of the 2025 season, the Colts and Buccaneers were sitting pretty as the top two seeds in their respective conferences, and neither of them ended up making the playoffs. That’s a stark reminder that a lot can change. But here’s the kicker: six of the seven AFC teams and five of the seven NFC teams that were in the playoff field after Week 6 *last year* eventually made it to the postseason. So while things shift, this isn’t just a total fantasy. It gives us a real sense of the ground that preseason favorites like the Rams, and even our own Seahawks, need to make up if they want to get in on that January action. This current field really just highlights the absolute strength of the NFC North, which is something we haven’t seen before with all four teams in.
A Look at Who’s Leading the AFC Race
Let’s check in on the AFC teams currently holding playoff spots as we head into Week 7. These are the squads setting the pace:
* **1. Chiefs:** These guys are unbeaten, sitting pretty with the best point differential in the entire NFL at plus-57. They’ve made three of their five victories look easy, and Patrick Mahomes has looked mostly terrific coming off his injury. Their defense is allowing the second-fewest points per game. But don’t crown them yet. Their schedule hasn’t been a gauntlet so far, and with six of their next eight games on the road, we’re really going to find out what they’re made of over the next two months.
* **2. Bills:** Buffalo heads into their bye week in great shape at 5-1. Josh Allen has been mostly tremendous, leading the NFL’s top-scoring offense, but he’s had to carry a lot of the load at times. They’ve had some tight wins, and even a home loss to the Patriots, so it hasn’t been a perfect ride. Their run defense has shown some improvement from last year, which is good, but pretty much every other part of their defense could use some work. General manager Brandon Beane has some interesting decisions to make before the trade deadline to potentially boost that side of the ball.
* **3. Jaguars:** Jacksonville is backing up their 13-win season with a strong 4-2 start this year. They’ve performed like a true playoff-caliber team, with Trevor Lawrence playing well and Travis Hunter starting to make a real impact on games. The only real blemishes are losses to the Broncos and Texans, both of which saw them blow fourth-quarter leads. On the bright side, their remaining schedule looks pretty favorable on paper.
It’s still early in the regular season, but the urgency is already there. For teams like our Seahawks, seeing this playoff picture emerge just means they have to get things clicking, and fast. The path to the postseason is never easy, and right now, the competition is fierce. We’ll be watching every snap to see how the landscape shifts as we push deeper into October.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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