A look at Seahawks\u2019 potential divisional round opponents<\/a><\/p>\n In some ways, it might just be a question of whether a Seahawks-Rams rubber match happens in the Divisional Round or the NFC Championship Game.<\/p>\n From a Seahawks perspective, the prevailing line of thought is that Seattle would want to avoid facing the Rams for as long as possible. That\u2019d give another team a chance to knock off the Rams before the Seahawks ever have to face them.<\/p>\n However, Mike Salk<\/a> presented an interesting counterpoint Friday on Seattle Sports\u2019 Brock and Salk.<\/p>\n Salk argued that if a Seahawks-Rams playoff showdown is inevitable, it\u2019d be better for the Seahawks if it occurred in next weekend\u2019s Divisional Round, rather than the following weekend\u2019s NFC Championship Game.<\/p>\n That\u2019s because the top-seeded Seahawks (14-3) have a first-round bye for this weekend\u2019s wild-card round, which would give them a rest advantage over the fifth-seeded Rams (12-5), who will be in action Saturday against the fourth-seeded Panthers (8-9).<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re probably going to play (the Rams) at some point anyway, because the consensus and prevailing opinion is that they\u2019re the other best team in the NFC, and the team that is the toughest matchup for you,\u201d Salk said. \u201c\u2026\u00a0If you play them next weekend, that\u2019s when you would have the absolute best advantage. You are going to be as healthy as you could possibly be next weekend.<\/p>\n \u201cWho knows what happens in the Divisional Round leading up to the NFC championship game. You could be tired, you could be hurt, you just don\u2019t know. But you\u2019ve got (this) full week off. The Rams would be coming off of a game where who knows what happens to them and how beat up maybe they get in a win in Carolina.<\/p>\n \u201cSo, the idea is that (the Divisional Round) is your best time to play them. \u2026 I\u2019d rather see them when you have full rest and you are coming off the bye and they\u2019re not.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Assuming the Rams get past the Panthers, the Seahawks and Rams would square off in the Divisional Round if both the No. 2 seed Chicago Bears beat the No. 7 seed Green Bay Packers and the No. 3 seed Philadelphia Eagles beat the No. 6 seed San Francisco 49ers in the NFC\u2019s other two wild-card games.<\/p>\n Otherwise, a potential Seahawks-Rams showdown would be put off until the NFC Championship Game.<\/p>\n \u201cThis isn\u2019t about rooting for the Rams, because obviously if the Rams lose, you don\u2019t play them at all,\u201d Salk said. \u201cIt\u2019s about whether or not you\u2019re rooting for Green Bay and rooting for Philadelphia. \u2026 If you\u2019re gonna have to play the Rams either way, wouldn\u2019t you rather play them when your advantage is the best?\u201d<\/p>\n Listen to the full Brock and Salk conversation at this link<\/a> or in the audio player near the bottom of this story. Tune into Brock and Salk weekdays from 6 to 10 a.m. or find the podcast on the Seattle Sports app.<\/p>\n More on the Seattle Seahawks<\/p>\n \u2022\u00a0Stacy Rost: Seahawks may be rare top seed actually being disrespected<\/a>
\u2022\u00a0Why PFF\u2019s Trevor Sikkema says Seattle Seahawks can win it all<\/a>
\u2022\u00a0A pair of lesser-known Seattle Seahawks emerged as major surprises<\/a>
\u2022\u00a0What makes Seahawks OC Kubiak a strong head coach candidate<\/a>
\u2022 Brock: How Seattle Seahawks made a \u2018program-changing evolution\u2019<\/a><\/p>\n
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