Seahawks' playoff picture looks bright with two weeks to go

SEATTLE – The Seattle Seahawks’ playoff picture is suddenly looking quite good.

Seattle’s win Thursday, combined with the Detroit Lions' loss to the New York Giants on Sunday, put the Seahawks in the driver’s seat to earn the No. 2 seed in the NFC.

The No. 2 seed ensures a bye in the first round of the playoffs, and a home game in the second round. If Seattle were to win that second-round game and the No. 1 seed - either the Giants or Cowboys - were to lose, the Seahawks would then play host to the NFC Championship.

The most straightforward path to the No. 2 seed is for the Seahawks to win their final two games. Seattle plays host to the 5-8 Arizona Cardinals on Saturday at 1:25 p.m., then travels to play the 1-13 San Francisco 49ers on Jan. 1.

Both games will be televised on the home of the Seahawks, Q13 FOX, as will all the Seahawks’ playoff games – up to and including the Super Bowl.

The Seahawks are 8.5-point favorites over the Cardinals on Saturday.