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Seahawks Clinch NFC West Title with Darnold's Triumph

1/9/2026

50 6 Full Breakdown

Center

Darnold Secures Victory

Sam Darnold of the Seattle Seahawks led a 13-3 win over the San Francisco 49ers, securing the NFC West title and top seed.
The victory marks a turnaround for Darnold after postseason struggles with the Minnesota Vikings.
After wild-card games, the Seahawks face the lowest remaining seed and the Philadelphia Eagles enter as the No. 3 seed.
The 49ers finished 12-5 and face injuries to Trent Williams and Ricky Pearsall.

Left

Eagles Host 49ers

The Philadelphia Eagles will host the San Francisco 49ers in the wild-card round after finishing the regular season 11-6 under head coach Nick Sirianni.
The 49ers finished the season 12-5 and face significant injury challenges on defense, including Nick Bosa and Fred Warner.
The game is scheduled for January 11 at Lincoln Financial Field, with tickets starting at $200.

History

Historical Context

The NFL and AFL merged in 1970, creating a unified league with 26 teams and establishing the American Football Conference (AFC) and National Football Conference (NFC). This merger expanded the playoff format to include eight teams, enhancing fan engagement and attendance by 25%. Today, teams like the Seattle Seahawks and Philadelphia Eagles continue to benefit from this foundational shift in professional football.

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Darnold Secures Victory

Sam Darnold of the Seattle Seahawks led a 13-3 win over the San Francisco 49ers, securing the NFC West title and top seed.
The victory marks a turnaround for Darnold after postseason struggles with the Minnesota Vikings.
After wild-card games, the Seahawks face the lowest remaining seed and the Philadelphia Eagles enter as the No. 3 seed.
The 49ers finished 12-5 and face injuries to Trent Williams and Ricky Pearsall.

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