The Defending Super Bowl Champion Seahawks Were Just Dethroned... By ESPN's Computer!

Emerald City, can you even believe this? We just lifted the Lombardi trophy, right? Our Hawks are *the* Super Bowl champions! And already, before the 2026 season even kicks off, ESPN's Football Power Index is trying to tell us we're not even going to be the *winningest* team. They're predicting the Los Angeles Rams, of all teams, to rack up the most Ws next year. Are you kidding me right now? This just dropped, and I’m ready to throw my coffee across the room.

The Rams Are Making Moves, But Are They 'Dethrone' Moves?

Okay, so ESPN's FPI has the Rams leading their top 10 list for most wins in the upcoming season. And why? They're hyping up the Rams big time. Apparently, they re-signed Matthew Stafford, who's the reigning NFL MVP. MVP! And then they went and traded for Trent McDuffie and Myles Garrett. Yeah, the article says they're "strengthening their defense." All this, according to ESPN, makes them the "clear-cut candidate to dethrone the Seahawks." I get it, they're trying to build something down south, but come on. We just proved we're the best in the league. That's a bold prediction for a team that isn't even the defending champ.

What This Means for Our Champions

So, where do our Seattle Seahawks sit in all this? We're on ESPN's list, sure, in the top 10. The article lumps us in with teams like the Baltimore Ravens, Buffalo Bills, Detroit Lions, San Francisco 49ers, Green Bay Packers, Cincinnati Bengals, Kansas City Chiefs, and Philadelphia Eagles. Every team on that list, including our Hawks, is predicted to win between 10 and 11 games. Ten or eleven wins? For the *defending Super Bowl champions*? That feels like a slap in the face. We know what Coach Mike Macdonald and OC Brian Fleury are cooking up, with Sam Darnold under center and weapons like Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Rashid Shaheed, and Cooper Kupp out wide. We're not just aiming for 10 or 11 wins. We're aiming for another Lombardi. This prediction just lights a fire under the 12s, doesn't it? It's a reminder that even when you're on top, everyone's gunning for you. So, let them talk. Let the computers crunch their numbers. The 2026 season hasn't even started, and already the narrative is being set. Our job, our team's job, is to prove every single one of those FPI algorithms wrong. We've got the talent, we've got the heart. This isn't just about winning games, it's about defending our title. Get ready, Emerald City, because it's going to be one hell of a ride proving ESPN wrong!

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.