NFC West Foes Rams, Seahawks Emerge As Super Bowl Favourites
By Simon Carroll
The 2026 NFL season is still days away, but two teams from the NFC West are already attracting plenty of attention in the race for Super Bowl LXI.
The Seattle Seahawks are the defending champions, while the Los Angeles Rams enter the new campaign with arguably the strongest case of any team looking to knock them off their perch. After coming within one game of the Super Bowl last season, Sean McVay’s side have spent the offseason loading up for another run at the Lombardi Trophy.
With the two NFC West rivals set to meet twice during the regular season, could the division once again provide the NFL’s Super Bowl champion?
The Rams have gone all in
Coming agonisingly close to a trip to the Super Bowl last season has seemingly convinced the Rams that tinkering around the edges isn’t enough. Los Angeles lost to Seattle in the NFC Championship Game, having already suffered two narrow defeats to the Seahawks during the regular season.
So the Rams went shopping.
First came cornerback Trent McDuffie. Then came perhaps the biggest defensive move of the entire offseason, with Los Angeles acquiring reigning Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett from Cleveland.
And then, just when it looked as though Sean McVay’s team had finished, Aaron Donald came out of retirement.
The three-time Defensive Player of the Year is back in a Rams uniform, giving Los Angeles a defensive front that suddenly looks rather frightening. Put Garrett and Donald alongside Kobie Turner, and a Rams defense that was already being upgraded suddenly has the potential to be one of the most disruptive units in the NFL.
That has been reflected in the betting market, with the Rams emerging as one of the leading contenders for Super Bowl LXI.
Don't forget the Champions
The two Seahawks v. Rams games this year are going to be PRIME football. (maybe three, if it happens in playoffs again).
— Sami ON Tap (@SamiOnTap) August 31, 2026
It think its obvious they are CLEARLY the two best teams in the NFL. pic.twitter.com/ycNN9L6Dkf
Whilst the Rams have been making all the attention-grabbing headlines, the Seahawks aren’t exactly entering the season as an afterthought.
Seattle went 14-3 in 2025, secured the NFC’s No. 1 seed and then won three consecutive playoff games before beating New England in Super Bowl LX. Mike Macdonald’s defense was one of the foundations of that success, while Sam Darnold and Jaxon Smith-Njigba helped turn an offense that had plenty of question marks heading into last season into one of the league’s biggest surprises.
There has been some personnel turnover, but Seattle still possesses the core of a team that has already demonstrated it can win when the pressure is highest.
There is also an added incentive this time around. The Seahawks are chasing something only a select group of NFL teams have achieved: back-to-back Super Bowl victories.
Could the NFC West decide the Super Bowl?
🚨 🚨 🚨
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 30, 2026
AD is B-A-C-K: #Rams star Aaron Donald is coming of retirement to play for his old team with a 1-year, $20M deal with playoff incentives up to $30M, per me and @AdamSchefter.
After two seasons away, Donald will play alongside Myles Garrett in a star-studded D-line. pic.twitter.com/2g65n8qI2s
The fact these two NFL powerhouses are division rivals makes this all the more intriguing.
The Rams aren’t simply contenders because they’ve added some big names. They’re contenders because they’ve added those names to a team that was already very, very good. Los Angeles led the NFL in scoring last season and ranked among the league leaders in several major offensive categories. They then spent the offseason attacking the areas where they believed they could improve.
Seattle, meanwhile, has the ultimate advantage: they’ve already done it. The Seahawks know what it takes to navigate the NFC, survive the playoffs and win on the biggest stage.
And with the two teams set to meet twice during the regular season, there is every chance this rivalry will once again have a major say in the NFC playoff picture.
Two teams, one Lombardi Trophy
That makes the latest Boyle Sports promotion particularly interesting for NFL fans looking towards February. Boyle Sports are currently offering 7/2 on either the Los Angeles Rams or Seattle Seahawks to win Super Bowl LXI, a cheeky preseason promotion that improves the odds that were previously 5/2. It’s an intriguing storyline: back the NFC West rivalry to produce the Super Bowl champion, rather than having to pick between the two teams individually.
For new UK customers excluding Northern Ireland, Boyle Sports are also offering £40 in free bets when you join and bet £10, subject to the promotional terms.
So, with the Rams attempting to avenge last season’s NFC Championship heartbreak and the Seahawks chasing a historic repeat, one thing already looks clear: The road to Super Bowl LXI could run straight through Seattle or Los Angeles.
18+. New UK customers (Excluding NI) only. Min Deposit £10. Min stake £10. Min odds Evs. Free bet applied on 1st settlement of any qualifying bet. 30 days to qualify. Free bets expire in 7 days. Cashed out/Free Bets won’t apply. Account & Payment method restrictions apply. 1 Free Bet offer per customer, household & IP Address only. T&Cs Apply 18+. Singles only. Max stake 10. Prices subject to fluctuation and availability. T&Cs apply.
SIMON CARROLL
Lead Writer, Head of Content
PREVIOUSLY THE FOUNDER OF NFL DRAFT UK, SIMON HAS BEEN COVERING COLLEGE FOOTBALL AND THE NFL DRAFT SINCE 2009. BASED IN MANCHESTER, SIMON IS ALSO CO-CREATOR & WEEKLY GUEST OF THE COLLAPSING POCKET PODCAST, COVERS THE JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS FOR SB NATION and is college football writer for dazn.
