#ThisDayThatYear: Seahawks make history as first sub-.500 division champ
What's the story
On January 02, 2011, the 2010 Seattle Seahawks stunned the NFL by becoming the first team in league history to win a division with a losing record. Seattle finished the regular season at 7-9 and clinched the NFC West title and a spot in the playoffs. Their improbable feat ignited debates about the playoff format and division championships. Here's more about their historic season.
Season recap
Recap of Seattle's historic season and division championship
The 2010 Seahawks, under new head coach Pete Carroll, made history as the first team with a sub-.500 record (7-9) to make the playoffs and win a game. They claimed the NFC West title and stunned the defending Super Bowl champion New Orleans Saints in the iconic "Beast Quake" game before falling to the Chicago Bears in the divisional round.
Numbers
The Seahawks' season in numbers
Seattle finished the season with a 7-9 record and clinched the NFC West. They had a .438 record scoring 310 points while giving away 407 of them during their 16-game season. The Seahawks started their season with a dominating victory vs the San Fransisco 49ers. Notably, they also ended their regular season with a 16-6 victory vs the St. Louis Rams.
Game recapa
Seahawks beat Rams to clinch division
The Seahawks dominated the Rams 16-6 in a winner-takes-all clash for the NFC West title. Marshawn Lynch's gritty running and Olindo Mare's three field goals anchored Seattle's offense. The Seahawks' defense stifled Sam Bradford, limiting the Rams to just two field goals. Meanwhile, Matt Hasselbeck's absence didn't faze Seattle as backup Charlie Whitehurst managed a steady game. Seattle secured the division title.