Seahawks again rule NFC roost

The final result was deja vu for Pete Carroll and the Seattle Seahawks, wearing NFC West champion hats in the locker room after a Week 17 victory over the St. Louis Rams.

But the process in getting to that point and clinching the No 1 seed in the NFC playoffs for the second straight season was completely different.

So there was a different satisfaction for Carroll and the Seahawks after Sunday's 20-6 win over the Rams wrapped up the ninth division title in franchise history and the third under Carroll. This was not the mostly smooth ride Seattle experienced a year ago on its way to a championship.