A SNOW NEWS DAY

After the final kneel down, the few remaining snowballs being tossed from the stands were no longer only directed toward officials or the Chicago Bears. Some were being flung toward the home sideline and tunnel as the Seattle Seahawks left the field. What was already a lost season for the Seahawks hit a new low Sunday, when they blew a 10-point fourth-quarter lead in a 25-24 loss to the Chicago Bears that eliminated Seattle from playoff contention in the NFC. The crash has been swift and painful for a team that a year ago won 12 games and was NFC West champions. Seattle (5-10) already was assured of finishing with a losing record, but clung to the slimmest of playoff hopes entering the week. Now, they’re guaranteed the worst season of Pete Carroll’s tenure with the Seahawks — and his first 10-loss season since his first season as an NFL head coach in 1994 with the New York Jets. Seattle will finish in last place in the NFC West for the first time since moving to the NFC in 2002. The last time the Seahawks finished last in their division was the AFC West in 1996. For just the third time since Lumen Field opened in 2002, the Seattle Seahawks are playing a home game in the snow. The last time Seattle played a home game in the snow was the home finale of the 2008 season when the Seahawks beat the New York Jets. Previous to that was a November 2006 Monday night game against Green Bay also a Seattle victory. In both those games, Hall of Famer Brett Favre was the starting quarterback for the visitors.