Don't hate the players...

If I have to hear one more person say that they feel bad for Tampa Bay because they won 10 games and didn’t make the playoffs I might puke.  Where is the public outcry for the Giants being snubbed despite also having 10 wins? Is it because no one outside of the Manning family or Ole Miss likes Eli? Ok, it's probably the colossal collapse against the Eagles and the blowout loss the next week to the Packers, but if you say that one 10-win team should be in the playoffs, then you should include all the 10-win teams in that conversation.
Neither the Buccaneers nor the Giants are going to enjoy watching the 7-9 Seahawks host a playoff game while they are home or on vacation, but that’s life in the NFL.  Seattle has the good fortune of playing in the worst division in football, and they shouldn’t be penalized for it.  It isn’t their fault the Niners, Rams and Cardinals all suck eggs and it isn’t their fault that they are representing their division despite not having a winning record. 
If you’re going to say that only teams with a winning record should be allowed in the playoffs then what is the point of having divisions? Aren’t you supposed to reward your division winner by allowing them to advance to the playoffs? Isn’t that why there aren’t just two conferences with the top 6 teams from each battling it out? In a society that loves the underdog more than some members of their own family, shouldn't the Seahawks be embraced for being the first team with a sub .500 record to make the playoffs since the strike-shortened year of 1982? Maybe if they had a few ex-felons on their roster then the public would accept them more; does it help that Pete Carroll was one of the dirtiest college coaches the nation has ever seen? How about that Mike Williams is back after eating himself out of the league?
True, the Seahawks are probably one of the worst teams to ever make the playoffs and would need to win the Super Bowl to even finish with a winning record, but that doesn't mean they aren't deserving of a playoff berth.  They came out and beat the newest golden boy of the NFL, Sam Bradford, with their backup quarterback and a roster that had the greatest turnover from last season.  The Seahawks played one of their best games of the year and did so when the pressure was the greatest.  Their 30th ranked defense held the Rams to under 200 total yards on offense and their franchise record-settingly bad running game racked up over 140 yards.  Plain and simple, Seattle played like a playoff team Sunday night and earned the right to represent their division. 
You wanted parity, NFL? Thy name is Seattle.