'Been Calling Us Pretenders,' Ernest Jones IV Reacts to Seahawks Clinching No. 1 Seed

Seattle Seahawks linebacker Ernest Jones IV fired back at critics after the team clinched the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoff picture with a 13-3 win over the San Francisco 49ers on Saturday.

"They been calling us pretenders all year," Jones told NFL Network's Steve Wyche after the game. "We gonna show you. Every week, we're showing out. That's all it is."

"They don't think we really winning these games," he added. "They think it's a fluke, but we come out here and we win games no matter what."

Jones finished with five tackles in the victory.

Seattle ended the regular season on a seven-game win streak to finish at 14-3, securing the No. 1 spot in the conference standings for the first time since its 2014 campaign.

The Seahawks also clinched a first-round bye with their latest victory.

Sam Darnold has been successful in his first year under center with Seattle, throwing for 4,048 yards and 25 touchdowns. Jaxon Smith-Njigba also put together a stellar season, hauling in 119 receptions for a league-leading 1,793 yards.

Still, the Seahawks' overall year has been highlighted by their defensive dominance.

Seattle already entered Saturday's action with the No. 2 scoring defense in the NFL, allowing a mere 17.2 points per game. The Seahawks also amassed the sixth-most takeaways and the eighth-most sacks among all teams heading into the clash with San Francisco.

Jones has been a key piece of head coach Mike Macdonald's defense, recording a team-high 126 tackles and five interceptions. He's also been effective in coverage by allowing a mere 67.3 passer rating when targeted, according to Pro Football Focus.

With the regular season now in the rearview mirror for the Seahawks, they'll attempt to capture their second Super Bowl title in franchise history.