Closer Look at the Seahawks: 10 encouraging numbers that stand out

Nov 18, 2024, 1:46 PM | Updated: 11:01 pm

Seattle Seahawks Leonard Williams tackles San Francisco 49ers Christian McCaffrey 2024...

Seattle Seahawks defensive lineman Leonard Williams tackles 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey on Sunday. (Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)

(Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)

BY CAMERON VAN TIL

Seattle Sports

With a strong defensive performance and a dramatic game-winning drive from Geno Smith, the Seattle Seahawks pulled out a last-second 20-17 win over the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday afternoon to remain in the thick of the NFC West race.

Geno Smith conquers rival, potentially saves Seahawks’ season

It was Seattle’s first win over the 49ers since Dec. 5, 2021, snapping a demoralizing string of six consecutive losses to its most bitter rival. And it potentially saved the Seahawks’ season, improving them to 5-5 and keeping them just one game out of first place in the NFL’s most wide-open division.

Furthermore, there were a lot of positive takeaways from the game for Seattle. And in reality, there have been a lot of positive trends for the Seahawks over their past two games, despite them falling short in a 26-20 overtime loss to the Los Angeles Rams on Nov. 3.

Here’s a look at 10 encouraging numbers for Seattle over the past game or two.

• 1.64 – The Seahawks’ defense has allowed just 1.64 points per possessions over the past two games, which would rank seventh in the NFL for the whole season, according to Pro Football Reference. Seattle limited the Rams’ offense to just 19 points on 13 possessions and then held the 49ers’ talent-laden attack to just 17 points on nine possessions. Over their first eight games, the Seahawks allowed 1.99 points per drive.

• 277 – The Seahawks held the 49ers to a season-low 277 total yards, which were San Francisco’s fewest since Week 6 of 2023. The 49ers’ 17 points also matched both their season low and their lowest scoring output over the past two seasons. And two weeks ago, Seattle held the Rams to 283 total yards in regulation and 13 offensive points in regulation.

• 3.6 – The Seahawks have held opposing running backs to just 3.6 yards per carry and 80 rushing yards per game over their past two contests. They limited the Rams running backs to just 68 yards on 23 carries and then held the 49ers’ running backs to just 92 yards on 21 carries, including just 79 yards on 19 carries from reigning NFL rushing leader Christian McCaffrey. Over their first eight games, the Seahawks allowed 5.3 yards per carry and 130.4 rushing yards per game to opposing running backs.

• 11 – Over the past two games, the longest run the Seahawks allowed to an opposing running back was an 11-yard gain by McCaffrey. That’s a stark contrast from the first eight games, when they allowed 13 runs of 15-plus yards from opposing running backs – including gashing runs of 76, 45 and 38 yards.

• 5 – Devon Witherspoon has had five pass breakups over the past two games after recording only one pass breakup over the first eight games. The standout second-year cornerback had two pass breakups against the Rams and then three against the 49ers, one of which resulted in an interception by teammate Johnathan Hankins. Witherspoon’s past two games have been much more on par with his spectacular rookie campaign last year, when he totaled 16 pass breakups, three sacks and an interception.

Hankins with the TIP DRILL. pic.twitter.com/OhutJjJeHF

— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) November 17, 2024

• 13 – After back-to-back 100-yard games, Jaxon Smith-Njigba ranks 13th in the NFL with 678 receiving yards and eighth with 60 receptions. The second-year wideout had seven catches for a career-high 180 yards and two touchdowns against the Rams and then followed with 10 catches for 110 yards against the 49ers. Through 10 games, Smith-Njigba has already surpassed his 628 receiving yards as a rookie last year.

• 80.8 – Second-year center Olu Oluwatimi received an 80.8 grade from Pro Football Focus on Sunday after making his first start of the season and second of his career. Oluwatimi was starting in place of Connor Williams, who played every snap at center for Seattle’s first nine games before suddenly retiring this past week. Williams had a 63.9 PFF grade for the season, with a top single-game grade of 75.6 against Atlanta in Week 7.

• 76.8 – Third-year right tackle Abraham Lucas received a 76.8 PFF grade on Sunday after playing 42 of the team’s 60 offensive snaps in his long-awaited season debut following offseason knee surgery. Lucas provided a major upgrade at right tackle, which had been a revolving door with third-stringer Stone Forsythe and fourth-string rookie Michael Jerrell manning the position for the bulk of Seattle’s first nine games. Forsythe has an overall PFF grade of 43.1 this season, while Jerrell has a PFF grade of 43.8.

• 4 – The Seahawks committed just four penalties for 20 yards on Sunday, both of which were season lows. Prior to Sunday, they were averaging a league-high 8.3 penalties and 63.4 penalty yards per game, according to NFLPenalties.com.

• 7 – Geno Smith on Sunday delivered his seventh game-winning drive since the start of the 2023 season, which is tied with Philadelphia’s Jalen Hurts for the most in the NFL over that span, according to Stathead. It also marked Smith’s league-high sixth fourth-quarter comeback win over the past two seasons.