Defensive Numbers

[blstoker]

There has been a lot of bashing on the defense, and a lot is justified. There has been speculation that Bradley and Quinn would do better, but that is unknown. What is known is that under Bradley the defense was ranked 9th and 4th his last 2 seasons, and were #1 both years under Quinn. They are currently ranked 3rd under Richard.

So, I ran some numbers comparing the defense this year with years in the past, starting with Bradley's first year, 2009.

2009 - Bradley:
Games - 16
Rank - 21st
Yards allowed - 5703
YAPG - 356.4
+/-PG - +25.0
Top 5 - 3 G 414.3 YAPG +30.4 +/-
Top 10 - 5 G 418.2 +38.4
Top 15 - 8 G 400.1 +31.0
Bot Half - 8 G 312.8 +19.1
400+ - 5
500+ - 0

2010 - Bradley:
Games - 18
Rank - 27th
Yards allowed - 6808
YAPG - 378.2
+/-PG - +55.3
Top 5 - 2 G 502.5 +122.2
Top 10 - 5 G 503.6 +137.3
Top 15 - 7 G 484.3 +124.2
Bot Half - 10 G 315.2 +20.6
400+ - 8
500+ - 3

2011 - Bradley:
Games - 16
Rank - 9
Yards allowed - 5317
YAPG - 33.3
+/-PG - -2.8
Top 5 - 1 G 330.0 -73.7
Top 10 - 3 G 402.0 +17.3
Top 15 - 6 G 398.7 +26.5
Bot Half - 9 G 278.8 -32.0
400+ - 5
500+ - 0

2012 - Bradley:
Games - 18
Rank - 4th
Yards allowed - 5519
YAPG - 306.6
+/-PG - -42.8
Top 5 - 3 G 364.3 -41.8
Top 10 - 5 G 361.2 -33.5
Top 15 - 9 G 321.1 -65.8
Bot Half - 9 G 292.1 -19.7
400+ - 4
500+ - 0

2013 - Quinn:
Games - 19
Rank - 1st
Yards allowed - 5401
YAPG - 284.3
+/-PG - -45.7
Top 5 - 3 G 301.0 -127.1
Top 10 - 3 G 301.0 -127.1
Top 15 - 9 G 311.0 -32.4
Bot Half - 10 G 260.2 57.7
400+ - 2
500+ - 0

2014 - Quinn:
Games - 19
Rank - 1st
Yards allowed - 5319
YAPG - 279.9
+/-PG - -73.0
Top 5 - 2 G 235.5 -171.5
Top 10 - 6 G 292.8 -99.0
Top 15 - 8 G 305.1 -80.3
Bot Half - 9 G 250.0 -74.1
400+ - 1
500+ - 0

2015 - Richard:
Games - 11
Rank - 3rd
Yards allowed - 3574
YAPG - 324.9
+/-PG - -18.0
Top 5 - 2 G 494.5 +99.1
Top 10 - 3 G 469.3 +81.8
Top 15 - 3 G 469.3 +81.8
Bot Half - 8 G 270.8 -55.5
400+ - 3
500+ - 1

What all this shows me is that despite some 4th quarter issues earlier in the season, our defense has been doing well except against top 10 offenses. All 3 bad defensive games this team has had have come against top 10 offenses (Cincinnati, 7; Arizona, 1; Pittsburgh, 4).

 

[Anointed One]

For the most part, the Hawks had held teams in check for the most part the first 3 quarters, it was the 4th quarter in most of our losses that our defense collapsed... I'd be curious to know what the 4th quarter numbers are compared to prior years...

 

[Podunkparte]

To me it's less the numbers and more the eye test. Passed 2 years we'd never have such obvious confusion between CBs and Safeties leading to game losing TDs. LBs have also been in better positions to make tackles on underneath routes compared to this season. We've been downright dominating defensively for years but that has obviously changed. We're giving up way too many 3rd and longs and there's really not an obvious excuse. No pass rush? Bennett and Avril are still there. Bad secondary? Sherman, Thomas, Chancellor. The pieces just aren't fitting together and I gotta think the defensive coaching has to carry some blame there.

 

[blstoker]

To me it's less the numbers and more the eye test. Passed 2 years we'd never have such obvious confusion between CBs and Safeties leading to game losing TDs. LBs have also been in better positions to make tackles on underneath routes compared to this season. We've been downright dominating defensively for years but that has obviously changed. We're giving up way too many 3rd and longs and there's really not an obvious excuse. No pass rush? Bennett and Avril are still there. Bad secondary? Sherman, Thomas, Chancellor. The pieces just aren't fitting together and I gotta think the defensive coaching has to carry some blame there.

Oh, the defense has been letting teams off the hook for years, it just hasn't been as often as it has been this season.

September 9, 2012 @ Arizona Cardinals: 13-17
- Offense scored a field goal to take 13-10 lead with 9:20 left in the game. Seattle had dominated all game to this point, allowing just 174 yards of total offense and a measly 21:42 in TOP. Arizona would drive 80 yards for the go ahead touchdown, with a bulk of it coming after backup Kevin Kolb came in for injured John Skelton, Kolb going 6-8 69 yards and the game winning touchdown.

October 28, 2012 @ Detroit Lions: 24-27
- Seahawks go into the fourth quarter with a 17-14 lead over the lowly Lions, who were 2-4 at the time. Matthew Stafford scored on a sneak from the 1 to put Detroit up 21-17 with 11:42 in the game. Russell would go 6-8 75 and a touchdown on the next drive to give the Hawks the lead again 24-21 with 5:34 left. The defense would allow their 3rd 80 yard drive of the game and Detroit would milk all but 20 seconds off the clock before scoring the game winning TD. Detroit would beat Jacksonville the next week for their final win of the season.

November 25, 2012 @ Miami Dolphins: 21-24
- Seahawks go into the fourth quarter with a 14-7 lead with the defense dominating the game, allowing only 207 yards in 19:53 of TOP. In the 4th, the Dolphins would run 20 plays for a total of 228 yards, including 2 80 yards drives, and would score on all three possessions, including the game winning field goal as time expired.

December 2, 2012 @ Chicago Bears: 23-17
- Russell Wilson leads the Hawks on a magnificent 97 yard touchdown drive late to give them the 17-14 lead with 32 seconds left. The defense allows a 56 yard pass to Brandon Marshall, setting up the game tying field goal. Wilson leads an 80 yard touchdown drive in OT to secure the win.

January 13, 2013 @ Atlanta Falcons: 28-30
- The Russell led offense scores a flurry of points in the 4th quarter to erase a 27-7 deficit and create a 28-27 lead with 34 seconds left in the game. After allowing the kick off to be returned to the 35, the Seahawks gave up 2 passes for a total of 41 yards that set up the game winning 49 yard field goal with 13 seconds left. Russell's Hail Mary was intercepted to seal the game.

October 6, 2013 @ Indianapolis Colts: 28-34
- Despite outgaining the Colts by 100 yards on offense, the defense gives up the lead in the 4th quarter after allowing the Colts to score on 5 of their last 6 possessions, including 3 80 yard drives that would account for 76% of the Colts offensive output.

December 8, 2013 @ San Francisco: 17-19
- After taking a 17-16 lead with 6:25 left in the game, Seattle allows the 49ers to go on a 11 play 76 yard drive that sets up the game winning 22 yard field goal with 34 seconds left. The 9ers had only 228 yards to that point and had gotten a total of -14 the previous 2 drives.

December 22, 2013 vs. Arizona Cardinals: 10-17
- The Seahawks gain the lead at 10-9 with a touchdown pass to Zach Miller with 7:32 left. Seattle would allow the Cardinals to go on a 10 play 80 yard drive that would score the winning TD with just over 2 minutes left. Russell would seal it with an interception.

September 21, 2014 vs. Denver Broncos: 26-20
- After leading 17-3 going into the 4th quarter, the Hawks gave up 2 touchdowns and more yards in the 4th than they had in the previous 3 quarters combine (173 to 169). Seattle would win with a touchdown in OT.

October 12, 2014 vs. Dallas Cowboys: 23-30
- Despite our defense being handed their worst performance of the season, the Hawks had the lead with 8:16 left in the game. Most like due to fatigue, the D would give up 90 yards on 13 plays that would lead to a touchdown and a field goal give the Cowboys the victory.

November 16, 2014 @ Kansas City Chiefs: 20-24
- Despite holding the Chiefs to under 300 yards, the Hawks gave up the lead with a touchdown in the early 4th quarter. The offense would pass up 2 field goal tries on fourth down and would not succeed either time.

February 2, 2015 N New England Patriots: 24-28
- Been hashed about enough already, we all know what happend.

 

[blstoker]

I posted the previous post to show that our defense has been known to give up late leads, and even to some bad opponents. 12 times the last 3 years, including 10 of our 14 losses. It isn't something that is new to just this season.

 

[boogiewithstu2007]

To me it's less the numbers and more the eye test. Passed 2 years we'd never have such obvious confusion between CBs and Safeties leading to game losing TDs. LBs have also been in better positions to make tackles on underneath routes compared to this season. We've been downright dominating defensively for years but that has obviously changed. We're giving up way too many 3rd and longs and there's really not an obvious excuse. No pass rush? Bennett and Avril are still there. Bad secondary? Sherman, Thomas, Chancellor. The pieces just aren't fitting together and I gotta think the defensive coaching has to carry some blame there.

Absolutely ... Richards is doing things his way ... And were not nearly as good... We've given up ridiculous game losing touchdowns with nothing but confusion in our secondary...