formido":2q1ypqog said:
AbsolutNET":2q1ypqog said:
I'd be shocked if Payton didn't come out and run the ball. The Hawks gave a good but not great run D and an outstanding pass D. Keep the clock moving, don't turn the ball over and make our offense (which has been struggling) get a lot of first downs before getting into scoring range. You have to stick to the run and not let our pass D control the game. Be satisfied with punting early and giving our O long fields. Make our offense drive by playing the field position game early and take your shots when you're in a manageable part of the field. The Hawks don't get beat by explosive offenses, they get beat when the other team loads up with big bodies and comes at us.
If you take out the two outlier games from mid-season, which I think is totally fair since we demolished St. Louis's rush offense later, Seattle's run defense has been pretty close to spectacular.
Right. I posted this in the Seahawks-Rams Game Preview Thread 2 weeks ago now (and I've amended this to include that game). Here is how the Seahawks have done stopping the run ...
Since allowing 200 yards on the ground to the Rams in Week 8 … and 205 yards on the ground to the Buccaneers at Century Link in Week 9 … the Seahawks run defense has been fairly stout of late ...
Falcons (Week 10 -- 11/10/13)… 16 Carries … 64 Yards Rushing (4.0 Yards/Carry)
Vikings (Week 11 -- 11/17/13) … 33 Carries … 132 Yards Rushing (4.0 Yards/Carry) … BUT, 58 of the Vikings 132 Rushing Yards in that game came against the 2nd and 3rd String after the starters were pulled at the start of the 4th Quarter. The Vikings managed only 73 yards on 28 carries on the ground total (2.81 Yards/Carry) against the starters.
Saints (Week 13 -- 12/2/13) …17 Carries … 44 Yards Rushing (2.6 Yards/Carry)
49ers (Week 14 -- 12/8/13) … 33 Carries … 163 Yards Rushing (4.9 Yards/Carry). However, 51 of Frank Gore’s yards came on 1 play. Take away that 1 play and the Seahawks limited San Francisco to 32 Carries … 112 Yards Rushing (just 3.5 Yards/Carry).
Giants (Week 15 -- 12/15/13) … 14 Carries … 25 Yards Rushing (1.8 Yards/Carry).
Cardinals (Week 16 -- 12/22/13) … 43 Carries … 139 Yards Rushing (3.2 Yards/Carry)
Rams (Week 17 -- 12/29/2013) ... 18 Carries ... 13 Yards Rushing (0.7 Yards/Carry)
In 8 Games AT HOME this year, the Seahawks Defense has allowed a grand total of ...
750 Yards Rushing ... on 213 Carries (3.52 Yards/Carry) ... and just 2 Rushing TD's all year. Both of those came in the same game by the way -- Jacksonville (clear back in Week 3).
You know Carroll, Quinn, and company are going to make it priority #1 to stop the run. I would be absolutely shocked given the environment that the Saints Offense is going to be facing (earplugs or no earplugs) if they find all that many holes to run through.
Edit to Add ...
Incidentally, I just checked the Home/Road Splits for both teams against the run. Here were the rankings this year ...
Rushing Yards/Game ...
Seahawks vs. the Run AT HOME ... 93.8 Yards/Game Avg. (5th Best)
Saints vs. the Run ON THE ROAD ... 124.0 Yards/Game Avg. (20th)
Avg. Yards/Rush Allowed ...
Seahawks AT HOME ... 3.5 Yards/Carry (3rd Best)
Saints ON THE ROAD ... 4.4 Yards/Carry (Tied 22nd)
Source:
http://www.teamrankings.com/nfl/stat/opponent-rushing-yards-per-game