Week 6 Elo Ratings: Seahawks remain steady at #4

http://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/201 ... edictions/

Elo proved to be fairly accurate in Week 5, as the Seahawks lost narrowly in overtime at Cincinnati. This week, they face another undefeated team in Carolina (4-0), but are favorites this time at home (66%, -4.5).

Carolina usually plays the Seahawks tough in a grueling defensive slugfest. The last three regular season matchups between the two teams have been decided by five or fewer points. In fact, four of the last five regular season matchups have been decided by five or fewer points, and no one scored more than 16 points in any of those games. Although, all four of those matchups were at Carolina. When Carolina last played at CenturyLink in the NFC Divisional Playoff Game, they lost convincingly, 31-17.

That divisional game was closer than the score indicated. Cam was driving on this defense with ease and it wasn't until the Kam INT was it blown wide open.

ludakrishna":3uilkdjr said:

That divisional game was closer than the score indicated. Cam was driving on this defense with ease and it wasn't until the Kam INT was it blown wide open.

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Very true . . . Carolina has a way of always playing us tough. They are physical and well coached.

This has been one hell of a schedule for us. As the Elo Ratings demonstrate, great teams can lose games when they are playing on the road at St. Louis, Green Bay, and Cincinnati. All three games were decided by ten points or less. Two of the three games were decided in overtime.

Unfortunately, all three games went against us. The devil is in the details. We are working in a new offensive line. Our deficiency at play caller means that it takes longer to integrate in our strengths, i.e. Jimmy Graham. Kam's holdout cost us in more ways than one. There was the loss of leadership in the locker room leading up to the season. Now, there is the loss in crisp play from Kam, who still needs more reps to get up to speed.

You just have to hope that they get it figured out and that these challenging games start to go in our favor.

Any scenario that we win the division at 10-6? I mean, if we sweep the Cards (I know, tall task) wouldn't we be in the cat birds seat, provided we split Rams and 49ers?

WilliamCooper":m9xgxzpk said:

Any scenario that we win the division at 10-6? I mean, if we sweep the Cards (I know, tall task) wouldn't we be in the cat birds seat, provided we split Rams and 49ers?

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Sure, there are numerous scenarios where that could happen. It just requires the rest of the division to also lose some games.

Right now, Arizona is only projected to go 10-6. If that happened, and we owned the tie breaker, then the Seahawks would win the division.