#1 defense is still achievable

For those of you that care about these things, we can still get the #1 defense (both yards and points). Currently we are second in yards at 3699 (308.3 per game), behind the Broncos (3416, 284.7 per game). We need to average 70.75 yards per game less than them. That may seem like a lot, but the Broncos still have to play the Steelers and Bengals, while we get to play three bad/injured offenses plus the Cardinals possibly resting starters. We had a similar lucky streak of bad QBs to finish last year.

The number one scoring defense will be a little harder to achieve. We are third in points allowed at 229 (19.1 per game). Cincinnati is #1 at 196 (16.3 per game) and Denver is #2 at 210 (17.5 per game). Again, I refer you to our easy slate of opposing QBs coming up. We would need to allow about a touchdown per game, or Cinci and Denver would need to get into some shootouts. Cinci still has to play Pittsburgh again, but unfortunately their other remaining opponents have weak offenses (SF, DEN, BAL).

Besides the bad QBs on our schedule, other reasons to expect an improvement are the switch from Williams to Shead at CB and the emergence of Frank Clark.

I think we need Pittsburgh to put up a ton of points on Cincinnati this Sunday. Cincinnati's next three opponents are SF, Denver, and Baltimore.

If Cincinnati holds steady at 16.3 per game, Seattle would need to hold its next four opponents to a total of 17 points (or less than 4.3 points per game) to catch them.

A shutout this Sunday at Baltimore would keep hope alive.

I think it's absolutely doable.

I also think the scoring defense is going to be easier than the overall defense. It's easier to hold a team to 2 FG's than it is to hold them to 125 yards a game consistently.

I can see us easily holding Baltimore to 2 or 3 FG's. I can see us shutting out Cleveland at home, and I can see us holding the Rams to 10 points or less at home, especially the way we've been playing the run. Those are 3 very, very bad offenses.

The other nice thing is that Denver is the one team ahead of us in both yards and points. Pittsburgh is going to put up some yards on Denver, no matter if they score or not.

@OP- What you said is do-able. I agree, but I am guessing it won't be easy especially with the Cardinals. Hopefully we get the #1 Defense in yards and scoring.

It would be cool but I'd gladly forfeit any stat line for a shot at our 3rd consecutive :{)

pmedic920":84uejs1x said:

It would be cool but I'd gladly forfeit any stat line for a shot at our 3rd consecutive :{)

Click to expand...

It isn't mutually exclusive. Think on it this way, if our defense plays well enough to get 1st in both categories, it means we've strangled 3 of 4 teams we end up playing, and shut out at least one of them, and likely held 3 of them under 10 points. That should get us 3 wins easily, and the Cards game is up in the air.

The way we're playing, if we keep up the momentum, is going to make that last game of the year very interesting. Two weeks ago, I didn't give us much of a chance. Now ?

How the defense plays against the Cards is going to be interesting.

As long as the Cards play us seriously we won't get #1 in scoring defense. If we manage to hold their #1 offense to only one TD we could just as well not have play-offs this year and give us the SB in advance cause we'd be better than any other team in the league by such a huge margin it starts to get unfair and I doubt we're that good right now.

Stealers just put up 33 on Cincinnati . . . sweet. That leaves them with 17.6 points per game and counting vs. 18.1 for the Seahawks.

Now we could use a big day for Oakland against Denver.

Dear God . . . Broncos defense is dominating. -12 yards and zero points allowed in the first half against Oakland.

UPDATE: Oakland just put together a really nice TD drive. Would like to see a few more of those.

Broncos lost despite holding Oakland to just 127 yards of offense and 15 points.

Here is what the defensive stats look like right now:

Points per game allowed
1. Denver - 17.3
2. Cincinnati - 17.6
3. Seattle - 18.1

Yards per game allowed
1. Denver - 272.6
2. Seattle - 307.8
3. Carolina - 307.8

If only we could play bad qbs all season. We would be number 1 already!