Did We Finish #1 Defense?

[94Smith]

Advanced metrics like DVOA show there's a gap between SEA, HOU and DEN.

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In fact, that -24.2% is historical in terms of DVOA - 12th best All time:

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Interesting … any one know the final Dvoa stats for the 2013 Seahawks ?

 

[94Smith]

Interesting … any one know the final Dvoa stats for the 2013 Seahawks ?

Also there scoring total

 

[Ad Hawk]

Also there scoring total

Their, the word you want is "their".

 

[RiverDog]

No stat is perfect, but I tend to prefer total yards to points when it comes to ranking a defense. Teams can give up points on offense and special teams, but they don't give up yards. And yes, I realize that field position, time of possession, and other factors that aren't directly attributed to the defense enter into the defensive yard's equation, but it's closer to the mark than points.

Having said that, at this point in time, I firmly believe that our defense is the best in the league. I'd rather have our D out there than D's from Houston, Denver, Minnesota, Cleveland, and the Chargers, the teams that finished ahead of us in fewest yards allowed.

 

[RolandDeschain]

Interesting … any one know the final Dvoa stats for the 2013 Seahawks ?

Not sure, and I don't have a subscription to the new company that manages DVOA now, but I can't imagine they're outside the top 20 all-time. Our LoB era defense was the #1 scoring defense four years in a row, the last time a team did that was the Browns in the 1950s, though.

If someone has a subscription, please check and post for us. Looks like it would be $50 for just one month to access the data we're looking for.....rather expensive for a private home user. https://ftnfantasy.com/nfl/stats

 

[glenwo2]

No stat is perfect, but I tend to prefer total yards to points when it comes to ranking a defense. Teams can give up points on offense and special teams, but they don't give up yards. And yes, I realize that field position, time of possession, and other factors that aren't directly attributed to the defense enter into the defensive yard's equation, but it's closer to the mark than points.

Having said that, at this point in time, I firmly believe that our defense is the best in the league. I'd rather have our D out there than D's from Houston, Denver, Minnesota, Cleveland, and the Chargers, the teams that finished ahead of us in fewest yards allowed.

I disagree.

If we are going to take Pick-six's/Fumble-Returns-For-Tds and Special Teams TDs out of the equation and focus mainly on when the ACTUAL DEFENSE is on the field defending the opposing team's offense, I think total points allowed is very much more valid in ranking a defense.

That being said, I did some research out of curiousity and found that the Seattle Seahawks defense gave up 285 points during the 2025 regular season, excluding points from opposing defensive scores and special teams touchdowns. (with them included, it's 292)

Of course to be fair, one of those scores on our defense should've been a pick-six on Darnold against LA if not for K9 hustling back and tackling the defender (and the Rams scored a play later anyway).


Still, though, my opinion is that Yards don't mean all that much if there are no points being scored.

 

[SoulfishHawk]

Bend, don't break is a real thing, always has been.

Oh geez, I'm gonna' pay for that comment........


3.....2.......1........

 

[glenwo2]

Bend, don't break is a real thing, always has been.

Oh geez, I'm gonna' pay for that comment........


3.....2.......1........

Happy New Year!

(oh...that's old news)

 

[Ozzy]

How can you say there is a decent gap to number 2 when if you asked 10 analysts who the best defense is you could get three different answers ?

I think Seattle is on a while different level now that they have every starter back. Texans the #2 defense just gave up 30 to the colts. Seattle gave up 3 to the hottest offense in the league.