RENTON, Wash. (AP) – For three straight weeks – and from an even broader perspective, for the past two months – the Seattle Seahawks’ defense couldn’t really stop anyone, until the week that something tangible was on the line.
It might be infuriating to fans that after giving up 112 points in its previous three games, Seattle shut down the St. Louis Rams in a 16-6 victory to win the NFC West title on Sunday.
Where did that come from?
The challenge of a week ago might seem minor compared to what awaits on Saturday afternoon: Defending champion New Orleans in the first round of the NFC playoffs – even with all the Saints’ questions at running back.
“You’ve got to be up for the challenge,” Seattle safety Lawyer Milloy said. “They set the standard for offense.”
Seattle’s defense has proven a frustrating enigma this season, showing signs of potential and plenty of regression mixed together. They were great at the start, horrid through the middle of the season – when key injuries started taking a toll – and spotty at the end.
They might be catching a break against the Saints, who placed their top two running backs – Chris Ivory and Pierre Thomas – on injured reserve this week, leaving only Reggie Bush and Julius Jones as their healthy options who were with the team in the regular season.
“Offensively for us, our running backs have had so much to do with what we’ve done this season,” Saints receiver Lance Moore said. “… But the other guys have to do a great job of stepping up and making plays.”
Last week was a perfect setup for the Seahawks’ defenders, knowing that with a backup quarterback starting on offense they needed to be at their best. It helped that St. Louis’ offense was conservative, failing to take shots downfield until the second half and not using running back Steven Jackson to his fullest.
The Seahawks kept the Rams out of the end zone for only the second time this season and limited them to 184 total yards, the fewest Seattle allowed all season. Quarterback Sam Bradford was sacked three times and the Rams gained a mere 63 yards of offense in the second half.
The Seahawks also held St. Louis to 2 of 14 on third down.
“I think the biggest thing is we got off the field on third down,” Seattle linebacker David Hawthorne said. “Earlier in the year, that was our struggle, we weren’t getting off the field. The opportunity was there, people were in position, we just weren’t finishing. We really did a good job of that last week.”
Of all the statistics, third down success by Seattle’s defense might be the most telling of all this season. In six of their seven victories, the Seahawks didn’t allow their opponent to convert more than 33 percent of third down chances. In five of those instances, the Seahawks held teams to under 20 percent.
But in the nine losses, Seattle hasn’t stopped anyone with a chance to get off the field. The average conversion rate in those nine games: 51 percent.
And the most successful of all: the Saints, who converted 11 of 15 times in Week 11. Seattle gave up 494 total yards that day, including 392 yards passing by Brees and 99 yards rushing from Ivory, many of those coming after breaking tackles.
At least Seattle doesn’t have to deal with Ivory this time.
“In unique fashion, they utilize their talent – I think as well as you could do,” Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said. “Whether it’s (Marques) Colston or (Jeremy) Shockey or (Jimmy) Graham or Reggie (Bush) or Pierre (Thomas), they put these guys in all kinds of spots to do the things they do. They have so many good players that it’s like trying to put your finger in a dike – there’s just so many issues.”
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