Inside The Numbers: Seattle Seahawks Versus Green Bay Packers
A closer look inside two of the larger numbers when it comes to the Seattle Seahawks versus Green Bay Packers matchup on Sunday at 1:25 pm PST at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
Points Per Game and Team Efficiency
Defense
The Seahawks rank first in points-allowed-per-game in the National Football League so far this year, giving up only 16.2 points. That is a full point better than second place teams the New England Patriots and Baltimore Ravens. Seattle is attempting to allow the fewest points for the fifth straight year.
The Packers current rank 22nd in the same category. Green Bay has given up 25.2 points-per-game. Of note, however, is that in weeks ten and eleven, Green Bay gave up a total of 89 points against the Tennessee Titans and Washington Redskins, but that in weeks 12 and 13 the Packers allowed a total of 26 points against the Philadelphia Eagles and Houston Texans. Basically, the Packers gave up nearly thirty percent of their total points for the season in those two games. Take away weeks ten and eleven and the Packers give up 21.3 points-per-game. While still not the Seahawks average, 21.3 points-per would rank twelfth in the league. In other words, respectable.
According to Football Outsiders, Green Bay ranks 18th in defensive efficiency (DVOA; you can find a better explanation of that here) while the Seahawks ran fifth. While the Seahawks are still well ahead, the defensive statistics overall are much closer once analyzed.
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Offense
This is where the statistics even out a bit. The Seahawks average 22 points-per-game offensively. Seattle, of course, has had some awful games as well and the inconsistency can be maddening. The Seahawks have scored six points or under in three different games this season. In weeks nine through eleven, though, the Seahawks averaged 29 points-per-game against the Buffalo Bills, Patriots and Eagles – all teams that rank in the top half of the league defensively. Against the New Orleans Saints and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, two teams that rank in the bottom half defensively, Seattle averaged 12.5 points-per.
Green Bay normally has an excellent offense, but has been hampered by an ineffective rushing game. The Packers are 24th in the league (Seattle only ranks 20th in rushing offense, however) in this aspect. Season leading rusher Eddie Lacy has been out with an injured foot but still leads the team with 360 yards rushing and averages 5.1 yards-per-carry. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers is actually the Packers second leading rusher with 301 yards. After that, there is a fairly precipitous drop off. Last week against the Texans, Ty Montgomery led Green Bay with 40 yards rushing. The week before that James Starks led the Packers with 41 yards.
Both teams are truly led by their excellent quarterbacks, Seattle’s Russell Wilson and Green Bay’s Rodgers. The Packers are tenth in the N.F.L. in passing-yards-per-game, while Seattle ranks 14th. Rodgers, even though many observers appear to not think he is having his typical season, still ranks fourth in opponent adjusted quarterback rating, according to ESPN. Wilson ranks 14th.
According to Football Outsiders, Green Bay ranks ninth in offensive efficiency and Seattle ranks 13th.
Based on this look at points-per-game and the fact Green Bay has home-field advantage, Seattle may have a difficult time. Of course, these are the Seahawks, so anything can and will happen.
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