It’s energy rankings time once more, and the Seattle Seahawks are slowly climbing up the ladder.
Following 5 losses in six weeks and a bye week wherein few outcomes broke their method within the playoff race, the Seahawks maybe saved their season with a 20-17 win over the San Francisco 49ers. Whereas each the Seahawks and 49ers have 5-5 data, Seattle’s 5-5 feels a bit completely different than San Francisco’s, particularly contemplating how grueling the 49ers’ remaining schedule appears to be like.
Primarily based on a roundup of notable NFL shops and their workforce energy rankings, the Seahawks stay (deservedly so) in that center pack, with a variety between 14th-Seventeenth. Laborious to disagree except you assume over the course of the season they’ve performed at a stage worthy of 7-3 or higher.
ESPN: No. 16 (final week: No. 19)
Week 11 consequence: Beat the 49ers 20-17
Week 11 rating: 19
Preseason scorching seat: QB Geno Smith
Present temperature of scorching seat: Chilly
On the very least, it’s cooling after Smith led one other game-winning drive Sunday to finish a streak of six consecutive losses to the 49ers. Smith isn’t enjoying nicely sufficient to make it a positive factor he’ll get a brand new contract this offseason to safe his long-term future in Seattle. However he’s faring about in addition to could be anticipated for a quarterback with a struggling offensive line and poor run recreation. — Brady Henderson
The Athletic: No. 14 (final week: No. 19)
Sunday: Beat San Francisco 49ers 20-17
Seat temperature verify: Cool
Mike Macdonald hasn’t achieved a lot to enhance Seattle’s protection but. The Seahawks are twenty first within the league in factors allowed (23.8 per recreation), however this workforce nonetheless is enjoying exhausting for him. Seattle had misplaced 5 of six getting into Sunday’s recreation and got here from behind twice on the highway in opposition to the 49ers. The Seahawks are tied for second within the NFC West and play division chief Arizona twice within the subsequent three weeks.
NFL.com: No. 15 (final week: No. 17)
Who is aware of if the Seahawks can in some way discover a method into the postseason dance? Proper now, they’re an actual lengthy shot and nonetheless want loads to occur down the stretch (which, for them, encompasses a robust slate of opponents) to get there. Nonetheless, Sunday’s win at San Francisco was a real assertion of psychological and bodily toughness — and it dealt an enormous blow to the rival 49ers’ possibilities. Seattle slumped into its Week 10 bye with 5 losses in six tries, sinking beneath .500 after a 3-0 begin. The workforce waived main tackler Tyrel Dodson final week, then Connor Williams shockingly retired previous to Sunday’s recreation. It appeared as if the ‘Hawks have been heading to Levi’s Stadium adopted by a darkish cloud. However the skies lastly cleared as Geno Smith galloped to his dramatic TD run with 12 seconds left, gorgeous the Niners, and abruptly all the pieces was proper once more, even when only for a second. Hope shouldn’t be but misplaced.
Yahoo: No. 17 (Final week: No. 17)
File: 5-5
There often is a Geno Smith play or two that decides most Seahawks video games. That was the case once more this week, nevertheless it labored out of their favor. He was capable of pull a rabbit out of a hat on Sunday and snap Seattle’s shedding streak to San Francisco.
That may have been a season-saving victory in opposition to the 49ers. The protection confirmed massive enchancment coming off the bye.
Final week’s rating: No. 19
Final week’s consequence: beat San Francisco, 20–17
This week: vs. Arizona
So that is why the Seahawks employed Mike Macdonald. Absent the offensive thoughts that was going to match wits with Shanahan and McVay, the choice was there to get the defensive coach who might gradual them down. Macdonald hurled a serious curveball at Brock Purdy, blitzing him on 40% of his dropbacks after throwing up these numbers within the previous weeks: 29.5%, 18%, 15% and 20%.
That final 20% was in opposition to Purdy within the Seahawks’ first matchup with Shanahan this yr. So, half the variety of designed blitzes as this week.
Geno Smith lastly obtained a win in opposition to the San Francisco 49ers. The query now could be whether or not that’s a press release concerning the Seahawks’ postseason worthiness or the Niners’ championship window quickly deteriorating. That will rely upon Seattle’s offensive line gelling with Abe Lucas again within the lineup and Olu Oluwatimi taking up at middle.
With a pair of video games in opposition to the Arizona Cardinals arising, in addition to a highway journey in opposition to the faltering New York Jets, the Seahawks have an opportunity to seize maintain of the NFC West over the following few weeks. At that time, energy rankings are secondary to being within the playoff rankings and having an actual likelihood to host a playoff recreation for the primary time for the reason that 2020 season.
