Seahawks 3rd Down Notebook: Week 7, San Francisco 49ers

It seems like ancient history, but for the sake of completeness I wanted to post the 3rd down analysis from the San Francisco game because I forgot to in the run-up to the Dallas game.

The Seahawks were successful converting five of twelve on 3rd down (41.7%), if you take out the kneel-down on the final drive. The median down and distance was 5.5 yards. Both of these metrics match the output of Seattle during the Cowboys game (five of twelve on 3rd down and median distance of 5.5 yards). It would be nice if the Seahawks could go six of twelve on 3rd down, but more realistically, if they can consistently be five of twelve, they have a good shot of winning most games.

Against the 49ers, the Seahawks were able to use manageable down and distances -- converting five of eight 3rd downs with a down and distance of 6 yards or less. Of these five 3rd down conversions, only one was via pass -- a 7 yard completion short left to Jermaine Kearse in the 3rd Quarter on 3rd and 2. The other four conversions involved two Marshawn Lynch runs (one-yard TD on 3rd and Goal, and a six-yard Lynch run on 3rd and 5 to salt the game away) and two Russell Wilson scrambles.

On the second drive, Wilson gains 9 yards on a scramble from 3rd and 6. The other conversion involved the "Turf Monster" where Wilson takes read-option keeper on the left side for 8 yards on 3rd and 1.