6 telling numbers from Seahawks’ win over the Browns

Time for a new column!

This is not a novel concept by any stretch, but I don’t remember seeing a version of it specifically at Field Gulls for some time. But with the Seattle Seahawks now leading the NFC West it’s as good a time as any to start a new series halfway through the season.

Here are six numbers that stood out from the Week 8 win over the Cleveland Browns. Six is half of 12, and we’re almost halfway through the season. Feels right.

5

You’ve probably heard this one a few times already. That’s consecutive games with a sack for Boye Mafe. I love him more than a man probably should, but he’s a very personable interview and has made the biggest second-year jump that I can remember.

He also had 4 QB hits, and while Myles Garrett was on the other sideline it was Mafe who completely took over the pass rush.

9.15

That’s the average Yards per Carry for Kenneth Walker and Zach Charbonnet on Sunday. Seattle racked up 114 yards on the ground, in a way that somehow felt extremely quiet. Each of them had a big gain of over 20 yards, and were wildly efficient on a day when each received only single-digit carries.

4 to 0

That’s the number of first downs gained by penalties. If you saw the game, you don’t need any help figuring it was Cleveland that benefited and Seattle did not. If Geno Smith didn’t lead that final drive, this article would have been “how the officials led to Seattle’s loss.” Not that they were unfairly called penalties (which, I mean, maybe) but that the Seahawks continue to play one of the most undisciplined games across the NFL.

They’re the most penalized team, they have horribly timed missed tackles and interceptions, and it’s a true testament to the talent that they’re able to keep winning at the moment. This team needs to stop shooting themselves in the foot.

Speaking of 4’s and 0’s, 40.

That’s the rush attempts by the Browns against our defense. Cleveland still has a top-7 rush offense, and Seattle held them to 3.9 YPC as a team which is under their season average. 40 run plays its some Kyle Shanahan-on-his-3rd-QB nonsense, and major props to Jordyn Brooks, Bobby Wagner, Jamal Adams, Mario Edwards, and everybody else out there making tons of tackles. This run defense is shockingly for real.

54.8

I don’t know who else saw this little tidbit on the broadcast, but Michael Dickson leads the NFL in punting?

Not this season, by the way. Dickson leads NFL HISTORY:

Big, if true.

Our favorite Australian kicker has been awesome since he came to the league, and he increased his record number with five punts and a 54.8 yard average. Good luck catching this guy, and what a fun random record to have on the team at the moment.

2 x 3

Lastly, Geno Smith has two turnovers in three consecutive games. Yes, the fumbled snap always counts against the quarterback, and who knows what happened there. But additionally, there are more throws that could have been picked off in the recent weeks, especially the one outside toss in the second half that would have been walked into the end zone but was dropped.

Mookie covered it well in Winners / Losers - Geno Smith is maddening right now. That was the best first quarter in years, and a phenomenal final drive against the league’s best defense.

But in between, is he even playing the same game as the rest of the team?

I am tickled that this roster is so talented they can beat the Arizona Cardinals by 10 and win over the Browns, but playing Philly - Dallas - San Francisco twice isn’t going to be enjoyable giving the ball over twice per game. Stop doing that, please.