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Stats of dominance: A closer look at the Seahawks two wins in five days

It's been a great week for Seattle.

By Kenneth Arthur
Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

Is everyone about to start raving about True Detective season one? Because it feels like early 2014 all of a sudden after the Seahawks quickly flip-flopped from "this team was either overrated last year or the league figured them out" to "they're back!" in a span of only five days.

Seattle beat the 49ers in San Francisco 19-3, allowing 164 total yards, a good chunk of which came on a meaningless final drive. Overall, they've allowed 368 total yards in their last two games combined, with Bruce Arians of the Cards and Jim Harbaugh of the Niners gaining the fewest yards in any game of their respective coaching careers.

368 yards allowed in two games ... A team has gained at least 368 yards in one game 143 times this season, which is most of games. Teams are averaging 351 yards per game this year.

Now having won five of the last six games, with a close loss in Kansas City and road wins over Carolina and San Francisco, people are starting to talk again about the Seahawks as the best team in the NFC, if not the NFL. Not that it really matters thought, because previous "best of the NFC" teams this year have been the Cowboys, Cardinals, Lions, Eagles, at least. Hell, even the Falcons got some mentions very early in the year.

Perhaps the Packers are the best team in the NFC, but nobody was saying that after their 36-16 loss in Seattle. Or their 19-7 loss to Detroit. Or their 44-23 loss to the Saints.

"Best team in the NFC" doesn't really matter because it doesn't really mean anything or prove anything, but best team on Thanksgiving? Maybe. Philly did go to Dallas and improve to 9-3 after winning by 23 points, but why debate who is better today when we will find out the answer when the two teams play against each other in nine days. The Seahawks have dropped some elite defensive performances during their current streak and they seem to really be hitting their stride since the return of Bobby Wagner.

Here are a few fun facts to ponder on a Friday:

- Per ProFootballFocus, Colin Kaepernick was 0-for-10 with two interceptions on any pass attempts longer than 10 yards. It's a concerning trend for Niners fans to see what kind of year Kap is having and he hasn't had multiple touchdowns in a game since Week 6 against the Rams. In his six games since, Kap has a passer rating of 78.4 with 58% completions, five touchdowns and four interceptions with 6.7 yards per attempt. While Russell Wilson has had similar struggles and stretches this year with Seattle, he's been deadly with his ability to run the football.

That is not a part of Kap's game this year, and he's run for 111 yards and 3.4 yards per carry over the last six.

In a story that's likely to plague him for the duration of his career until (if) he cures it, Kaepernick has thrown seven of his 19 career interceptions against Seattle. He has a passer rating of 49.5 in five regular season matchups. He has a passer rating of 105.7 against the Cardinals and 102.7 against the Rams.

In six games this year at Levi's Stadium, Kaepernick has six touchdowns and seven interceptions with a passer rating of 77.2. Denim? He hardly knows 'em.

- The broadcast said Richard Sherman allowed no catches on five attempts, PFF says that he allowed one catch for six yards. Which is correct? They both are, as long as the question is, "Is Richard Sherman amazing?"

Yes.

Sherman had two interceptions and even if they were both very catchable balls, they aren't balls that all corners catch. Sherman showed off his receiving skills background on Thursday and allowed a passer rating of 0.0 on those five attempts. In fact, Sherman is allowing a passer rating of 0.0 in his last three games combined against Kap, Drew Stanton, and Alex Smith.

Not along ago people were wondering how Sherman could possibly continue to succeed under the new pass defense rules and increase in holding penalties, but as of today, he has to be named to the All-Pro team once again. He two interceptions were more than all other cornerbacks in the NFL combined on Thursday.

If he's not "the best corner in the game" then he's at least top two. He told the 49ers to not ever try a "sorry ass receiver like (Michael) Crabtree on (him)" and they didn't: The five targets that Kap tried on him were split between Stevie Johnson and Brandon Lloyd.

- In two games, Bobby Wagner has 15 tackles and nine stop. QBs have completed seven-of-eight targets to receivers he is covering but only gained 57 yards, or 8.1 yards per catch. He's also gotten in the backfield for two QB hurries and one QB hit.

- Cliff Avril has three sacks in the last two games and four in his last five. He had one sack in the first seven games of the year.

- DeMarcus Dobbs only played 11 snaps but he had two tackles, both were stops.

- Byron Maxwell has been targeted 10 times in the last two games, allowing four catches for 78 yards with an interception.

- In the last two games, nine passes have been thrown to either Earl Thomas or Kam Chancellor, and those attempts have gained 19 total yards. Chancellor also has 12 tackles and six stops.

- In the last three games, Wilson is 52-of-76 passing, 68% completions, 625 yards, four touchdowns, no interceptions, 8.22 Y/A, 110.9 passer rating, with 25 rushes for 179 yards. Forget me not: Two of those games were on the road. He's also been sacked 13 times, most in the NFL over that period of time (and likely will continue to be after the week is completed.)

- Steven frickin Hauschka has made eight field goals this week.

- The Seahawks have forced 13 turnovers in their last six games. They have lost the ball five times but all five came in wins over the Panthers and Giants.

- They have allowed fewer than 200 net passing yards in seven of 12 games. They have allowed 64 total rushing yards in each of the last two games. They are number five in total rushing defense and number two in total passing defense.

Here's some more from around twittersphere:

Jason Churchill

Bob Condotta

Adam Schefter

ESPN Stats and Info

Kenneth "da genius" Arthur

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