Seahawks beat Lions: PFF Signature Stats of the Week

As we've done over the past few weeks, here's a quick look at some of Pro Football Focus' Signature Stats, courtesy of Jim Seki. His stats in italics, with my comments following.

Seahawks vs. Lions:

-- Vs. the Lions, on throws traveling between 10 to 19 yards in the air, Wilson went 6-6 for 156 yards.

It's really pretty incredible that Russell Wilson finished with 11+ YPA in this game, considering the issues that the offensive line was having up front. Darrell Bevell recently said that Wilson is passing from the pocket better than he's ever done over the past few games, and I think I agree with this assessment. Not only is he doing his normal "Houdini" business when he needs to, but he's navigating often-muddied pockets to hit receivers downfield. I have, in general, been very encouraged with his throwing this year. These stats really back that up. '

-- Every starting offensive lineman for the Seahawks allowed at least one QB hurry with Russell Okung allowing a team-high five.

Oh, that's great.

-- Michael Bennett continues his torrid play and was the highest graded Seahawks defender finishing with a +4.5. Avril "only" had a +1.7 game, but both still occupy the top two slots for 4-3 DE cumulative grading. On the year Avril leads with a +10.9 pass rush grade while Bennett leads run defense at +8.4.

Torrid is too close of a word to "horrid," so for a second I thought he was saying that Bennett is playing poorly. Don't worry though, torrid is a synonym for: hot, dry, scorching, searing, blazing, blistering, sweltering, burning, sultry; informal boiling (hot), baking (hot), sizzling. In other words, good. It's also a synonym for passionate, ardent, lustful, amorous; informal steamy, sultry, sizzling, hot.

I feel like all these work for how well Bennett is playing, and maybe the latter section more aptly applies to Bennett, who is never afraid to slip something sexual into football discussion. Regardless, Bennett is good. Avril is also good. We knew this, but PFF just confirms what we knew.

-- Quietly Jordan Hill has had a great start to the season. He's 12^th among DTs at +5.6 and his eight QB hurries is tied for fifth-best. He's finished all four games in the positive and has taken advantage of his increased playing time (last two games he's played over 60.0% of defensive snaps).

-- DT Jordan Hill had a 7.5 pass rush productivity rating in Week 4, ninth among 4-3 DTs. His three hurries were tied for second-most, sharing the spot with big names Ndamukong Suh and Aaron Donald.

Hill really seems to have come into his own as a pass rusher. That's great to see the 8 quarterback hurry stat, because it does feel like he's doing a great job of penetrating on the snap and getting disruption into the backfield. With Brandon Mebane out for a minute, look for Hill to continue to make a difference.

-- Wilson ranks second in pressure rate, seeing pressure on 43.9% of his dropbacks. While most continue to look at the offensive line deficiencies, Wilson has an underappreciated 65.1% completion and 77.8% accuracy rates while under pressure, both of which are top-five.

What do you do when life gives you lemons?

-- Wilson's only had his receivers drop three passes on the year. That's tied for the best with four other QBs (min 50% snaps played) and converts to a 2.4% drop rate. Those three drops only travelled a combined five yards in the air, the lowest figure in the league.

This is something that I've noticed lately too -- Seattle's receivers are doing a good job of holding on to the rock. The only bad drop I can picture in my mind is that one by Ricardo Lockette on a bootleg play-action by Russell Wilson.

-- Both Graham and Willson are in the bottom six among all tight ends in pass blocking efficiency. In their combined 24 pass block snaps, they've allowed five QB pressures.

Not terribly surprising. Both were acquired for other reasons.

-- Four weeks into the season so we can start to put some merit into cornerback figures. Cary Williams is only allowing 0.55 yards/coverage snaps (4^th) while Sherman is not far behind at only 0.78.

Early returns on Williams were luke-warm, but the dude has really adapted to the Seahawks' scheme. He's learned the step-kick method and has really shown the ability to stay over the top on receivers, even of the caliber of Calvin Johnson. Meantime, Byron Maxwell is giving up a 145.4 rating to quarterbacks that target him in coverage, dead last in the NFL (per PFF). Maybe there's something to be said of the Seahawks' scheme and technique?