A few numbers from DEN vs SEA 9/21/2014 (Gamebook link)

I like to look at the gamebooks after a game, just because I'm a geek (the Super Bowl 48 Gamebook was a large source for my "Super Bowl For 12s" blog post in my .sig)

Anyway, while watching the game you get a certain feel for it and to be honest it seemed like overall Peyton Manning was effective and was "having his way" for the majority of the game. The numbers themselves don't point that way and sometimes it's surprising to see the numbers

You can download the gamebook for this game here:

http://www.nfl.com/liveupdate/gamecente ... mebook.pdf

Some stats:

Peyton Manning passing OVERALL: 31 of 49
Peyton Manning passing LAST SCORING DRIVE: 3 of 9 for 85 yards (that's only a 33% completion rate!) (seemed like he was completing everything on that last drive, was surprised it was only 3 for 9!?)
Peyton's passer rating: 85.7 (wow? That's low!)
Broncos rushing: 20 attempts for 36 yards, 1.8 average (wow.. for some reason I though it would be higher)

Russell Wilson passing OVERALL: 24 of 34
Russ passing LAST SCORING DRIVE: 4 of 6.
Russ also rushed 21 yards, including getting a first down on a 3rd and 3 and a 3rd and 4 (clutch!)
Russ passer rating: 99.9 (pretty good considering he had the pick. thought it would be a bit lower)
Seahawks rushing: 37 attempts for 129 yards (3.5 average) (also for some reason I thought it was more)

And yet it was really close. While the numbers were less impressive than I had felt, it seemed like both teams were operating really well and the game was just a few plays from going either way

Hawks fans can point to one or two costly mistakes (interception, safety) that made it this close, otherwise the Hawks were dominating.

Broncos fans can point to one or two costly "mistakes" (interception, coin toss loss in OT) that shows the Broncos should have won this

Overall: this just shows you when you play one of the best teams in the league, one mistake can cost you the game regardless of whatever the numbers are. That's what champions do.

Yes I do put the Broncos very high on the list. If you make a mistake against them, they can capitalize. And as some thought the changes they made over the offseason brought out a much better team than we had seen, not to mention what seems to be a mentally tougher Payton Manning.

For the Hawks, I think I have finally figured out what it is. I was putting them as mentally softer than last year (losing a bit of hunger). Now I think I'm mistaken, I think they have the same hunger as last year. However, THIS YEAR other teams playing the Hawks will be more focused on them and will be hungrier when they play Seattle. So just to stay on par, the Seahawks need to be hungrier too. That's what I think is happening

Not only that, I think we all have much higher expectations for this team as many others have pointed out. It's almost as if the Seahawks make it a close game, we think something is not going right

Thoughts?

That 3/9 stat on the last drive is kind of crazy and illustrates how well our defense was playing.

Must've been the stress here - I thought he went 100% on completions on that drive!

For the Hawks, I think I have finally figured out what it is. I was putting them as mentally softer than last year (losing a bit of hunger). Now I think I'm mistaken, I think they have the same hunger as last year. However, THIS YEAR other teams playing the Hawks will be more focused on them and will be hungrier when they play Seattle. So just to stay on par, the Seahawks need to be hungrier too. That's what I think is happening

Not only that, I think we all have much higher expectations for this team as many others have pointed out. It's almost as if the Seahawks make it a close game, we think something is not going right

Click to expand...

You pretty much nailed it and Earl said as much. I expect to see them start getting more and more focused with each game going forward. Other teams are bringing their "A" game and now the Seahawk's are realizing it's time for them to do the same. Not worried at all given we have 14 more games to get everything running just right. Remember it's how you finish not how you start.

Laloosh":2knr1fzr said:

That 3/9 stat on the last drive is kind of crazy and illustrates how well our defense was playing.

Click to expand...

uncle fester":2knr1fzr said:

Must've been the stress here - I thought he went 100% on completions on that drive!

Click to expand...

Me too. Seriously. I thought he had been 100%. Felt like every play he was accomplishing something.

Interesting statement then about those that analyze a game only looking at stats instead of watching it. Looking at numbers vs. the feel of the game.

On one side you could say he went 3 for 9, terrible completion rate.

On the other, you could say our defense was out of its mind AND STILL Payton is so dangerous he only needs 3 completions and a 2 point conversion to tie the game with less than a minute.

For those that didn't download the gamebook yet, here's Payton's last drive:

Denver Broncos at 0:59

1-10-DEN 20
59) (Shotgun) P.Manning pass incomplete deep left to E.Sanders (M.Burley).

Timeout #2 by SEA at 00:52.

2-10-DEN 20
52) (Shotgun) P.Manning pass deep left to E.Sanders to SEA 38 for 42 yards (B.Maxwell).

1-10-SEA 38
31) (Shotgun) P.Manning pass incomplete.

2-10-SEA 38
31) (Shotgun) P.Manning pass incomplete short middle to R.Hillman.

3-10-SEA 38
28) (Shotgun) P.Manning pass short left to D.Thomas pushed ob at SEA 26 for 12 yards (B.Maxwell).

1-10-SEA 26
24) (Shotgun) P.Manning pass deep left to J.Tamme for 26 yards, TOUCHDOWN.

TWO-POINT CONVERSION ATTEMPT. P.Manning pass to D.Thomas is complete. ATTEMPT SUCCEEDS.
Play Challenged by Replay Official and Upheld.

MizzouHawkGal":1h5aviuw said:

For the Hawks, I think I have finally figured out what it is. I was putting them as mentally softer than last year (losing a bit of hunger). Now I think I'm mistaken, I think they have the same hunger as last year. However, THIS YEAR other teams playing the Hawks will be more focused on them and will be hungrier when they play Seattle. So just to stay on par, the Seahawks need to be hungrier too. That's what I think is happening

Not only that, I think we all have much higher expectations for this team as many others have pointed out. It's almost as if the Seahawks make it a close game, we think something is not going right

Click to expand...

You pretty much nailed it and Earl said as much. I expect to see them start getting more and more focused with each game going forward. Other teams are bringing their "A" game and now the Seahawk's are realizing it's time for them to do the same. Not worried at all given we have 14 more games to get everything running just right. Remember it's how you finish not how you start.

Click to expand...

And its' easy to forget to (someone pointed this out in another thread) that the start of last season also wasn't so hot. Took a few key plays for us to pull out wins early on.

My memory is pretty bad here so I don't recall which teams these were against: distinctly remember last season

* 4th quarter scoring drive to Kearse, I think the only passing TD of the game for both teams, final score something like 14 to 9? May have been the opener

* Other team needs a TD to win and they are marching downfield, rushing play and the RB has something like a 15 or 20 yard gain and tackler punches the ball out, fumble, Hawks recover, game over

* Other team needs a TD to win and it's like 4th and goal, last play of the game, pass to left side overthrown (Browner is the CB) and the Hawks win

So to your point: as the season went on last year the D (and the whole team) got more in its mindset. This year, they started with a higher baseline being SB winners and I would be surprised to not see them get better as the year goes on (they also will have more film to study too)