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Before we make too much of this let's remember that they finished the season 10th in 3rd down conversions % allowed last season while leading the league in points allowed. Additionally they have faced two teams in the Packers and the Chargers who were 1st and 9th in 3rd down conversion % on offense in 2013. Still, it is surprising to see their defense dead last in any ranking. Allowing 55% conversion on 3rd downs obviously won't continue (worst in the league in 2013 was 46%). I'm sure that they will get better particularly when the face teams with weaker QBs and/or offenses (Rivers and Rodgers are both elite, as much as I hate to admit that about Rivers).
Seeing how a depleted KC defense (minus Johnson and Berry) held us to 3 of 8 on 3rd downs last game, I am curious to see how the Packers and the Chargers were able to convert effectively on 3rd down against the Seahawks while we struggled to do so the last time we faced them in a meaningful game. The Packers were 6 of 12 on 3rd down here are the distances needed to convert and how they fared:
| 3rd and 10 at GB 39 | (12:30) (Shotgun) A.Rodgers sacked at GB 39 for 0 yards (O.Schofield). |
| 3rd and 15 at GB 26 | (4:51) (Shotgun) A.Rodgers pass incomplete deep middle to J.Nelson. |
| 3rd and 8 at SEA 32 | (3:19) (Shotgun) A.Rodgers pass short left to R.Cobb pushed ob at SEA 24 for 8 yards (B.Maxwell). |
| 3rd and 5 at GB 21 | (11:37) (Shotgun) A.Rodgers pass short middle to R.Cobb to GB 32 for 11 yards (J.Lane). |
| 3rd and 4 at GB 38 | (9:56) (Shotgun) J.Starks up the middle to GB 44 for 6 yards (B.Irvin, B.Wagner). |
| 3rd and 5 at GB 49 | (8:21) (Shotgun) A.Rodgers pass incomplete deep right to R.Cobb. PENALTY on SEA-B.Wagner, Defensive Pass Interference, 44 yards, enforced at GB 49 - No Play. |
| 3rd and 5 at SEA 5 | (7:00) (Shotgun) A.Rodgers pass incomplete short middle to J.Nelson. |
| 3rd and 4 at SEA 45 | (1:27) (Shotgun) A.Rodgers pass incomplete short left to J.Nelson [M.Bennett]. |
| 3rd and 6 at GB 24 | (9:26) (Shotgun) A.Rodgers pass short left to J.Nelson ran ob at GB 33 for 9 yards. |
| 3rd and 12 at GB 31 | (8:17) (Shotgun) A.Rodgers pass deep middle to R.Cobb to SEA 46 for 23 yards (B.Wagner). |
| 3rd and 5 at SEA 41 | (7:15) (Shotgun) A.Rodgers pass incomplete deep left to J.Nelson (B.Maxwell). |
| 3rd and 2 at SEA 31 | (10:58) (Shotgun) A.Rodgers pass short left to J.Nelson to SEA 20 for 11 yards (B.Wagner). |
| 3rd and 13 at GB 21 | (1:51) (Shotgun) A.Rodgers pass incomplete deep right to R.Cobb (E.Thomas). |
GB had one 3rd down converted via penalty so they were 7 of 13 in total on converting 3rd downs against SEA. GB was only in 3rd and short once (2 to go which they converted via a pass). The other 3rd downs were 7 3rd and mediums (4,5 or 6 needed) and 6 3rd and longs (7 or more needed). GB converted 1 of 1 on 3rd and short (100%), 4 of 7 on 3rd and medium (57%) and 2 of 6 on 3rd and long (33%). The two "longs" converted were 8 and 12 yards needed. Seattle did a good job of keeping Green Bay from getting into 3rd and short situations where Aaron Rodgers is one of the best in the game at converting. Of the 6 non-penalty 3rd down conversion, only one came on a running play (shotgun draw play with Starks for 6 on 3rd and 4).
The Chargers were even better against SEA, converting 12 of 17 3rd downs (including the two by penalty, but not counting the kneel-down near the end). Unlike GB (in SEA), the Chargers (in SD) were able to get in 3rd and short much more frequently. Here are all of their 3rd down situations against SEA:
| 3rd and 2 at SD 28 | (9:45) (Shotgun) P.Rivers pass short middle to D.Woodhead to SD 31 for 3 yards (K.Wright). |
| 3rd and 1 at SD 40 | (7:54) P.Rivers pass short right to R.Mathews pushed ob at 50 for 10 yards (E.Thomas). |
| 3rd and 1 at SEA 41 | (5:57) R.Mathews up the middle to SEA 39 for 2 yards (B.Maxwell). |
| 3rd and 9 at SEA 24 | (3:40) (Shotgun) P.Rivers sacked at SEA 32 for -8 yards (M.Bennett). |
| 3rd and 8 at SEA 8 | Antonio Gates 8 Yd pass from Philip Rivers (Nick Novak Kick) |
| 3rd and 5 at 50 | (8:21) (Shotgun) P.Rivers pass short right to K.Allen to SEA 38 for 12 yards (K.Chancellor). |
| 3rd and 2 at SEA 30 | (6:32) (Shotgun) P.Rivers pass short middle to D.Woodhead to SEA 26 for 4 yards (K.Wright). |
| 3rd and 8 at SEA 24 | (4:49) (Shotgun) P.Rivers pass incomplete deep left to K.Allen. |
| 3rd and 8 at SEA 8 | Antonio Gates 8 Yd pass from Philip Rivers (Nick Novak Kick) |
| 3rd and 6 at SD 24 | (13:46) (Shotgun) P.Rivers sacked at SD 20 for -4 yards (B.Wagner). PENALTY on SEA-M.Smith, Defensive Holding, 5 yards, enforced at SD 24 - No Play. |
| 3rd and 8 at SD 47 | (11:47) (Shotgun) P.Rivers pass incomplete deep right to E.Royal (J.Thomas). |
| 3rd and 9 at SEA 43 | (5:35) (Shotgun) P.Rivers pass short right to E.Royal pushed ob at SEA 27 for 16 yards (R.Sherman). |
| 3rd and 7 at SEA 24 | (4:13) (Shotgun) P.Rivers scrambles right end pushed ob at SEA 23 for 1 yard (B.Irvin). PENALTY on SEA-B.Irvin, Personal Foul, 12 yards, enforced at SEA 23. |
| 3rd and 2 at SD 40 | (13:07) (Shotgun) P.Rivers scrambles up the middle to SD 44 for 4 yards (K.Williams). |
| 3rd and 13 at SD 41 | (11:03) (Shotgun) P.Rivers pass short left to E.Royal to SEA 49 for 10 yards (B.Wagner, D.Shead). |
| 3rd and 8 at SD 35 | (5:32) (Shotgun) P.Rivers pass short middle to A.Gates to 50 for 15 yards (K.Wright). |
| 3rd and 7 at SEA 47 | (3:21) P.Rivers pass incomplete short right. |
The Chargers faced 3rd and short 5 times (converting all 5 - 100%). All of those 3rd and shorts were 1 or 2 needed. They faced 3rd and medium twice, converting both (100%) - one by penalty. The faced 3rd and long 10 times and converted 5 (50%) - one by penalty. Only once one 3rd down did SD run the ball (not counting Rivers scrambling). It is also important to note that SEA did not force a single 3-and-out against the Chargers while the Chargers forced three 3-and-outs (one was a 4-and-out turnover on turns late in the game). The Chargers did not turn the ball over at all and they possessed the ball for 42 minutes and 15 seconds. The shortest actual drive of the game (not counting kneel-downs) by Chargers consumed 3 minutes and 30 seconds of game time. It would appear that the Chargers did the same thing to Russell Wilson and the SEA offense that they did to us in our loss to them last season - they used their offense as the best defense.
Our offense really isn't built to play like the Chargers did at home against the Seahawks (37 runs on 71 non-kneel-down plays), but it is encouraging that so far this season teams have been able to convert effectively on 3rd down against the Seahawks. Sustaining drives against them next week will be critical to victory.