Seahawks are still No. 1 team in Week 15 Power Rankings
Dec 8, 2013; San Francisco, CA, USA; Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson (3) prepares to hand the ball off to running back Marshawn Lynch (24) against the San Francisco 49ers in the third quarter at Candlestick Park. The 49ers defeated the Seahawks 19-17. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports
Though the Seahawks lost to the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, ESPN.com and NFL.com agreed that Seattle is still the best team in the NFL.
Both websites came out with their weekly power rankings on Tuesday and the Seattle Seahawks are the No. 1 team on both lists.
The voters at ESPN.com believe that the Seahawks defense needed to step up against the 49ers:
"The 49ers rushed for 137 yards before contact and averaged 4.3 yards before contact per rush Sunday. Both numbers are the worst this season for the Seahawks defense."
NFL.com said that the Seahawks defense is the reason that Seattle is a better team than the Denver Broncos, listed at No. 2 in both websites’ rankings:
"Broncos fans might get upset, but the Seahawks are still the best team in football. They play all three phases of the game and — most importantly — can stop teams from scoring. Sure, Seattle lost on Sunday, but it was to the archrival 49ers at the ‘Stick. A two-point defeat to a likely playoff team on the road is not enough to knock the 12th Man from the top spot, not when the Broncos surrendered a lot of points (again) in a home win over a non-playoff team."
The Seahawks have been the top team on ESPN.com’s power rankings for seven weeks, including four of the last five.
Seattle has three games left this season — they will visit the New York Giants next week before hosting the Arizona Cardinals and St. Louis Rams to wrap up the regular season. Those teams have a combined record of 18-21.
The Giants started the season 0-6 before winning four games in a row then losing two of their last three.
With New York’s offense struggling, the Seahawks defense might be in for a treat on Sunday. The Giants are 16th in the league in passing yards per game, averaging just over 233 yards through the air. But that might be their strong-suit offensively as they only average 88 yards per game rushing, 27th in the NFL.
It’s worth noting that three of the Giants five wins have come at home.
ESPN.com lists the Giants at No. 23 on their Week 15 Power Rankings, stating:
"Eli Manning threw his eighth interception of the season targeting Rueben Randle. Of the five QB-WR combinations that have at least six interceptions, only Manning-to-Randle has fewer than 65 completions."
Seattle could use a win on Sunday to move closer to clinching the top seed in the NFC.
It will be an early game for the Seahawks on the East Coast. Kickoff is at 10:00 a.m. PT.