Good morning, 12s. Here's a look at what's out there today — Thursday, September 29 — about your Seattle Seahawks.
Super Bowl Champion Seahawks One of the Top Teams of the Past 20 Years
It's been 20 years since the NFL's last conference realignment, and to celebrate that anniversary, The Athletic takes a shot at ranking the Top-20 Super Bowl champs to lace 'em up in that time. In 2001, the Seattle Seahawks would leave the AFC West, returning to their original conference alignment in the NFC West.
Austin Mock and Mike Sando break down the work put in to create the list and the criteria.
Of course, the best team in a given season doesn't always win it all, especially in the absence of the seven-game playoff series that other sports use to prevent a single outlier game from determining championship fates. While ranking the last 20 Super Bowl winners, we'll point out which ones ranked especially high or low among all 640 teams from the past 20 seasons.
To produce a ranking fairly, we compared every team's metrics to its peers' metrics in that specific season. Metrics were then adjusted onto the same scale to "level" the playing field. From there, the teams' metrics were leveraged to project points for (xPF) and points against (xPA) when facing an average NFL team. We then derived a projected margin of victory (xMOV) and a projected win percentage (xWIN) against an average team.
_Using the model to rank all 640 teams from 2002 through last season, the 16-0 Patriots from 2007 came out on top, followed by three mid-2000sIndianapolis Colts teams. None of those teams won Super Bowls, however, so they are not listed below. We'll mention them for context while stacking the past 20 Super Bowl winners, beginning with a tie at the top, and ending with a champ that ranked only 333rd out of those 640 total teams.
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The 2013 Seahawks are tied for No. 1 on the list, an unforgettable squad with plenty of weapons on offense and a defense led by the‘Legion of Boom’ secondary. Mock and Sando break down why the 2013 team earns their position.
T-1. 2013 Seattle Seahawks
xWIN:T-1st | xMOV: 2nd | xPF: 12th | xPA:2nd
Seattle added defensive linemen Michael Bennett and Cliff Avril to a defense already featuring emerging young stars in Earl Thomas, Richard Sherman, Bobby Wagnerand Kam Chancellor. The upgraded pass-rush helped Seattle hold all but three opposing offenses to less than 21 points in 19 total games. Among the past 20 Super Bowl winners, the model ranks only the 2002 Buccaneers higher than this Seattle team in adjusted points allowed.
The 2014 Seahawks were defeated by No.3 in the Athletic's rankings list - the 2014 New England Patriots. Check out more on the rankings of the best super bowl champs since the realignment here.
Social Post Of The Day
The ever-elusive Kenneth Walker III showing why he was the 2021 Doak Walker and Walter Camp awards winner
More From Around The Web
Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times: Seahawks Quandre Diggs no longer holding hard feelings towards Detroit Lions for trade to Seattle.
K.J. Wright of Seattle Sports 710AM on The issue with the Seattle Seahawks defense and how to fix it.
Michael Bumpus of Seattle Sports 710AM: Why Seahawks tight ends need to play big role in offense.
The Seahawks and Lions face off on Sunday, Sept. 17, 2023 at Ford Field. Kickoff is set for 10:00 a.m. PT. Take a look back through history at the Seahawks' matchups against the Lions.
Seattle Seahawks running back David Sims (35) runs upfield during an NFL game against the Detroit Lions in Seattle, Wash., Sept. 24, 1978. The Seahawks defeated the Lions 28-16. (AP Photo/NFL Photos)
Detroit Lions running back Barry Sanders (20) fights for yardage against Seattle Seahawks' Robert Blackmon (25) during the second quarter at the Silverdome in Pontiac, Mich., Oct. 17, 1993. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)
Seattle Seahawks' Sean Dawkins (81) catches a touchdown pass from Jon Kitna while being defended by Detroit Lions' Terry Fair (23) in the fourth quarter, Sunday, Sept. 12, 1999, in Seattle. Detroit won 28-20. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
Detroit Lions quarterback Joey Harrington is hit by Seattle Seahawks' Ken Hamlin (26) as he throws in the fourth quarter Sunday, Nov. 16, 2003, in Seattle. Harrington completed 26 of 48 passes for 285 yards. The Seahawks won, 35-14. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
Detroit Lions linebacker Paris Lenon, right, makes a diving tackle on Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Bobby Engram (84) in the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Sept. 10, 2006, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)
Detroit Lions linebacker Alex Lewis (59) tries stopping Seattle Seahawks running back Shaun Alexander (37) during the first quarter of their football game at Ford Field in Detroit, Sunday, Sept. 10, 2006. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)
Seattle Seahawks? David Hawthorne tackles Detroit Lions' Kevin Smith in an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 8, 2009, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck throws against the Detroit Lions in the fourth quarter during an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 8, 2009, in Seattle. The Seahawks won 32-20. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
Seattle Seahawks free safety Earl Thomas (29) intercepts a pass intended for Detroit Lions tight end Tony Scheffler (85) in the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 28, 2012. in Detroit. (AP Photo/Rick Osentoski)
Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch (24) makes a touchdown run in the first half of an NFL football game against the Detroit Lions, Sunday, Oct. 28, 2012. in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya )
Detroit Lions wide receiver Calvin Johnson (81) has the ball knocked loose by Seattle Seahawks strong safety Kam Chancellor (31) in the second half of an NFL football game, Monday, Oct. 5, 2015, in Seattle. The fumble went out of bounds in the end zone and was ruled a touchback. The Seahawks beat the Lions 13-10. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
Seattle Seahawks tight end Ed Dickson (84) and Detroit Lions strong safety Quandre Diggs fall into the end zone after Dickson's 12-yard touchdown reception during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 28, 2018, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Seattle Seahawks running back Thomas Rawls (34) rushes for a touchdown against the Detroit Lions in the second half of an NFL football NFC wild card playoff game, Saturday, Jan. 7, 2017, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
