5 takeaways from Seattle’s 28-23 divisional-round defeat in Green Bay

The Seattle Seahawks fell to the Green Bay Packers by a score of 28-23 in the divisional round of the playoffs. Here are five takeaways.

The Seattle Seahawks fell to the Green Bay Packers in the divisional round of the 2019 NFL playoffs, extending their losing streak at Lambeau Field to nine games. Here are five takeaways from the loss on Sunday.

Disastrous first half

The Seahawks went into halftime trailing 21-3 as their defense could not stop a nosebleed. They could not generate much offensively, only scoring a 45-yard Jason Myers field goal and a subsequent 50-yard miss and a failed Hail Mary attempt at the end of the half. The Packers outgained the Seahawks in yards 201 to 135, as well as the time of possession with 18:05 to Seattle’s 11:55. Green Bay would match Seattle’s subsequent touchdown in the second half with one of its own, and this would ultimately prove too much to overcome.

No answer for Davante Adams

Davante Adams finished with eight receptions for 160 yards and two touchdowns and had 120 yards and one TD in the first half. He burned whoever covered him and the Seahawks defense simply had no answer for him in particular. He caught all four of his targets of 10 or more yards downfield, and one of those was a clutch third-and-8 conversion that went for 32 yards when the Packers needed a play to run the clock down. He averaged 5.7 yards per route and was Aaron Rodgers’ most reliable target, as well as Green Bay’s biggest contributor to its offensive production.

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Strong second-half surge

The Seahawks came out of halftime to score three consecutive offensive touchdowns, getting them back into the game. They could not capitalize on opportunities when the contest was on the line, but the Seahawks continued to make the statement that they are a no-quit team, as they have often been throughout the Pete Carroll era. They always find a way to stay in the game and receive a chance to win it. Unfortunately, they could not pull it off this time.

Defense horrid on third down

Ken Norton Jr.’s defense got torched on third down all game long, including several times with the game hanging in the balance. The Packers converted nine of their 14 third-down attempts and were six of eight after making the score 28-10 in their favor. In addition, all three of Green Bay’s first-half TDs were on third down. The Seahawks defense could not get stops when they needed to, and this played a huge role in the outcome.

Former Seahawk Jimmy Graham makes the game-winning catch

Tight end Jimmy Graham made perhaps the biggest catch of his career when he converted a third and 9 with 1:48 remaining in the game. The spot was controversial, as it appeared Graham was short of the first-down marker, but the Seahawks defense could have prevented him from making the crucial catch, and they did not, nor did they get to quarterback Aaron Rodgers when they needed to. Graham caught two additional passes on third down and was clutch for the Packers with the game on the line. This will obviously sting Seahawks fans quite a bit, but it must have felt good for Graham to win against his former team.

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Romeo Crennel knows why the Texans defense is ineffective on third downs

Houston Texans defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel knows why his unit has failed to get off the field on third down.

If third down is the money down in the NFL, then the Houston Texans have been flat broke in 2019.

The Texans defense has the worst third down conversion rate in the NFL with opponents compiling a 48.5% success rate. Houston is the only team in the bottom-10 to have a winning record and a shot at the postseason.

Defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel knows precisely what is wrong with his unit’s ability to get off the field on third downs.

“We’re not making plays,” Crennel told reporters Thursday. “There have been several opportunities to make plays and get off the field and we haven’t been doing it. That’s one of the reasons.”

Now that Crennel knows why his unit has failed on third downs, with three games to go, there is little time to let the problem linger. If the Texans hope to make the playoffs, which starts with getting a win over the Tennessee Titans Sunday at noon CT at Nissan Stadium, then they will have to start making plays immediately.

“If you don’t make plays and get off the field — because we’ve been in position sometimes to make a play that will get us off the field, but we don’t make it,” Crennel said. “We’re a step short or a step slow, they catch and fall forward or run for the first.

“So, we have to try to emphasize being tighter, concentrating on the man when we’re in man coverage, do a good job in the zones when we’re in zone coverage.”

Houston faces an opponent in the Titans that is 19th in the NFL in converting third downs with a 36.8% success rate. However, when adjusting for all of quarterback Ryan Tannehill’s seven-game tenure under center, the Titans are tied with the Green Bay Packers for the eighth-highest third down conversion rate at 43.4%. The Texans will have to get Tennessee closer to their season average if they hope to come out of Nashville 9-5.

Why can’t Texans WR DeAndre Hopkins be stopped on third down?

Houston Texans receiver DeAndre Hopkins can’t be stopped on third down, even though the defense knows the ball is going his way.

Houston Texans receiver DeAndre Hopkins is the focal point of every third down the offense faces. Regardless of the down and distance, the defense has to account for the two-time All-Pro.

Even so, teams are still having a hard time stopping Hopkins, who has produced 14 third down conversions, tied for seventh-most in the NFL.

Why can’t they guard Hopkins?

“I think one of the things that he does a really good job of, Hop, is that he knows every position,” coach Bill O’Brien told reporters Tuesday. “He know the offense cold, so you’re able to move him around. He’s not always going to be in one spot. He can line up in a lot of different spots, so I think that helps when you’re trying to locate him and double him and things like that.”

Hopkins isn’t perfect. After all, his 16 third down receptions are tied with Cincinnati Bengals tight end Tyler Eifert for the 12th-most in the NFL. Meanwhile the Los Angeles Rams’ Cooper Kupp leads the NFL with 24. However, Hopkins’ knowledge of the Texans’ passing offense is what gives Houston a chance to convert every third down, especially with quarterback Deshaun Watson under center.

“Eventually you’re going to find him, but I think him knowing the offense and understanding what we’re trying to do as well as he does helps him a lot, and then obviously it’s his skill set, Deshaun’s ability to get him the ball accurately, his ability to catch the ball in traffic, contested catches,” said O’Brien. “He’s a great player.”

The Texans will need Hopkins to provide one of his better efforts against the Indianapolis Colts Thursday night at NRG Stadium. In the initial encounter from Week 7, Hopkins caught nine passes for 106 yards and a touchdown in Houston’s 30-23 loss to their AFC South rivals at Lucas Oil Stadium.