Many have mentioned the susceptibility of Seattle's D to the run and the Skins supposedly better run D as cause for hesitation.
However, if you break down some numbers beyond just YPC allowed, it's more than a little misleading. It's easier to win and put up stats when your opponents are of inferior quality or do not possess their best players when you play them. Quality of opponents and their defenses is also important.
Did you know that Seattle played 9 games against top 10 DVOA(Defense-adjusted Value Over Average) ranked defenses? Washington played only 2. In fact 11 of their games were played against the bottom half of the league in DVOA defense. A significant difference, no matter how you choose to slice it or ignore it. Seattle had a much stronger strength of schedule and played better teams(especially defenses)by a wide, wide margin.
Case in point, Seattle played six times against top 10 rushing teams, including 3 of their last 8 games when they went 7-1.
Conversely, Washington played only two top 10 rushing teams and none in their current 7 game winning streak. Seattle also played against top 15 rushers S. Jackson and F. Gore four times while Washington had the lucky luxury of its divisional opponents not having a single top 15 rusher and suffering timely injuries to their top players. Dallas was without DeMarco Murray in their 1st matchup and Philly was without LeSean McCoy in their 1st meeting(and also playing Foles in his first start).
Also, when the Skins played teams with great rushers, they were lucky as well. Against St. Louis, they were fortunate that Steven Jackson left in the 1st quarter with a groin injury because he had 9 carries for 58 yards already. Against TB, Doug Martin only got the ball 8 times(33 yards)--his lowest # of carries for the season. Adrian Peterson also carried the ball only 17 times(79 yards) against the Skins--his 2nd lowest # for the year. The Skins really shut down only one top 15 runner this year--that was Green-Ellis(17 carries, 38 yards). Ray Rice killed them for 6.1 ypc and 120 yards.
Skewed numbers perhaps? I think so. Not as reliable or predictive. The Skins run D is not what it seems. Mirage comes to mind when you actually take the time to examine the reality behind the numbers.
Here are the Seahawks against top rushing teams/runners:
D. Murray---12 car, 44 yds
S. Jackson- 18 car, 55 yds
DeAngelo Williams- 6 car, 6 yds
Cam Newton--7 car, 42 yds
S. Ridley-16 car, 34 yds
F. Gore-16 car, 131 yds----(caveat: this was on the short week, on the road, after beating NE)
A. Peterson-17 car, 182 yds
C.J. Spiller-17 car, 103 yds---(caveat: 63 yards were in the 2nd half of a 50-17 blowout)
S. Greene- 15 car, 58 yds
M. Forte--21 car, 66 yds
C. Kaepernick--7 car, 31 yds
F. Gore---6 car, 28 yds
S. Jackson--11 car, 52 yds