The Seahawks and Denver Broncos square off at Lumen Field in Seattle this Sunday to kick off the regular season. For two teams who currently play in separate conferences, these franchises have tons of history together.

Let’s dive into some facts and figures that flesh out what this matchup is and what it has been in the past. There are some key stats that could be part of Seattle’s strategy to come out with a season-opening win.

55

The number of matchups between these two franchises, dating back to 1977. In fact, the Seahawks have played against the Broncos more than any other NFL franchise. Of course, this is due to them sharing a division in the old AFC West until 2002. The Broncos own the series, 35-22. Of course, one of those wins for Seattle came in Super Bowl XLVIII.

17

The amount of points the Seahawks scored against the Broncos with Geno Smith under center. The Seahawks won that game, 17-16, in Russell Wilson’s return to Seattle. That was Geno Smith’s first start in the new era in Seattle. With the Broncos coming into town with offensive guru Sean Payton at head coach, it’s likely Seattle will need to score more than 17 to beat them this time. Ryan Grubb’s offense seems revving to go.

0

The amount of times the Seahawks have played against a rookie quarterback in Week 1, until now. Bo Nix gets the start for Denver, fresh off of being the 12th overall pick in April’s draft. Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald will surely try to take advantage of Nix’s lack of NFL experience with his defensive strategy. The Seahawks should use exotic blitzes and disguised coverages. However, Nix is also not your average rookie quarterback. He set an FBS record with 61 career starts at Oregon and Auburn.

74%

That was Denver’s run-block win rate last season, which was third-best in the NFL. The Broncos weren’t able to run the ball much last season, given they trailed in games often. Broncos right guard Quinn Meinerz was one of the best run-blocking offensive linemen in football last season. Meanwhile, the Seahawks were putrid against the run, allowing the second-most rushing yards in the entire NFL. Seattle’s turnaround on defense needs to start with an improved run defense.

5.0

The Broncos allowed 5.0 yards per rush last season, which was dead last in the NFL. The Seahawks should be able to run the ball against this team. The matchup might be decided by who can show the most improvement in defending the run.

4

The amount of years in a row the Seahawks have had a different starting center to open the season. With the arrival of Connor Williams, they hope those days of turmoil are over. Even though he is signed for just one season, Williams is the most talented center they have had since Max Unger. Perhaps more stability at the spearhead position of the offensive line will lead to a more steady run game.

2

Sean Payton has won his last two games coaching against Seattle at Lumen Field. The Saints came into Seattle in 2019 and left victorious with Teddy Bridgewater guiding the offense. Then, in 2021, the Saints spoiled a home Monday Night Football game in Seattle. Jameis Winston threw for a touchdown and ran for 40 yards. Seattle mustered just 219 total yards.

Sean Payton is 6-3 overall coaching against the Seahawks.

52

That’s 52 allowed sacks for the Broncos’ offensive line last season. That ranked 27th in the NFL. The Seahawks need to pressure the rookie Bo Nix into making rookie-type mistakes. The crowd will be ferocious. The defense needs to feed off of that to get pressure on Nix and fluster the offense.