“I don’t think we got to that vision previous year in terms of our whole team having a real clear understanding of how we want to play”, Quinn said.
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It’ll be ridiculously close, but the Falcons edge out the Seahawks in a controlled shootout to advance to play the victor of the Green Bay Packers at Dallas Cowboys game in the 2016 NFC Championship Game. The Falcons led the National Football League in scoring while winning the NFC South, but a loss in their playoff opener would lead some critics to conclude they were just another regular-season fad that was not built for the postseason. The now-healthy Seahawks offense should have clear advantages over a porous Falcons defense, but it all depends on game flow and momentum changes. The victor will go to (and possibly host) the NFC Championship Game next week. Mohamed Sanu was thrown toward 10 times, tied for the most attention he received from Matt Ryan in 2016. Seattle walked away with the victory, and sealed their fate for the Divisional round of playoff action.
But first they have to get through a seasoned playoff team in what is potentially the last Falcons game in the Georgia Dome. Houston is also 1-6 ATS in the past seven head-to-head matchups and 2-5 ATS in its last seven games as a road underdog.
All of that being said, what bold predictions can be made for the Atlanta Falcons vs. Seattle Seahawks game this weekend?
Between Michael, tailback C.J. Spiller and receiver/returner Tyler Lockett, 43 percent of the Seahawks’ 333 total yards in Week 6 were produced by players no longer on the Seahawks active roster, and the Falcons still outgained them 362-333 in that game. Should Rawls be able to run with conviction, Atlanta could be in for one final soul-crushing loss at the Georgia Dome.
The biggest factor though for me is that Earl Thomas will not be suiting up as the Free Safety (he is on injured reserve). Falcons averaged almost 34 points per game but possible MVP Matt Ryan (4,944 yards, 38 TDs) now faces one of the NFL’s all-time greatest secondaries, though does so with a healthy Julio Jones in the arsenal.
While Julio Jones is arguably the greatest receiver on the planet and a catalyst any time he steps onto the field, Atlanta has shown it can churn yardage and score points without him being the main attraction.
Matt Ryan threw for 335 yards, three touchdowns and an interception in the loss. WR Taylor Gabriel emerged this year, with a 16.5-yard per reception average, giving Ryan a lot of options downfield.
In the first meeting between these teams they combined for 79 pass attempts, and five sacks. He’s got a terrific opportunity against a Seahawks team that has struggled all year to find its identity.
The regression in Seattle has certainly been Atlanta’s gain a la head coach Dan Quinn.
Plus, the maligned offensive line is coming off what offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell on Tuesday called its most complete, consistent performance from start to finish this season.
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Into the second quarter of the game, the Atlanta Falcons had approximately a 90% chance of going on to win the game. That’s a given. While no Saints fan typically actively cheers for the Seahawks, it’s really a lesser of two evils here, and it’s not even that close. While all eyes are on the “stars” of the offense, these three TEs can get open. The Seahawks finished in the middle-of-the-pack in the league in scoring (22.1 ppg) but were among the league-leaders in defense, allowing just 18.3 points per game.
