Playoff matchup: Falcons run defense vs. Seahawks run offense
Seattle's Marshawn Lynch pushes off Falcons defender Curtis Lofton to score a touchdown in the second half last season. AP
FLOWERY BRANCH — Here’s a look at how the Falcons run defense matches up against Seahawks run offense.
Falcons starters: Weakside linebacker Sean Weatherspoon (114 tackles), middle linebacker Akeem Dent (79 tackles) and strongside linebacker Stephen Nicholas (led team with 116 tackles).
Falcons key reserves: Linebackers Mike Peterson and Robert James.
Seahawks starters: Running back Marshawn Lynch (1,590 yards, 11 touchdowns) and fullback Michael Robinson.
Seahawks key reserves: Robert Turbin and Leon Washington.
Matchup to watch: Dent vs. Lynch
The Falcons gave up 123.2 rushing yards per game during the regular season, which ranked 21st in the league.
The Seahawks, powered by Lynch and his “Beast Mode” style, rushed for 161.2 yards per game, which ranked third in the league.
The Falcons played a lot of nickel and dime packages this season. They moved around their defensive front between 3-4 and 4-3 looks with mixed results.
Dent, who’s in his first year as a starter, progressed over the season.
Defensive coordinator Mike Nolan was almost embarrassed when he admitted that the unit’s problems against the run were caused by missed tackles. The Falcons have five defenders with at least 10 missed tackles, led by safety Thomas DeCoud’s 21 and Asante Samuel’s 18, according to ProFootballFocus.com.
They had some good moments as they held Kansas City’s Jamal Charles (87), Philadelphia’s LeSean McCoy (45) and Tampa Bay’s Doug Martin (50 in the first meeting) to under 100 yards rushing.
The Falcons have allowed 4.8 yards per carry, which is fourth-highest in the league. In their three losses, they yielded 5.1, 6.1 and 4.8 per carry.
The hard-charging Lynch, who didn’t practice on Wednesday or Thursday with a foot injury, helped Seattle average 4.8 yards per carry. Against Washington in the wildcard game, he rushed for 132 yards on 20 carries and forced six missed tackle.
If he is slowed, Turbin will pick up some carries and he averaged 4.4 yards per carry.
Lynch averages 2.77 yards per carry after contact and has forced 58 missed tackles.
Advantage: Seahawks
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97 comments Add your comment
Pamela
January 11th, 2013
1:54 pm
The Falcons will lose.
flatsdawg1
January 11th, 2013
1:57 pm
Falcons Win 31-27 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Next up Packers at Ham-bo field!
Midway
January 11th, 2013
2:14 pm
“Falcons Win 31-27 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Next up Packers at Ham-bo field!”
Since win did people start calling the Georgia Dome Ham-bo field?
diamond-e
January 11th, 2013
2:15 pm
Maybe DUUHHHN TAH will knock his self out early and McClain can come in and show him how to tackle.Look for Harry D to show up on punt returns.Got to pull this one out fellas and then kick some 49ers a–
old man
January 11th, 2013
2:23 pm
Birds versus birds. So it should be close.
Tim Tebow
January 11th, 2013
2:30 pm
Hey coach after CHOKER MATTY MELTED ICE fails again this sunday, i will be available, i won a playoff game last year, sign me release ryan, let him go to eagles, and i shall lead the falcons to a playoff win next year, hopefully, NO GUAREENTEED, UH NO HOPEFULLY, LIKELY, NO POSSIBLY
Matt Ryan
January 11th, 2013
2:32 pm
Tim thats not cool IT TRUE, BUT ITS NOT COOL, DONT TELL ANYONE, I WANT TO PLAY FOR THE EAGLES NEXT YEAR AND FOR THE REST OF MY CAREER
Still Gritz Blitz'n
January 11th, 2013
2:36 pm
Hey; The Redn’black ready for a test; We’ve studied up man, bring on the Test.
John SMOLTZ
January 11th, 2013
2:37 pm
GO HAWKS,!!!!!!!! superbowl here we come!!!!!!!
the road
1= win at washington
2- win at atlanta
3- win at green bay
4- win vs denver
SEAHAWKS 2012-13 SUPERBOWL CHAMPS
FALCONS PLAYOFF 2012-13 PLAYOFF CHUMPS!!!!!!!!!!!
Matt Ryan
January 11th, 2013
2:40 pm
YO SMOLTZ RUMOR HAS IT IF YOU MAKE HOF YOUR GOING IN AS A CARDINAL,
I DONT BLAME YOU, I WANT OUT OF THIS LOSER TOWN ASAP, PLEASE GOD LET ME PLAY FOR EAGLES STARTING NEXT YEAR, I WAS A EAGLE IN COLLEGE AND I WANT TO BE A EAGLE AGAIN
flatsdawg1
January 11th, 2013
2:44 pm
Thought it needed a catchier name Midway, a place that people are scared to play, a place where Matt Ryan slices and dices defenses, Hambo Field it is.lol Falcons pull this one out even with Marshawn getting 130 yds. Big plays are just enough to keep us flying.
logrhd
January 11th, 2013
2:44 pm
go soak ur shoulder is some Seattle salt water John SMOLTZ im sure its a hurttin. TIME TO RIZE FRIGGENN UP ATLANTA!!!! Falcons win by 7!!
Still Gritz Blitz'n
January 11th, 2013
2:45 pm
Good Game; but the redn’black poised & battle tested.
Still Gritz Blitz'n
January 11th, 2013
2:46 pm
Choke, can you find a life?
Midway
January 11th, 2013
2:48 pm
Not going 2 happen flatsdawg1, these team is jinxed and we all know it me might lose sunday wors than we did a year ago against the G-MAN, WE HAVE NO CHANCE, JUST BEING HONEST
John SMOLTZ
January 11th, 2013
2:52 pm
LOL logrhd YOU SAID THE SAME THING LAST YEAR AGAINST THE G-MAN AND THE LAST TIME AGAINST GREENBAY, AND IN 2004 AGAINST THE EAGLES, LOL YOU PATHEDIC FOOL WONT YOU EVER LEARN ATLANTA IS A LOSER JINXED SPORTS TOWN
Matt Ryan
January 11th, 2013
2:54 pm
THATS NOT NICE SMOLTZ, ITS 100 PERCENT TRUE, BUT NOT NICE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Matt Ryan
January 11th, 2013
2:56 pm
LETS NOT FORGET THE BUT KICKING THE CARDINALS GAVE US ALSO, MAN I MAY NOT SHOW UP ON SUNDAY IT IS FLU SEASON PERFECT EXCUSE, YEAH===========
flatsdawg1
January 11th, 2013
2:59 pm
Come on Mid, you gotta believe! The G-men were disposed of a few weeks ago, the Falcons see this game as one they will not lose given their history and I believe them. I am betting on the Falcons to win outright. It will be very close but hawks will be sent home for the winter!
Midway
January 11th, 2013
3:04 pm
Nope G-MAN being gone has zip to do with this team being chokers, every year, prediction
SEAHAWKS 38 FALCONS 17, MATTY ICE THROWS 4 PICKS , TURNER FUMBLES AT GOALLINE IN 1ST QUARTER, YOU HEARD IT HERE FIRST
old man
January 11th, 2013
3:13 pm
I guess there’s nothing else to do in Seattle.
Whadda Ya Know?
January 11th, 2013
3:13 pm
Ok, it’s time to do your job, wrap the man up and take him down. STOP with the shoulder bumps–that’s NOT tackling. If you don’t stop Lynch it WILL be a long day for the defense. I wanna see some gang tackling and wearing Lynch down. When they send his relief in knock him out!! Time to play BIG BOY football this week and shut up the doubters.
Whadda Ya Know?
January 11th, 2013
3:19 pm
After reading some of this garbage we have nothing but trolls, little kids and haters always hanging around the Falcons blog. Wonder why? OH…I know. Their team is already–or soon to be–sitting at home watching the game from their comfy little couch. Eat a fat one ya haters!!
Capthpathe
January 11th, 2013
3:30 pm
If we don’t rethign Turner we’ll have a lot of room under the capthpathe and we can go after a big-name free agent like Thomath Davith.
Falconetti
January 11th, 2013
3:37 pm
Not sure if it’s 27-20 or 27-24 but Falcons get 27 and that’s enough to win against the Seahawk weak offense. First one to 24 points will win all four games this weekend.
Dirty birds get revenge match with GB next week.
Esquire
January 11th, 2013
3:43 pm
http://tinyurl.com/au3axvv
Still Gritz Blitz'n
January 11th, 2013
3:47 pm
Yep, Sleepless in Seatle all over again, they gotta come on a falcon Blog because there Blog is so dried up, or they’ve been kicked off, oh well, ya’ll come on & use you’re weightless words on here, don’t bother us none know you feel better about yourselves, course grant it some of these folks are who da’ts who pretenders, can’t get enough of a rival.
logrhd
January 11th, 2013
3:51 pm
oh no John Smoltz u went and hurt my feelings!!! now im gonna go get me a bottle of crown an rise up myself. F*** YOU!!!!!!
rise up
January 11th, 2013
4:01 pm
It would be nice if the defense would tackle instead of constantly trying to strip the ball.
hopeful
January 11th, 2013
4:03 pm
Hope the birds can win this one but it will be a very tall order.
CD Falcon
January 11th, 2013
4:07 pm
people forget we beat this team last year…. yes they have a new QB, yes it was by 2 points, yes it was on Their Turf, but here is the key stat from that game – because we played with the lead which is favorable in any NFL game…. 8 for 24….. number of carries and yards for “The Beast”…. enough said…. Falcons 27 Seahawks 17
Larry
January 11th, 2013
4:18 pm
Whole lot of stupid on this blog.
Falcons win this game with remarkable ease.
AllFALC
January 11th, 2013
4:22 pm
The ATL D will shut down seattle’s running game. with matt and julio lighting it up, ATL wins easy, 27-10.
hokie4life
January 11th, 2013
4:31 pm
I don’t mean any harm, BUT F-U for going against the Falcons!!!! NO ONE knows how this game will go until game day. So keep your crappy “Advantage:Seahawks” theory and stick it where the sun don’t shine!!
MG3
January 11th, 2013
4:48 pm
Marshawn can have all the yards he wants as long as we keep them to FG’s. It’s been a long time since Longwell kicked one too! The Seahawks aren’t the only physical team in the league and the Falcons will roll all over them Sunday.
Rick in Warner Robins
January 11th, 2013
4:52 pm
I’m a big fan of the Falcons, but Russell Wilson will burn Dunta Robinson time and time again. Seattle will put up at least 30 points on the Falcons. Nobody on the defense can tackle, Robinson and Samuel are horrible corners and the defensive line never gets any pressure on any quarterback. Unfortunately, they’ll be one and done yet again.
ROB
January 11th, 2013
4:57 pm
some people on this site keep giving Seattle 3 pts their kicker is done for the season. look for them to go for it on 4th alot. its also harder to run for 3 tds than it is to throw for 3 tds. if Seattle has to win the game on a feild goal it isnt happening.
Falcon Will Win
January 11th, 2013
5:04 pm
I get so tired of people saying what the Falcons will have to do to win…..
Tommy Maddox
January 11th, 2013
5:14 pm
D. Led:
Please tell us that you’re not going to do a comparison between their run defense and our run offense. I don’t think I could handle it.
atlppal
January 11th, 2013
5:35 pm
FALCANT FANS!!!! Listen up!! Make all your noise in the pre-game because the Seahawks will be SLEEP-LESS in the rag dome. Your butts will be emptied out by halftime…….just like you were when the Packers whup that butt with that same questionable 13-3 record you touted 2 years ago. You are the NFC version of the Bills, but at least they went to the Super Bowl. This team cannot even win a playoff game!!!! So-So Defense…No run stoppers, weak corners, fragile quaterback, no running game with a fat running back, and a regular season coach….. Seahawks coast to NFC CHampionship Game 38-10.
206
January 11th, 2013
5:35 pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=jBHk9rc4hHc
Midway
January 11th, 2013
5:44 pm
“Nope G-MAN being gone has zip to do with this team being chokers, every year, prediction
SEAHAWKS 38 FALCONS 17, MATTY ICE THROWS 4 PICKS , TURNER FUMBLES AT GOALLINE IN 1ST QUARTER, YOU HEARD IT HERE FIRST”
Namejacker. Must be the caps kid.
atlppal
January 11th, 2013
5:45 pm
Hey, the Falcants are playing on Sunday and since this is King Weekend and they will definitely, that a wonderful opportunity for them to learn the words to “WE SHALL OVERCOME!!!” LLLLLLLLOOOOOOOOOOLLLLLLLLLLLL
atlppal
January 11th, 2013
6:00 pm
They will definitely lose…..That’s a wonderful time to learn the words to “WE SHALL OVERCOME.”
Michael M.
January 11th, 2013
11:14 pm
People will type up anything to post but after Atlanta tears The Seabuzzards in half Sunday, I wonder if the haters will finally wake up and realize Ryan is on a mission this year and so are the team mates…………………….Poor Seabuzzards just happen to be the next bowling pins getting knocked out of the way and I am laughing so hard about it already……………..Atlanta – 34……..Seabuzzards – 13
Polk County Falcon
January 12th, 2013
1:04 am
Seahawks Fans — Boo to you too !!!
Now is the TIME! RISE UP! « ::The ATL•dirtybird :: Rise Up ::
January 12th, 2013
2:19 am
[...] Playoff matchup: Falcons run defense vs. Seahawks run offense | Atlanta Falcons FLOWERY BRANCH – Here’s a look at how the Falcons run defense matches up against Seahawks run offense. Falcons starters: Weakside linebacker Sean Weatherspoon (114 tackles), middle linebacker Akeem Dent (79 tackles) and strongside linebacker Stephen Nicholas (led team with 116 tackles). Falcons key reserves: Linebackers Mike Peterson and Robert James. 00Share [...]