Seattle tough but Falcons have some advantages (updated)
Are the Falcons ready for Marshawn Lynch and the Seattle Seahawks? (AP photo)
(Updated: 8:50 p.m. with opening odds.)
The Falcons last won a playoff game eight years ago (47-17 over St. Louis, Jan. 15, 2005). The have lost four straight since.
For that trend to change, they are going to have to beat a Seattle team that possesses: 1) a mobile quarterback (Russell Wilson); 2) a physical defense that held Washington to only 203 yards in offense (69 after the first two possessions); and 3) a powerful running game.
So you expected easy?
But after three playoff losses in the last four years, there are several positives for the Falcons going into their match-up against Seattle, which advanced after beating the Redskins 24-14 Sunday.
UPDATE: The Falcons have opened as only a two-point favorite over the Seahawks at LVH Superbook. Since home teams generally get three points, the line effectively means Seattle is considered one point “better” than Atlanta.
• 1.) Beat-up factor: The Seahawks are a tough team, as evidenced by them going 7-1 in the second half of the season after being only 4-4 at the turn, and then winning a road playoff game. But the question is: What do they have left in the tank after winning an emotional and physical game over the Redskins? The win in Washington did not come easy.
• 2.) Home field factor: The Falcons will be at home, where they’ve generally dominated: 7-1 this season and 33-7 in five regular seasons. (Then again, there was that lopsided playoff loss to Green Bay in 2010.) Seattle will be making its second East Coast trip in as many weeks from the upper left corner of the U.S. There’s a potential fatigue factor there.
• 3.) Mobile quarterback factor: The Falcons didn’t face Wilson this season. But they have played and beaten three noted mobile quarterbacks this year: Robert Griffin III, Cam Newton and Michael Vick (as well as Drew Brees, Peyton Manning, Tony Romo, Phillip Rivers, Eli Manning and Matthew Stafford). So as impressive a season as Wilson has had, he doesn’t present a challenge the Falcons haven’t seen.
• 4.) Julio and Roddy factor: As effective as Seattle’s defense was against the Redskins, it’s worth noting Washington moved the ball effectively early, before Griffin became too beat up to run and function in the pocket. The Falcons’ primary receiving trio of Roddy White, Julio Jones and Tony Gonzalez still gives them an advantage that any defense is going to have difficulty dealing with.
• 5) Running game factor: This is Falcons’ biggest concern. Seattle can pound it with Marshawn Lynch (who rushed for 122 yards and a touchdown Sunday). Wilson gives the running game another dimension.If the Seahawks can run, they can control the clock and keep Matt Ryan and the offense on the sideline. The Falcons’ defense struggled against the run much of this season. They improved down the stretch, but then allowed 142 yards to Tampa Bay’s Doug Martin in the season finale. (We can debate how pumped the Falcons were for that meaningless game.) The Falcons’ own running game, meanwhile, has been ineffective for most of the season. They’ll need to get something from Michael Turner and Jacquizz Rodgers on the ground.
The Seahawks are good. But they look less daunting than the New York Giants or Green Bay Packers did the last two years.
By Jeff Schultz
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407 comments Add your comment
ciscokid
January 6th, 2013
11:53 pm
relax–the falcons will have no problem with the seahawks–the atl D will shut down their running game and will get 2-3 INTs. Atl rolls 27-10 and gets ready for green bay.
JSS
January 6th, 2013
11:53 pm
I love when user-name thieves dig their own graves on a blog… Nothing like watch a fool commit “blog-a-cide!”
Psssst, this isn’t D-Led unmoderated hell hole!
Attention!!!! JSS is not a Falcon fan
January 6th, 2013
11:55 pm
The woman, oops I meant man is not a Falcon fan with absolutely NO life. Please put him on ignore…
JSS
January 6th, 2013
11:57 pm
Ask Georgia Peach, ijonathan, blah blah blah about not showing up after a silly playoff game… You folks talk the talk, but nobody is going hide from a sports columnist blog…
loose caboose
January 6th, 2013
11:58 pm
JSS.. Why don’t you tell everyone who your real team is instead of being a coward and breaking balls to everyone else ? You ARE a Puss cake ? Fess up big boy… be a man.
The Beast cometh
January 7th, 2013
12:02 am
Seahawks 23 Chicago 17
Cardinals 0 Seattle 58
Seahawks 50 Bills 17
49ers 13 Seattle 42
Rams 13 Seattle 20
Seattle 24 DC 14
You’re next, Atlanta
Seattle 42 Atlanta 10
Can Seahawks win in Atlanta?
January 7th, 2013
12:02 am
No
Scoreboard
January 7th, 2013
12:04 am
FALCONS 59
shehawks 3
Back 2 The Brown Paper Bags
January 7th, 2013
12:05 am
ijonathan was here a couple of days ago…….
Thomas Brown
January 7th, 2013
12:05 am
______________________________
DawgNole January 4th, 2013 6:13 pm
“Half of me pulled for the Dawgs, half for the Noles–depending on the game situation. Mixed feelings, torn, and still don’t know who I’d pull for if they play again.”
______________________________
DawgNole January 5th, 2013 10:38 pm
_________________________________________________
“You’re the only one who appears to have an issue with that.”
_________________________________________________
JSS
January 7th, 2013
12:06 am
Wilson hasn’t thrown “multiple INTs” since Week 5 in St. Louis… And only 4 in his last 9 games… You don’t really want to talk about multiple INTs (especially at home), Ryan’s results against a physical and similar defense (see Arizona) was a disaster… That is not “hating,” they manned up Roddy and Jones and the LBs were physical the entire game…
JSS
January 7th, 2013
12:10 am
When you fess up to being a “little boy blogger” then we all can bow down to how you have those multple user-names and the same tired diatribes… Did it hurt when got the “email?”
loose caboose
January 7th, 2013
12:11 am
Roddy has a clean bill of health, so does Robinson…Abe ? not sure. Out side of that fact. Falcons look good.
Thomas Brown
January 7th, 2013
12:11 am
How is it in the Land of Fruit and Nuts, out there in California, JSS ?
Back 2 The Brown Paper Bags
January 7th, 2013
12:12 am
clemons has a torn ACL….:mrgreen:
Back 2 The Brown Paper Bags
January 7th, 2013
12:13 am
Back 2 The Brown Paper Bags
January 7th, 2013
12:14 am
matt ryan free to take his time and throw all day……
JSS
January 7th, 2013
12:19 am
“Land of fruits and nuts?” You talking about Byron or Fort Valley?
Thomas Brown
January 7th, 2013
12:21 am
California
loose caboose
January 7th, 2013
12:23 am
Let me tell you slick…JSS… you are a jackass when anyone calls you out and you say I have a part in It .. Jeff can ban me…fine …but YOU. Dude, you are indeed sick.You dish it out but of corse can’t take it.. Shame on you…Spew your hate eles where…WE are tired of your negative BS…BTW…the people who use your name…funny as hell !! Get over it little boy !
Mike S.
January 7th, 2013
12:23 am
I have a bit of a bad feeling with this matchup. The Falcons have lost the last three playoff games to the eventual Super Bowl representative. Two of them won the Super bowl. Arizona missed it by a last minute TD pass from Big Ben. In other words, they hit the hot team early and werent just losing any old playoff game.
Seattle is looking like that hot team right now. They have quality wins over NE, Dallas, Minnesota, Green Bay, Chicago, drilled SF a couple of weeks ago right after SF beat NE, and now a win @Washington. The only team hotter than Seattle going into the playoffs is Denver, not the Falcons. The Falcons need to do more than take them seriously. They need to play this game like they are facing the Super Bowl Champ, because the just might be.
JSS
January 7th, 2013
12:24 am
L.A. was fine, Fishbone was awesome as usual… Went to the Troubadour and saw BMRC play a special show… Always good to see friends and old co-workers…
The Beast cometh
January 7th, 2013
12:26 am
Behold: The Beast
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jBHk9rc4hHc
Get ready for the hurt: The Legion of Boom
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2prLBf7w44
Back 2 The Brown Paper Bags
January 7th, 2013
12:27 am
the 12 man will help win this. we will be wobbling in the dome !
loose caboose
January 7th, 2013
12:27 am
JSS…who cares…
Thomas Brown
January 7th, 2013
12:29 am
Mike S.,
Correct. The general consensus is that Seattle has the better defense, can run the football, and they answered the question about being on the road today, while the general consensus about the Falcons are that we cannot run the football, have a worse defense than Seattle, and that we got our guys banged up trying to win that meaningless game that sends us into the Play-Offs not only as a loser to a poor team, but having done so playing the Starters to the end.
loose caboose
January 7th, 2013
12:29 am
I thought it was a football blog ? ERRR..
Back 2 The Brown Paper Bags
January 7th, 2013
12:29 am
12th man….
JSS
January 7th, 2013
12:32 am
I’ve been taking it for years (the blog abuse), your problem is that you can’t dish it creatively… That is why you can’t follow simple rules… That’s a “real” character flaw! Keep shoveling “slick,” I know better than to get into a ditch before it is shore up!
loose caboose
January 7th, 2013
12:35 am
JSS … now why would someone post a social activity on a Falcons blog …hmmm DANG… you are a special person JSS !!
loose caboose
January 7th, 2013
12:37 am
You are the best…how can I be like you ???
P B Orr
January 7th, 2013
12:38 am
I like this matchup. Wilson sailed passes over wide open receivers time and again. Even though Washington only had about 80 yards over the last three quarters, Seattle won by only 10. They should have won going away. Nolan’s surprise look D will confuse the hell out of the rookie and you can expect some picks. He doesn’t throw for yardage and if you contain him outside, he’s neutralized. I’m also not that worried about the run with the safeties coming up and D-block completely healthy. Meanwhile on defense, the Seahawks are rather slow in the secondary, if in fact tough. They have not faced our receivers nor have they faced a Matt Ryan. Griffin had them completely flummoxed before he caved. My biggest worry is Ryan picking up the inevitable blitzes. I’m sure he’ll be working on that all week. And guess what? No ice storm in the offing, so practice should be good.
JSS
January 7th, 2013
12:38 am
Tiny bubbles just going over the multiple user-name thief’s head… “Special” indeed…
rfall
January 7th, 2013
12:40 am
kicking game favors falcs. seahawks kicker haushka will not be at full strength
Hotlanta Falcons
January 7th, 2013
12:41 am
Hate to say it, but I’m not liking our odds on this one folks. Seattle is the hottest team in the NFL, and we can’t get too cocky. They have the most talented QB, best running back, and scary defense.They are running on all cylinders right now. Atlanta had a pretty easy schedule this year compared to SEA. I agree that that the winner of this game is probably going to be in the Superbowl.
loose caboose
January 7th, 2013
12:42 am
JSS 12.24 = crap
Back 2 The Brown Paper Bags
January 7th, 2013
12:43 am
rfall
January 7th, 2013
12:40 am
kicking game favors falcs. seahawks kicker haushka will not be at full strength
yeah, along with clemons, thats a big deal. field goals and pressure from one side looms big now !
JSS
January 7th, 2013
12:50 am
ORR…
Belichick threw the kitchen sink of looks at the Seahawks… He still carried them that day (he was not going to let Lynch beat him)… It’s online, go watch that game… He brought them back from 2 scores down…
Oh, far as for the overthrows, what was his efficiency in the last two quarters?
Tap Out
January 7th, 2013
12:53 am
I’d rather play Seattle instead of a healthy RGIII. Had RGIII not gotten injured or had been anywhere close to 100%, the Redskins would have won by 20 points.
Sigh
January 7th, 2013
12:58 am
I really wish that people wouldn’t steal the troll’s names around here….JSS and DJANGO, in particular. We all know JSS as the resident troll, and I, for one, like to see him crap himself. And DJANGO is the banned Choke, who is a coward and a liar, so PLEASE don’t post under their names.
The Beast cometh
January 7th, 2013
1:07 am
You bros are going to be mad. The Beast and the Legion of Boom is coming to pay you girls a little visit. You guys haven’t had to deal with the kind of hurt the Hawks dish out, week after week.
You bring the noise (we like that!) and we’ll bring the boom. This is how we roll: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8FQAoXm3b8
JSS
January 7th, 2013
1:08 am
“Resident troll” in a blog environment rich with the likes True Falcons Fan, Yo Vince, Thomas Brown, Larry, Ray, Esquire and that ilk, you call someone that? Ha ha, yeah right!!!
Oh, but I forget, you folks think “phil” is a “Saints fan.”
cjdatl
January 7th, 2013
1:09 am
I knew we would have beaten Minnesota and Washington. Seattle? Not so sure.
Hopefully I will survive the weekend without a heartache.
loose caboose
January 7th, 2013
1:12 am
I do not post under any name…but it makes me disipointed when a ……well someone calls me out’t and will never clean their own house…JSS is nothing but a trouble maker…he has to get what he gives…and he can NOT take it …
509 Seahawk
January 7th, 2013
1:14 am
Your Falcons have not played an opponent like the Seahawks this season, your schedule was WEAK you nearly lost to us last season…and your barely beat a lot of those WEAK opponents..and NONE of those teams were as physical as the seahawks will be…prepare for disappointment
Gritsfalcon
January 7th, 2013
1:15 am
Thanks for the article Jeff. And thanks for being POSITIVE! I am really worried that if the fans and media get down-in-the-mouth about HOW GREAT the Seattle club is alleged to be it will effect the crowd at the Dome Sunday afterward hurting the Falcon’s Home Field Adv.
In so far as strategy is concerned: Think about the words of Eagles’ defenseman about Michael Vick in the NFC Championship game a few years ago: “….we watched film all week and their wasn’t one game Michael Vick won with his arm! ” The Eagles dominated. Same philosophy here. Put 8 in the box; eagle space two linebackers, one on each side of the D-line; Samuel on one corner; Robinson on the other; DeCoud playing a high safety postion. MAKE RUSSELL WILSON beat us with HIS ARM! Not his legs! The only game he remotely did that this year was in the come back win over Chicago. But even there he got a bunch of yards running!
Listen Atlanta, RISE UP! Be Positive! The Falcons CAN win this game! Seahawks aren’t supermen!!!
Let’s ROCK and DEFEND the Dome ! Sunday @ 1pm!!!
Thomas Brown
January 7th, 2013
1:38 am
JSS so California is a good place for you, then with all your co-workers out there and with all your relatives out there in the Land of Fruit and Nuts where no one gives one rats’ behind about football. And, what this about your friends in California ? I thought you didn’t care one iota about having any friends, besides your cat.
Go_Hawks
January 7th, 2013
1:49 am
The SEAHAWKS are the hottest team in the NFC right now. Our secondary with best cover corner in the NFL (Sherman) and last year’s pro bowl in Browner, combined with Pro Bowl starter in Earl Thomas will keep the Hawks good receivers (Jones and White) in check. My concern will be can our linebackers and SS Chancellor keep TE Tony Gonzalez in check. Losing Clemons will hurt but its the NFL. Next!!
Everyone talks about the Falcons offense…but what about their mediocre at best and some may argue, their awful rushing defense? No way can Falcons stop RW3 and the Beast Mode. The power run, the pistol, and the read option….too many ways to gain yards on the ground. I see the Hawks keep it on the ground with ball control and occasional passes to Michael Robinson, Golden Tate, Sidney Rice, Zach Miller, and Doug Baldwin. We will gain 200+ yards on the ground again and squeak out a close game.
Just sayin….
intelibird
January 7th, 2013
1:49 am
Falcons 42, Seahawks 17.
houstondawgfan
January 7th, 2013
1:58 am
With all the seahawks talk on the internet and all the sportswriters jumping on their bandwagon and stating they will win easy in ATL. I’m a little lost, Atl is not a slouch as well, I hope Matty and company blow them out at half time… Sunday will show if Atl is ready for the next level.