Atlanta Falcons – Seattle Seahawks
The Falcons (11-2) could have a spot in the postseason locked up before they kickoff in Seattle at 4:15pm this Sunday, if the Giants lose to Philadelphia (1pm, FOX). Regardless of what happens around the rest of the league Atlanta can return to the playoffs by taking care of business against the Seahawks. Loses or ties by the Bears or the Packers will also punch the Birds’ ticket to extra football.
This game will be much tougher than the home team’s 6-7 record indicates. The Seahawks are still somehow fighting for a playoff spot thanks to the ineptitude of the NFC West and are coming off an embarrassing loss 40-21 in San Francisco so I expect them to come out focused and rather pissed off. The Flacons will also have to battle the “12th Man” and avoid additional penalties after playing two straight divisional road games in non-sold-out venues. Qwest Field, known as being the loudest stadium in the league, does however have Fieldturf which will be a step up from the rather suspect fields at Raymond James and Bank of America stadiums.
The Seahawks have been up and down this year under first year coach Pete Carroll. Their team high came in week six when they traveled to Chicago and beat the Bears 23-20. Their other five wins have been much less impressive beating division rival Arizona twice and Carolina, San Diego, and the 49ers all at home. In their seven losses they have been outscores an embarrassing 241-91, and average of 34-14 be closest loss came in New Orleans by 15.
Long road trips are never easy as the saints proved earlier in the year with a loss in Arizona. The Falcons have shown focus on the road, in their last cross country road trips they traveled to San Francisco and handed the 2009 49ers a 45-10 defeat.
The forecast for this contest looks almost identical to last Sunday’s game in Charlotte, low 40s with a chance of rain. I look for a similar game plan on offense this week as we saw against the Panthers, the hopeful return of Jason Snelling should help Turner out with the carrying the rock, which he did 28 times in the game.
I expect Matty Ice to air it out early and often against the pass defense ranked 30th allowing 266 yards passing per game. Last week this same pass defense made the otherwise incompetent Alex Smith look like an MVP candidate finishing the game with three touchdowns and a QB rating of 130.9 destroying his previous high of 92.8. Ryan should come out and distribute to everyone on the offense setting up Turner to gash the defense for a few long runs.
On the subject of quarterbacks Matt Hasselbeck is still lacing them up now in his 12th year in the league. Hasselbeck has thrown EIGHT interceptions in his last 3 games giving him a total of 15 on the season. Conversely the other QB out of Boston College has thrown just 8 picks all year.
As prone as the Seahawks are to turning the ball over, the Falcons are just as good in creating turnovers. accumulating The defense should add to their total of 17 interceptions and at least one in eleven games in 2010.
The Seahawks aren’t exactly blazing a path in the running game either. Their leading rusher is Justin Forsett who has 474 yards and only 2 touchdowns, though the numbers are a little low because they seem to enforce a run by committee style with Marshawn Lynch who has a whopping 5 scores with his new team.
The Falcons must stay focused on this road trip, needing to win two of the final three games to secure home field advantage through the playoffs. Otherwise they could be heading back out to Seattle in the first round of the playoffs, because someone has to win the NFC West.
Prediction: Falcons 29-13
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