This game is what most of us expected, a grind it out type of game. The Falcons were almost dead even on offensive plays mixing between 35 passing plays to 37 rushing. The Falcons were held to under 100 yards rushing as a team for the sixth time this season (Steelers, 49ers-98, Eagles, Ravens, Buccaneers). One popular belief of the national media is that if you stop the Falcons rush you shut us down, clearly not the case. That being said, when Atlanta rushes for 100 yards, and more importantly when Michael Turner eclipses the century mark the Falcons become a dangerous team, going 17-2 when it happens. Even without ever getting the going they won their third game road game and a league leading eighth overall.
The defense looked shaky at best on the first drive of the game getting eaten up for yardage as the Seahawks offense went to work mixing between swing passes and runs up the gut. Van Gorder seemingly rallied his troops and took away the swing passes and receiver screens for the rest of the game. In the 3rd quarter, when the defense has been susceptible to mistakes, they stepped up and forced 3 turnovers.
The defense looked shaky at best on the first drive of the game getting eaten up for yardage as the Seahawks offense went to work mixing between swing passes and runs up the gut. Van Gorder seemingly rallied his troops and took away the swing passes and receiver screens for the rest of the game. In the 3rd quarter, when the defense has been susceptible to mistakes, they stepped up and forced 3 turnovers.
While we’re talking about the Atlanta defense that is constantly getting drug through the mud, I ask the question, who in the NFC is better on D? This same defense held the Seahawks to their third lowest yardage total on the season only allowing 235 yards. Two teams that some say are better than ATL on D are New Orleans, gave up 424 to Seattle, and the Chicago Bears who surrendered 353 yards both of these teams played their games against the Seahawks at home. I’m not saying that Atlanta has the best defense, but it is far from the liability it’s being called around the nation. They have only allowed over 25 points twice this season and it was to Cincinnati, who lit it up through the air after exhaling a little too early after heading to half up 24-3.Chicago has also only given up 25-plus points twice, elsewhere NFC teams New Orleans has done so five times, the Eagles seven times, Giants six times. The Packers have a great defense but right now they’re on the outside of the playoffs looking in.
Matt Ryan didn’t have a killer game, but he led the team in the most hostile environment in the league and communicated like a 10 year vet. His interception to lil’ Babs was about as bad as they come since he never saw him coming, but didn’t have many other poor throws. The Falcons’ signal caller now has 32 career wins as a starter in his first three seasons, the second-most wins of any quarterback to begin their career since the merger, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. His primary target, Roddy White had seven receptions to give him 106 for the season. White is the third Falcons player with 100 or more receptions in a season and is five shy of tying the single-season record set by Terrance Mathis in 1994.
With under 2 minutes to play in the first half Atlanta marched down the field and added seven points to the scoreboard and in true Falcons’ fashion did so using 13 total plays.
The special teams unit continued to play consistent football in all areas. One of the biggest plays of the game was Michael Koenenan’s 56-yard punt that pinned Seattle at their own 4-yard line and led to the Anderson strip of Hasselbeck that was recovered for a TD by big Babs.
