The Falcoholic
The Falcons gear up for a date against an NFC foe who became a bit of a rival during the Matt Ryan era, and against whom they have some really good memories from the decade of the 2010s.
The Seahawks lead the all time series history 13-9, thanks in large part to their eight wins in the first 10 historic meetings, through 2005. The first four of those came before the 1990s and the next four after, as the Falcons won both meetings in the ‘90s.
Starting from 2007 on, however, Atlanta is 7-5, including three absolute gut punches. The first was Matt Ryan’s first ever playoff win when the 13-3 Falcons knocked off the upstart legion of boom led Seahawks squad with rookie Russell Wilson at quarterback, in the 2012 NFC Divisional Round.
Ryan’s second ever playoff win came against an aging legion of boom squad in the 2016 NFC Divisional Round, in the same Georgia Dome setting. Atlanta’s offense was a buzz saw en route to their second ever Super Bowl appearance.
A win on Monday Night Football in the 2017 regular season wound up being the difference in Atlanta outlasting Seattle for the final NFC Wildcard spot that season, as well. Seattle has won three of the four matchups since, but never in any spot that was nearly as high leverage.
Coming off triumphs against each of their division opponents in the three consecutive weeks prior, the Falcons were riding a high, sitting at 4-2, when they welcomed a reeling Seahawks team that was coming off three consecutive losses to fall to .500.
Atlanta’s offense, which had been putting up points at will against NFC South opponents, got stuck in neutral as three of their four first half drives ended in no points, with Bijan Robinson taking seven carries and capping off a touchdown run on the lone success. That wasn’t enough to keep up with Seattle’s suddenly explosive offense\=o which scored two 20+ yard touchdowns and had 17 total points going into the break.
Things seemed like they would be business as usual when Atlanta came out in the second half with a touchdown drive, but it was immediately followed by a response from Seattle in the form of Kenneth Walker’s second score of the day.
Still up 10 in fourth quarter and the Falcons offense in Seattle territory, the Seahawks defense landed the death blow in the form of a Boye Mafe strip sack of Kirk Cousins, which was picked up and run all the way back by Derick Hall, with a key block from Devon Witherspoon ensuring his safe passage to the end zone.
Cousins’ next two drives both ended in interceptions as the self destruct button was firmly pressed.
