Here’s how the Seattle Seahawks graded out in their 34-31 loss to the Atlanta Falcons on Monday night at CenturyLink Field:
OFFENSE
It was a mixed bag for Seattle’s offense. Quarterback Russell Wilson turned the ball over twice, once on a bad interception and once on a strip-sack that was returned for a touchdown. The running game petered out after Mike Davis, who showed some jump, left the game injured. And too often the Seahawks settled for field goals, going just 2-for-6 in the red zone. Yet Seattle still scored 31 points and had a chance to tie the game at the end. And once again we saw just how dangerous Wilson is when he’s allowed to make things happen in the hurry-up offense.
Grade: C
DEFENSE
Seattle was always going to see a drop-off in performance with Richard Sherman and Kam Chancellor — two-thirds of the core of the Legion of Boom — unavailable. For the most part the defense held up adequately, limiting Atlanta to 279 yards, and the Seahawks were particularly effective at stopping the run. However, the pass rush did little to help out the short-handed secondary, getting just one late-game sack and four quarterback hits. And most importantly Seattle couldn’t get off the field as the Falcons converted nine of their first 12 third downs.
Grade: C
SPECIAL TEAMS
For the most part it was a good game for Seattle’s special teams. Returner Tyler Lockett had his best game of the season, breaking free on four kickoff returns for 37 yards or more. Seattle also came up with a brilliant change-up on a short, lofted kickoff that led to a turnover, giving the Seahawks a short field they converted into a touchdown. But with a chance to tie it with 7 seconds remaining kicker Blair Walsh, who has a successful history on field goals of 50-plus yards, came up just short on a 52-yard attempt.
Grade: B
COACHING
Seattle’s coaches made two critical errors in this one. First, the decision to fake a field goal at the end of the first half was baffling, considering with so little time remaining the Seahawks would have had to kick the field goal on the next play anyway had they converted the fourth down. Then the decision to challenge an obvious incomplete pass while trailing in the second half deprived Seattle a timeout that would have been valuable on the game’s final possession. In a three-point game decided by a last-second kick falling one foot short, those choices cost the Seahawks the game.
Grade: D
OVERALL
This was a missed opportunity for the Seahawks. Seattle could have gone back into first place in the NFC West with a victory. Instead the Seahawks have dropped out of playoff position, and with a daunting schedule ahead Seattle will be in a dogfight just to get into the postseason. The continuing mounting injuries, particularly on defense, will make that task all the tougher, and Seattle could be left ruing some of the coaching decisions from this one.
Grade: C-
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