Game Day: Atlanta Falcons vs. Seattle Seahawks

Published 11:30 pm Saturday, October 15, 2016

SERIES HISTORY

This is the 15th regular-season meeting between the Seahawks and Falcons. Seattle holds a 9-5 lead, including a 33-10 victory when the teams last met, in 2013 in Atlanta. However, the most memorable game between the two teams came in the playoffs following the 2012 season, when the Seahawks made a dramatic comeback from a 27-7 fourth-quarter deficit to take a 28-27 lead with less than a minute remaining, only to succumb to a last-second field goal. The teams haven’t played in Seattle since 2011, when Atlanta prevailed 30-28. The Falcons have won the past two times the teams met at CenturyLink Field.

KEY MATCHUP

Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman vs. Falcons receiver Julio Jones

This is a fascinating matchup, not only because it would pit arguably the best players in the NFL at their respective positions against each other, but also because it may never happen.

Sherman is considered by many to be the best cornerback in the league, being named first-team All-Pro in three of the past four seasons, and his 28 interceptions since 2011 are the most by any player in the league. Jones might be the league’s best receiver, as the three-time Pro Bowler is coming off a season in which he led the NFL in both receptions (136) and yards (1,871). Both are playing at the top of their games, too. Sherman, after seeing nary a ball thrown his direction the first three weeks, came up with two interceptions two weeks ago in Seattle’s 27-17 victory over the New York Jets. That same day Jones was in the midst of becoming just the sixth player in NFL history to accumulate 300 yards receiving in a single game as he caught 12 passes for 300 yards in Atlanta’s 48-33 victory over the Carolina Panthers. Add in that the 6-foot-3 Sherman is the rare cornerback who can match up size-wise with the 6-foot-4, 220-pound Jones, and it makes for as exciting a one-on-one matchup as one can imagine.

But will it actually happen? Sherman typically isn’t deployed against a specific receiver. Most of the time he stays at the left cornerback position, effectively taking away one side of the field. However, beginning last season the Seahawks showed a willingness to allow Sherman to shadow the opponent’s top receiver when it made sense, most notably limiting Dallas Cowboys star Dez Bryant to 12 yards on two catches when the two faced off last November.

Sherman was back at it again when the Seahawks knocked off the Jets prior to their bye. Sherman was tasked with covering New York’s Brandon Marshall, a move that made sense since the Jets’ other receiving threat, Eric Decker, was out injured. Sherman not only had two interceptions in the game, Marshall was held to just four receptions on 12 targets. That was the first time the Seahawks used Sherman in that manner this season, and it may make sense again this week. Jones comes into the game with 517 receiving yards. Atlanta’s No. 2 receiver, Mohamed Sanu, has just 195.

Seahawks coach Pete Carroll wasn’t revealing anything this week about whether Sherman would shadow Jones. If it happens, it definitely will be the matchup to watch.

KEY NUMBER

457.4 The number of yards the Atlanta offense is averaging per game this season. That number is 49.1 yards more than the league’s top number last season, 60.4 more than the second-best number this season, and 99.9 more than Seattle.

IMPORTANT INJURIES

Seahawks — The most significant development involves strong safety Kam Chancellor (groin), who is listed as questionable and will be a game-time decision. Defensive end Frank Clark (hamstring) also will be a game-time decision, and running back C.J. Prosise (wrist) is likely to be another week away. Tight end Nick Vannett (ankle) and defensive tackle Jarran Reed (hip) are expected to return. Running back Thomas Rawls (fibula) and defensive tackle Quinton Jefferson (thumb) have been ruled out.

Falcons — Atlanta has just one player listed on the injury report: back-up linebacker Paul Worrilow (groin) has been ruled out. The Falcons appear set to get two starting linebackers back as De’Vondre Campbell (ankle) and Deion Jones (ankle), who both missed last week’s game, are not on the injury report.

BREAK IT DOWN

The Seahawks will win if they …

Control the line of scrimmage on offense. The games in which Seattle struggled on offense came against the Miami Dolphins and Los Angeles Rams, two teams that feature dominating defensive lines. The Falcons aren’t nearly as formidable up front, and that’s something the Seahawks should be able to exploit, particularly in the run game.

Get pressure on Matt Ryan. Atlanta’s quarterback leads the NFL in passing yards (1,740) and passer rating (121.6). Part of the reason for his success is having time to throw as he’s been sacked just 11 times, including just twice by Denver’s vaunted pass rush. Limiting Ryan’s time to throw will cut down the number of chances he has to make a big play.

Find Tyler Lockett on the deep ball. Seattle’s deep-threat receiver was limited the previous two games because of a knee injury and was barely a factor in the offense. Lockett is apparently feeling much better following the bye week. If Lockett is back to being his game-breaking self, he’ll cause the Atlanta secondary fits.

The Falcons will win if they …

Ride their momentum. Atlanta is coming off back-to-back victories over the two participants in last season’s Super Bowl, defeating the Carolina Panthers 48-33 at home two weeks ago, then besting the then-undefeated Denver Broncos in Denver 23-16 last week. Those victories will give the Falcons the confidence that they can overcome the Seahawks as well.

Contain Jimmy Graham. Seattle’s offense busted out the past two games, and it’s no coincidence that the Seahawks’ star tight end broke the 100-yard receiving barrier in both, the first time he had back-to-back 100-yard games for Seattle. Graham looks fully recovered from the knee injury he suffered last season, and the Falcons must find a way to slow the huge target down.

Get production from running backs Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman. Both Freeman and Coleman have averaged about 100 yards of offense per outing — Freeman is at 82.0 yards rushing and 23.4 yards receiving per game, Coleman is at 32.0 yards rushing and 62.6 yards receiving per game. Atlanta will need those two to be in that 200-yard vicinity again.

PICK

Seahawks 26, Falcons 20

One can argue that Atlanta is Seattle’s first true test this season, as the Seahawks have had the NFL’s lowest strength of schedule so far. The Falcons come into the game on a roll, but the teams that have given Seattle trouble so far this season did it with defense, and that’s not Atlanta’s strength. The Seahawks, with quarterback Russell Wilson continuing to recover from his injuries, should be able to keep up offensively, and Seattle’s defense knows a thing or two about dealing with a good offense.