The Seattle Seahawks are coming fresh off a win after they beat the Detroit Lions 26-6 in the Wild Card Round of the playoffs. This week they take on the Atlanta Falcons, in Atlanta, for the divisional round matchup. Last time these two teams played each other in the playoffs, the Falcons beat the Seahawks, in Atlanta, 30-28. The Seattle vs Atlanta game is a highly anticipated divisional playoff matchup after the Seahawks barely managed to beat the Falcons by two points in Week six this season. Below, are the Seattle Seahawks divisional round keys to victory.
Seattle Seahawks Divisional Round Keys to Victory
Turnover Battle
Turnovers can change the outcome of a game in an instant. You can say that it is highly more likely for a team to win a game if they have very few or no turnovers. This week, the Seahawks need to make sure they win the turnover battle, and take in more than they put out. Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson has eleven interceptions this season, most due to poor decisions and bad accuracy. Getting Wilson’s mind in the game and making smart decisions will help prevent the Seahawks signal caller from throwing some deadly interceptions. The same goes for fumbles. It’s simple and every coach will say it: hang on to the ball.
The Run Game
The Seahawks have been among the top teams in the league in rushing for the past few years. That is until Marshawn Lynch retired in early 2016. Since Lynch’s retirement, the Seahawks have split the snaps between various running backs, including Thomas Rawls, C.J. Prosise, Alex Collins, Christine Michael (who is no longer with the team) and the newest addition, Marcel Reece. Rawls, along with Prosise, has been plagued by injuries this season, but since Rawls is healthy again, he has been given the majority of the ball carries.
Last week against Detroit, the Seahawks saw a tremendous breakthrough in their run game for the first time this season. Whether Seattle figured out the system or it was just a pinch of good luck, they were impressive in the run game last week, particularly Rawls, who rushed for 161 yards and one touchdown on 27 attempts. That success was due to both good blocking from the Seahawks and bad defense by the Lions. Marcel Reece was also a major factor in the game, clearing lanes for Rawls.
Simply put, if Seattle can block better on more than one occasion, and run the ball effectively, they can revitalize themselves as a true Super Bowl caliber team.
Penalties
The Seahawks need to learn how to minimize penalties, especially on offense. Seattle’s currently infamous offensive line is flagged for either holding or false starts on what seems like nearly every other play. They are one of the most penalized teams in the league.
Opposite that, the Seahawks find themselves penalized a lot on kickoffs for frequent blocks in the back. Penalties could be partially to blame for their loss to the New Orleans Saints earlier in the season. Part of the game is to gain yards, not lose them and losing yards is what happens with penalties.
Conclusion
The moment is crucial. The Seattle Seahawks need to take this game more seriously than the rest if they want to advance in the playoffs and have a chance at a third Super Bowl appearance in four years. The Seahawks already lost once to the Falcons in the divisional round of the playoffs and they need to make sure that it doesn’t happen again.
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