The Atlanta Falcons’ playoff drought is officially a thing of the past. Their four-season dry spell ends on Saturday when they host the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC divisional round in what could be the last-ever game played inside the Georgia Dome.
The Falcons watched the wildcard rounds of the playoffs transpire from the comfort of their own homes after receiving a first-round bye. And the team that they saw get matched up with them couldn’t have worked out any better.
The last team the Falcons wanted to see was the red-hot Green Bay Packers. Atlanta wanted to avoid them at all costs despite beating them in the regular season. Who they wanted were the Seahawks, a team that downright robbed the Falcons of a victory in the regular season 26-24.
The infamous no-call on what was a blatant pass interference that Richard Sherman had on a deep pass to Julio Jones still resonates in the minds of everyone. The interference call would’ve set the Falcons up with a chance to kick a game-winning field goal, and with Pro Bowl kicker Matt Bryant on the team, it was all but certain that he would’ve knocked it right down the middle.
So, with that being said, Seattle is exactly who the Falcons wanted to play and they got them. Not everyone is given an opportunity to take back what was rightfully theirs, but the Falcons do. Here are their keys to achieving that goal.
Atlanta Falcons Divisional Round Keys to victory
Start Fast
The Falcons didn’t do a good job of starting fast against the Seahawks in the regular season. They were held to just three points at halftime, their lowest of the season, before storming back with 21 second-half points. The Falcons cannot afford to have that happen again and if they do, they will be in a lot of trouble.
The Falcons have one of the best offenses in NFL history. They tied the St. Louis Rams’ “Greatest Show on Turf” team in points scored in a season, but none of that matters in the playoffs. It’s dog-eat-dog and the Falcons need to show the Seahawks that they’re not going to let what happened in the first game have a lasting effect on them. This is a much different Falcons team than the first time these two teams met. This team has all of the tools needed in order to advance to their second NFC Championship game in the past five years.
Attack Seattle’s Secondary
The Seahawks have had a deadly defense for the past few seasons, but their defense this year is without a doubt the most vulnerable they have had. Seattle still has terrific players such as Kam Chancellor, Richard Sherman, Bobby Wagner and Michael Bennett, but they will be without arguably their most important player. Earl Thomas, the Seahawks cornerstone free safety, was injured midway through the season and is out for the year. And without Thomas, this Seahawks’ secondary becomes extremely vulnerable.
Atlanta’s strength all season long has been their passing attack. MVP front-runner Matt Ryan has gashed his way through some of the NFL’s top defenses in 2016 and Seattle’s was no different. Ryan threw for 335 yards against Seattle in their regular season matchup, and that was before Thomas was injured.
Atlanta was able to get Sherman and the rest of Seattle’s defense flustered all throughout the second half of the game, and that’s something that Ryan and his receiving corps must do in order to win this game. The Falcons aren’t scared of Seattle. They know they can beat them and will not shy away from going right at them on numerous occasions.
Play as a Team
One of the most underrated aspects of this 2016 season for the Falcons was their ability to play for one another. This year’s team was truly a brotherhood and that’s something that they aren’t taking lightly. Their motto for the playoffs this season is that brotherhood mentality and a will to fight until they achieve what they want to achieve.
Atlanta has weapons all across the board. They have a terrific receiving corps, a two-headed monster at running back and a solid offensive line. Their unity has been strong all season long, but what will be ever so crucial is for the Falcons defense to play as a team. They have battled hard all season long despite not being one of the greatest groups in the world, but they have gotten the job done more times than not. The Falcons defense needs to play together and believe in themselves. And if they do that, they will live to fight another day.
Keep the Seattle Rushing Attack Contained
Thomas Rawls has had an up and down season. He rushed for over 100 yards just one time in the regular season after battling through nagging injuries but put in work in Seattle’s wild-card win over the Detroit Lions.
Rawls rushed for 161 yards on 27 carries and scored a touchdown, and that’s something that the Falcons cannot allow to happen. A repeat effort from Rawls would be detrimental to the Falcons’ chances of winning this game. But luckily for the Falcons, their run defense has been their strong point this season. Atlanta hasn’t given up too many yards on the ground, but they have also not faced off with Rawls. Rawls was injured when the Seahawks played the Falcons, and as a result, Atlanta held them to just 72 yards rushing.
If the Falcons hold Seattle to under 100 yards on Saturday, Atlanta will win this game. And it will all start with how well Atlanta starts the game. If they can force Russell Wilson to throw the ball a lot in the second half and force Seattle to abandon the run, the Falcons have an excellent chance to win this game.
Main Photo:
