In a matchup of contrasting trajectories, the Seattle Seahawks are set to face the Atlanta Falcons at Mercedes-Benz Stadium this Sunday. The Seahawks are riding high, having won six out of their last seven games, positioning themselves for a potential NFC West title and a strong playoff seeding. On the other hand, the Falcons are struggling, with only one victory in their last seven games, all but sealing their fate for an eighth consecutive losing season.
As Seattle (9-3) prepares for the contest, they are aware that any misstep could jeopardize their playoff aspirations, especially with fellow NFC West contenders, the Rams and the 49ers, also boasting nine wins. “We put ourselves in a good spot, but a couple of other teams have done the same thing,” remarked Seahawks linebacker Ernest Jones IV. “The NFC is a tough one right now, so we”ve got to just go out there one game at a time. You don”t help your case losing games.”
Coming off a commanding 26-0 victory over the Minnesota Vikings, which marked their first shutout since the 2015 season, Seattle is looking to maintain their momentum. Conversely, Atlanta suffered another heartbreaking defeat, losing to the last-place New York Jets on a last-second field goal. The Falcons have struggled in close contests, losing two games in overtime and two more in the final moments of regulation, resulting in a disappointing 1-5 record in one-score games.
This underperformance has placed second-year head coach Raheem Morris under scrutiny. “These guys, they are competitors. They love playing,” Morris stated. “I”ve got a lot of confidence they”ll go out there and do that for us.”
Amid trade deadline rumors regarding cornerback Riq Woolen, he has since shown significant improvement, defending eight passes in the last six games and recording his first interception of the season. Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald praised Woolen”s attitude and contributions on the field, indicating that hard work in practice is translating to game-day success.
Defensively, the Seahawks have a formidable duo in Leonard Williams and Byron Murphy II, both tied for the team lead in sacks with seven each. Williams commented on the chemistry they”ve built playing together, noting that Murphy has grown significantly in his role. “Especially for a young guy, I think he”s impressed me a lot with the way he”s been able to come in and just soak up knowledge,” he said.
With a total of 40 sacks this season, the Seahawks rank fourth in the NFL. They will aim to increase that number against Atlanta”s quarterback Kirk Cousins, who stepped in after Michael Penix Jr. suffered a season-ending knee injury. The Falcons find themselves on the verge of matching a franchise record for consecutive losing seasons, having previously struggled from 1983 to 1990 before a slight improvement in performance since 2018.
In their recent loss to the Jets, two glaring special teams errors contributed significantly to Atlanta”s defeat. A fumbled punt inside the five-yard line and an 83-yard kickoff return allowed New York to tie the game with a field goal. Morris lamented the special teams performance, stating, “We played awful on special teams. I don”t know how to say it any other way.”
Looking ahead, Jones aims to build on a standout performance from last week, where he was named NFC defensive player of the week after recording two interceptions, including a touchdown return. He expressed pride in finally receiving recognition for his efforts after years of hard work. “It just feels good. I”ve been playing this game for a long time, and I”ve been in the back seat, so I”m ready to do what I”ve got to do to keep playing and get to that top,” Jones said.
