Seattle, WA

Falcons Thumped by Seahawks as Winning Streak Ends: 3 Takeaways

Published

3 months ago

October 20, 2024

Falcons Thumped by Seahawks as Winning Streak Ends: 3 Takeaways

The Atlanta Falcons’ three-game winning streak came to a sobering end Sunday, as the Falcons (4-3) suffered a 34-14 defeat to the Seattle Seahawks (4-3) inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

After scoring 100 points in its previous three games, Atlanta’s offense struggled, as did its defense. Kicker Younghoe Koo missed a 54-yard field goal, his second miss from 50-plus yards this season. In essence, the Falcons’ loss was a three-phase effort.

Here are three takeaways from Sunday’s defeat …

Atlanta’s offense set the tone for its day on the first drive. The unit had three false starts, all from different players — center Ryan Neuzil, left tackle Jake Matthews and tight end Kyle Pitts. By game’s end, Atlanta totaled five penalties for 30 yards.

But penalties weren’t the only aspect in which the Falcons hurt themselves.

Seattle’s defense entered Sunday with only four takeaways on its resume. It secured three in as many possessions in the fourth quarter.

Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins was sacked by Seahawks edge rusher Boye Mafe, and Cousins fumbled. Another Seattle edge rusher, Derick Hall, picked up the ball and returned it 64 yards for a touchdown.

The following drive, with Atlanta trying to bring its deficit back to two possessions, Cousins’s pass went right through the hands of receiver Drake London and was intercepted by cornerback Josh Jobe.

Forcing the issue, Cousins was intercepted once again the drive after, overthrowing tight end Kyle Pitts in the middle of the field. Seahawks defensive back Coby Bryant earned his first career interception.

Perhaps the most important swing of the game came in the final two minutes of the first half.

The Falcons had the ball, trailing 10-7, and were set to receive the second half kickoff. Their offense punted, and their defense allowed a 31-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Geno Smith to receiver DK Metcalf with four seconds remaining.

Atlanta’s offense punched back with a 14-play, 79-yard touchdown drive to start the second half, but the Seahawks responded with a touchdown of their own, and the Falcons failed to punch back.

Seattle finished with 339 net yards of offense. Atlanta’s defense gave them three first downs on penalties. Smith went 18-of-28 for 207 yards and a pair of touchdowns, while he and running backs Kenneth Walker and Zach Charbonnet combined for 103 yards and a touchdown on 26 attempts.

The Falcons, who entered Sunday with a league-worst five sacks, mustered only one sack of Smith against an injury-riddled and struggling Seahawks offensive line.

After Cousins’s third giveaway, the Falcons, trailing by 20 points late in the fourth quarter, gave rookie quarterback Michael Penix Jr. his first NFL action.

Penix threw one pass, a 14-yard completion to fellow rookie and sixth-round receiver Casey Washington on 3rd and 2. The play, which also marked the first NFL catch for Washington, came one snap after sixth-round rookie running back Jase McClellan took his first professional carry for a two-yard gain.

The other six plays of Penix’s drive were runs — one for six yards to Bijan Robinson, the other five to McClellan, who totaled 17 yards.

On the other side of the ball, defensive tackle Ruke Orhorhoro made his first NFL tackle for loss, jumping on Smith after a fumbled snap exchange in the first quarter.

The Falcons return to action at 1 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 27, against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond-James Stadium in Tampa. The Buccaneers play on Monday Night Football, meaning they’ll have a short week before the two teams’ second meeting.

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Seattle, WA

Who the Seattle Seahawks will be playing in the 2025 regular season

Published

4 hours ago

January 5, 2025

Press Room

Who the Seattle Seahawks will be playing in the 2025 regular season

The Detroit Lions beat the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday Night Football to wrap up the NFC North and the No. 1 overall seed. It also means that the Vikings will not only be on the road as a 14-3 team playing in the Wild Card against the Los Angeles Rams next Monday night, but they’ll be returning to Lumen Field to play the Seattle Seahawks in the 2025 regular season.

Game 272 was the final piece of the puzzle for the Seahawks’ 2025 opponents list. Whichever of the Vikings or Lions finished second in the NFC North would be headed to Seattle next season. While it would’ve been cool to see the Lions finally play at Lumen Field again after three straight Seahawks-Lions meetings in Detroit, it’s not happening.

The schedule is formulaic, which means the NFC West will play the whole of the AFC and NFC South, as well as the same-placed opposition from the NFC North (home), NFC East (away), and AFC North (away). Next season will be the AFC’s turn to get an extra home game, so the Seahawks will have nine away trips.

Home

Los Angeles Rams (10-7)

Arizona Cardinals (8-9)

San Francisco 49ers (6-11)

New Orleans Saints (5-12)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (10-7)

Indianapolis Colts (8-9)

Houston Texans (10-7)

Minnesota Vikings (14-3)

Away

Los Angeles Rams (10-7)

Arizona Cardinals (8-9)

San Francisco 49ers (6-11)

Tennessee Titans (3-14)

Jacksonville Jaguars (4-13)

Washington Commanders (12-5)

Atlanta Falcons (8-9)

Carolina Panthers (5-12)

Pittsburgh Steelers (10-7)

The early returns on Michael Penix Jr and the late surge by Bryce Young could make the NFC South portion of the schedule much tougher than it looks right now. Never assume the league is so static that the teams that were good/bad now will remain the same the following season.

The NFL regular season schedule will be released at some point in May.

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Seattle, WA

Byron Murphy II Active as Seahawks Wrap Up Season at Rams

Published

12 hours ago

January 5, 2025

Press Room

Byron Murphy II Active as Seahawks Wrap Up Season at Rams

Despite missing practice time this week with a new back injury, after receiving a questionable designation on Friday, Seattle Seahawks rookie Byron Murphy II will be active for the team’s season finale against the Los Angeles Rams.

Selected out of Texas with the 16th overall pick in April’s NFL draft, Murphy will look to finish his first season with the Seahawks on a strong note. Going into Sunday’s finale, he has produced 34 combined tackles, half a sack, and 21 quarterback pressures, playing a key role in helping the team’s run defense improve over the course of the season and providing more of an impact than his general numbers may suggest.

After placing tackle Abraham Lucas and cornerback Josh Jobe on injured reserve on Saturday, Seattle had to deactivate several healthy players for Sunday’s final road contest due to the 46-man limit on game day. Among them, quarterback-turned-receiver John Rhys Plumlee won’t suit up for his NFL debut and receiver Cody White will also be held out as a scratch with Jake Bobo and Dareke Young being active as reserves behind starters DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett, and Jaxon Smith-Njigba.

In addition, the Seahawks listed Jaren Hall as their emergency quarterback for the third straight game, and he would be eligible to play if Geno Smith and Sam Howell both suffered injuries and could not continue playing on Sunday. Tight end Tyler Mabry also won’t play after being signed back onto the 53-man roster this week.

On defense, with Murphy good to go after testing out the injury in pre-game warmups, Seattle deactivated defensive tackles Quinton Bohanna and Brandon Pili after elevating the former from the practice squad and signing the latter to the 53-man roster earlier in the week. Linebacker Patrick O’Connell also won’t suit up for the finale with special teams ace Josh Ross getting the nod instead behind starters Ernest Jones and Tyrice Knight.

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Seattle Seahawks Draft Position All But Decided Due To Winning Too Much

NFL Power Rankings: Where Are Seahawks Going Into Week 18?

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Seattle, WA

How to watch the Seattle Seahawks vs. Los Angeles Rams – NFL: Week 18 | Channel, stream, preview, predition

Published

19 hours ago

January 5, 2025

Press Room

How to watch the Seattle Seahawks vs. Los Angeles Rams – NFL: Week 18 | Channel, stream, preview, predition

INGLEWOOD, CA — On the final day of the 2024 NFL regular season, the playoff-bound Los Angeles Rams look to keep their standing in the NFC when they face the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday.

Watch the NFL on FuboTV (7-day free trial)

Seattle Seahawks (9-7) vs. Los Angeles Rams (10-6)

When: Sunday, January 5
Time: 4:25 p.m. ET
Where: SoFi Stadium (Inglewood, Calif.)
Channel: FOX
Stream: FuboTV (Free Trial), DirecTV Stream, Sling

The Rams come into this game having already clinched the NFC West championship, their first division title since they won the Super Bowl three years ago. Matthew Stafford company got hot at the right time of the season, winning five straight games to outlast the rest in a jam-packed division race, clinching the title by beating the Arizona Cardinals last Saturday. With wins over the likes of the Buffalo Bills and San Francisco 49ers, the team has confidence in its third playoff appearance in four years.

L.A. does have something to play for on Sunday. If they were to lose on Sunday, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were to beat the New Orleans Saints, the Rams would have to play the loser of the Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings matchup on Sunday.

The Seahawks were expected, once again, to challenge for the division. However, inconsistency on offense and a defense that let the team down in key moments led them narrowly missing the playoffs for a second straight season. Back-to-back losses to the Green Bay Packers and Vikings ended up costing them their season.

The Rams won the first meeting against the Seahawks this season back in November and have beaten Seattle three straight times.

MY PICK: Rams win, 27-20