Falcons Have Unique Challenge With Seahawks Defense

FLOWERY BRANCH – The Atlanta Falcons are back within the confines of Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Week 14, but they will have a difficult task on their hands. The Seattle Seahawks are sitting at 9-3 and atop the NFC, with a top-flight defense being a major reason for their success.

The offense, marked by a front-runner for the NFL’s Offensive Player of the Year and a pair of dynamic running backs, will steal a lot of the headlines, but his defensive unit has raised the floor of what this team is capable of.

“They're a really good defense,” offensive coordinator Zac Robinson said. “They've got really talented players at all three levels. You look at the front, you know, a bunch of big-name guys that have had a ton of production throughout their careers.”

They are sixth in the league in total defense (289.4 YPG allowed) and takeaways (18), third in scoring defense (18.1 PPG), tied for first in EPA/play (-0.16) and pressure rate, fourth in sacks (40), and second in yards allowed per game on the ground (88.8 YPG).

Similar to the Falcons, 17 different players have added to their sack count, while four different players have five or more sacks this season. They do it by a committee, and they are very good at it.

“They are challenging almost on every single level,” Falcons head coach Raheem Morris said. “They have a little bit of an attack style. They have a style that they can play, be able to play the run.”

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Linebacker Ernest Jones, a player Morris calls “very instinctual,” is having an All-Pro caliber season for the Seahawks. He is tied for second in the NFL with five interceptions.

It is pretty clear that this Seahawks defense can do just about everything at a high level, which will present a difficult challenge for a Falcons offense that runs hot and cold. Atlanta, after weeks of struggles with third-down offense, must be efficient against this front.

Bijan Robinson is averaging an NFL-leading 6.4 yards per touch this season and will be someone the Seahawks will key up on this week. If they manage to take him away (and star wide receiver Drake London is not able to suit up), who from the Falcons would be able to step up would become an interesting question.

Last week, that was Kyle Pitts Sr. The tight end led the way in the receiving game and has led the team in targets when Kirk Cousins is under center. With a struggling wide receiver corps, Pitts and Robinson will likely continue to take center stage.

Cousins will also need to improve his effectiveness downfield from last week. The veteran completed 20-of-24 passes under 10 air yards for 215 yards and a touchdown, but that dropped to just 1-of-7 for 19 yards on throws beyond 10 yards.

With the Seahawks allowing a league-low 49.4 passer rating on downfield passes this season, intercepting 11 of such passes (second-most in the NFL), the Falcons may be forced to settle for their underneath approach. It just becomes crucial that they do not fall behind on the scoreboard, forcing them to play catch-up.

No matter how you slice it, this will be a difficult test for the Falcons. They have to find a way to produce on offense if they want to snap out of a losing skid that has seen them drop six of their last seven games.