5 Matchups to Watch as Seahawks Battle Falcons in Week 1 Opener

With a tumultuous offseason now in the rear view mirror, both the Seahawks and Falcons will open a new campaign amid a pandemic at fan-less Mercedes-Benz Stadium with playoff aspirations.

Led by MVP candidate Russell Wilson, who tossed 31 touchdowns, led a league-best five game-winning drives, and garnered Second-Team All-Pro honors, Seattle got off to a 10-2 start last season before limping down the stretch with three losses in their final four games. They righted the ship to beat Philadelphia in the Wild Card round before falling to Green Bay the following week.

While Jadeveon Clowney wasn't re-signed and ultimately signed with the Titans last week, coach Pete Carroll remains upbeat about the Seahawks pass rush after producing just 28 sacks in 2019. The team re-signed veterans Benson Mayowa and Bruce Irvin, who combined for 15.5 sacks with the Raiders and Panthers respectively, while Jarran Reed was brought back on a two-year deal.

Along with adding tight end Greg Olsen and receiver Phillip Dorsett to Wilson's offensive arsenal, Seattle also upgraded its secondary with a pair of trades, acquiring safety Jamal Adams from the New York Jets and cornerback Quinton Dunbar from Washington. Given those moves and the overall experience on the roster, it once again feels like Super Bowl or bust for Carroll's squad.

While the Seahawks raced out of the gate in 2019, the Falcons endured a nightmare of a first half, losing seven of their first eight games and putting coach Dan Quinn's status in jeopardy. But after nearly pulling off a 24-point comeback against Seattle in Week 8, Atlanta righted the ship by winning six of their last eight to nearly get back to .500, saving his job in the process.

Still loaded with stars such as Julio Jones and Calvin Ridley on offense, the Falcons brought in former All-Pro running back Todd Gurley to bolster their rushing attack. On defense, they addressed their own struggling pass rush by signing Dante Fowler Jr., who produced a career-best 11.5 sacks for the Rams last season.

Considering those additions and the return of star safety Keanu Neal, who missed all but three games last season with an Achilles injury, Atlanta has sights set on surprising in the stacked NFC South and will be looking to get off to a much faster start than a year ago against a familiar foe.

Heading into a much-anticipated Week 1 "Battle of the Birds," which five matchups will have the greatest impact on who opens the season with a win?

--Seahawks tackles Duane Brown and Brandon Shell versus Falcons defensive ends Dante Fowler Jr. and Takk McKinley: Away from Brown as the old standby protecting the blind side, Seattle will enter this game with three new starters in the trenches, including Shell, who started 40 games at right tackle for the Jets over the past four seasons. He will face a tough first test working against the Fowler, who has had great success against the Seahawks in the past, including racking up 1.5 sacks in Week 14 last season. McKinley isn't a slouch either, as the former first-round pick out of UCLA produced 7.0 sacks and 15 quarterback hits in 2018 before injuries limited him to just 3.5 sacks last season. Keeping those two athletic edge rushers at bay will be key to allowing Wilson ample time to throw the ball downfield.

--Seahawks cornerbacks Shaquill Griffin, Tre Flowers, and Quinton Dunbar versus Falcons receivers Julio Jones and Calvin Ridley: Keeping his decision close to the vest all week, Carroll hasn't been willing to name a "starter" at right cornerback, simply telling reporters Flowers and Dunbar would both see action this week. Regardless of which defender occupies the right side opposite of Griffin, they will be matched up against one of the elite receiver pairs in the NFL in Jones and Ridley. In four career regular season games against the Seahawks, Jones has racked up 127 or more receiving yards three times, including posting 152 yards on 10 receptions in last year's matchup. Ridley earned the highest DVOA for any receiver from Football Outsiders last year and had 70 receiving yards on four catches in his first career game against Seattle. Eliminating explosive downfield plays from Matt Ryan to his two star wideouts will be imperative for the Seahawks secondary.

--Seahawks running backs Chris Carson and Carlos Hyde versus Falcons linebackers Deion Jones and Foye Oluokun: While Wilson diced up Atlanta for three first-half touchdowns a year ago, Seattle was equally as impressive in the first two quarters running the football. Powering through and sprinting around defenders, Carson finished with 86 rushing yards on just 14 carries and scored a touchdown, while Rashaad Penny carried the ball five times for 42 yards as the Seahawks averaged 6.5 yards per carry prior to halftime. Though Penny won't be available, the arrival of a 1,000-yard rusher in Hyde provides another big, bulldozing back for the Falcons to try to bring down. Without any preseason games and minimal live tackling in camp, that could be a problem for the home team if Seattle's line can win at the line of scrimmage and the pairing of Jones and Oloukun aren't freed up to make plays.

--Seahawks defensive ends Benson Mayowa, Bruce Irvin, and Alton Robinson versus Falcons tackles Jake Matthews and Kaleb McGary: In last year's matchup, the Seahawks only managed to sack immobile backup quarterback Matt Schaub twice, with Clowney recording a strip-sack and Wagner getting home on a blitz. With Ryan back under center, replicating such a poor performance could spell doom in the opener and the onus will be on Seattle's edge defenders to find a way to make the former MVP uncomfortable. Set to start at the LEO spot, Mayowa's speed and bend around the edge could be problematic for McGary, a second-year tackle out of Washington. Irvin will see his share of snaps rushing off the edge and knows Matthews well as a former teammate. Robinson may be the X-factor to watch, as he impressed through camp and at 270-plus pounds, has the size and athleticism to be a disruptive contributor in a reserve role.

--Seahawks receivers DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett versus Falcons cornerbacks A.J. Terrell and Isaiah Oliver: Improving the secondary was prioritized by Atlanta this offseason, as the franchise used its first-round pick on Terrell, a lengthy, physical corner who starred at Clemson and excels in press coverage. While the rookie has a chance to develop into a shutdown corner over time, matching up with Lockett and Metcalf in his first-ever NFL game isn't ideal. The pair of standout receivers torched the Falcons a year ago for 82 receiving yards and two touchdowns in the first half to help build a three-score halftime lead. On the opposite side, Oliver struggled throughout his first year as a starter, allowing opposing quarterbacks to post a 113.0 passer rating when targeting him. Terrell and Oliver may have bright futures in Atlanta's secondary, but as long as he has protection in front of him, Wilson should be able to take his share of deep shots targeting his two star receivers against them.

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