Seattle Seahawks vs. Atlanta Falcons Pick & Prediction OCTOBER 20th 2024

Preview and Prediction

A duo of NFC teams heading in opposite directions will clash on Sunday when the Atlanta Falcons welcome the Seattle Seahawks.

The Falcons (4-2) are on a three-game winning streak, their longest since finishing the 2019 season with four consecutive wins. Seattle (3-3) started the season strong with three straight victories, but has since dropped three in a row.

Atlanta is aiming for their first winning season and playoff appearance since 2017. With a revamped roster full of offensive weapons, they are currently tied for first place in the NFC South. The Falcons are coming off a three-game sweep of divisional opponents, most recently dominating the Carolina Panthers 38-20.

In their last two games, Atlanta has showcased different aspects of their powerful offense.

Against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on October 3rd, newcomer Kirk Cousins set a franchise record with 509 passing yards and four touchdowns in a 36-30 victory.

Then in their game against Carolina, the running game took over. Backup running back Tyler Allgeier led the team with 105 rushing yards and one touchdown, while Bijan Robinson added 95 yards and two touchdowns.

First-year head coach Raheem Morris has been impressed with the work of offensive coordinator Zac Robinson, who is also in his first year with the team.

"I've had a front-row seat to watch Zac develop into what he's doing," Morris said. "I really admire the growth of Zac Robinson from a play-calling perspective. In his first year, I've seen him mesh well with Kirk and the other players. It's been a great experience for us."

Robinson, who previously served as the pass game coordinator and quarterbacks coach for the Los Angeles Rams, has helped the Falcons increase their scoring average to 24.8 points per game, up from 18.9 last season.

Atlanta will face a struggling Seattle defense. The Seahawks' defense only allowed an average of 14.3 points per game in the first three weeks, but has since given up nearly 36 points per game.

In their most recent game, Seattle fell to the San Francisco 49ers 36-24 on October 10th. Head coach Mike Macdonald, in his first season with the team, is urging his players to play with a sense of urgency.

"We're six games into the season and there's still a lot of football to be played," said Macdonald, who at 37 is the youngest head coach in the league. "But as I said last week, we need to improve quickly. We keep finding new ways to lose games, and that's not acceptable. But I have confidence in the players we have, players who are committed to the team."

One of the issues for Seattle during their losing streak has been turnovers. The Seahawks have given the ball away six times, including three turnovers in their game against the 49ers, while only forcing one turnover in their last three games combined.

"When you're playing against good teams with good coaching, you can't make mistakes," said Seattle quarterback Geno Smith. "That's what we've been doing lately. We need to stop getting in our own way. We have to put an end to that."

Smith's inconsistency has been a problem. While he leads the league with 1,778 passing yards, he also has six interceptions, just one shy of the league high.

Seattle's running game has also been struggling, averaging just 96.5 yards per game, ranking 29th out of 32 teams.

The Falcons may have some issues at linebacker on Sunday, with Troy Andersen (knee) and Lorenzo Carter (concussion) not participating in practice on Wednesday. Matthew Judon (rest) and Nate Landman (calf) were limited in practice. Safety Justin Simmons did not practice, while Bijan Robinson (rest) and cornerback Antonio Hamilton (back) were limited participants.

For Seattle, defensive back Rayshawn Jenkins (hand) was placed on injured reserve on Wednesday. Jenkins has not missed a defensive snap this season, but has been playing with a club on his hand in the last two games.

PREDICTION

Seattle Seahawks

24

27

Atlanta Falcons