The Seahawks are back in the Divisional Round of the NFC Playoffs for the second time in three years after a 24-14 win over the Washington Redskins gave the franchise its first postseason road victory in 29 years.
The team will take its second cross-country flight in as many weeks to take on the Atlanta Falcons in the Georgia Dome at 10:00 a.m. on FOX.Running back Marshawn Lynch went for 132 yards on the ground, including the go-ahead score in the fourth quarter, and rookie quarterback Russell Wilson threw a touchdown to tight end Zach Miller.
Atlanta, which boasts a 13-3 record despite losing two of its final three regular season games, is the top-seeded team in the NFC and will look to quarterback Matt Ryan and a group of dynamic wide receivers and future Hall of Fame tight end Tony Gonzalez to test a Seattle defense that did not allow the Redskins past midfield in the final three quarters of last weekend’s win.
Ryan and the Atlanta offense are ranked seventh in scoring and sixth in passing yards per game and will test a Seahawks secondary that is at full strength and is allowing only 203 yards per game through the air.
Safety Earl Thomas came up with an interception last weekend to bring the team’s total to 19 on the year and his personal tally to four.
The matchup of Atlanta wide receivers Roddy White and Julio Jones against Seattle’s tandem of Richard Sherman and Brandon Browner will be one to watch, as will the Seattle linebackers and safeties against Gonzalez, who leads the team with 93 receptions on the year. Jones leads the way with 10 touchdown receptions on the year, while White and Gonzalez have combined for 15 more.
10 players have caught a score for the Falcons this year.