Seattle Seahawks Game 3 opponent preview – Atlanta
Chris Phillips
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The Seattle Seahawks host Atlanta this week. After a bad loss in Game 2, Seattle will look to bounce back. Here’s a preview of the upcoming game.
This week in Seattle, fans get to watch a battle between two types of raptors. For those that don’t know, a raptor is a type of bird that uses its talons to catch and grab its prey. An osprey is the closest thing to a real Seahawk, and a falcon and osprey are both raptors.
Enough of the ornithology; let’s get to some football. Even though Atlanta is 0-2, they shouldn’t be taken lightly. If the Seattle Seahawks do, they’ll come away with another loss.
Examining the Atlanta offense
Neither one of these two teams can be considered an offensive juggernaut. According to Pro Football Reference, here’s how Atlanta’s offense ranks.
- 20th in yards with 677.
- 19th in yards per play with 5.3.
- 29th in turnovers lost with 5.
- 13th in first-downs with 43.
- 24th in passing yards with 386.
- 7th in rushing yards with 291.
- 10th in percentage of scoring drives at 39.1.
The Seattle Seahawks rank higher in only one of those categories; turnovers lost on offense. Again, Atlanta’s offense is not a juggernaut, but it can take advantage of an unsuspecting opponent.
The Falcons’ offense is led by one of the best collegiate quarterbacks to come out of the Pacific Northwest, Marcus Mariota. After failing as a starter with Tennessee, he is now the starting quarterback for Atlanta. This opportunity might be his last chance to prove he’s a starting NFL QB.
Converted wide receiver turned running back Cordarrelle Patterson is the team’s leading rusher with 161-yards. Mariota ranks second with 88-yards.
Rookie wide receiver Drake London, who has comparable size to Seattle Seahawks mega-star D.K. Metcalf, leads Atlanta with 13 catches on 19 targets for 160-yards and one touchdown. Tight end Kyle Pitts has yet to get himself going in 2022. This week seems like the perfect time for him to break out.
Want to see a play that sums up Seahawks issues playing run defense? Al Woods and Poona Ford had this run blown up… This should be easy tackle for loss.
But Taylor can't make play squeezing down the line and both linebackers are devoured by second level blocks. Goes for 13… pic.twitter.com/52T9X16fJV
— Corbin K. Smith (@CorbinSmithNFL) September 20, 2022