Geno Smith, Seattle Seahawks.
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.
Neither one of these two teams can be considered an offensive juggernaut. According to Pro Football Reference, here’s how Atlanta’s offense ranks.
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.
Atlanta is 0-2 this season, but they could easily be 1-1. The Falcons blew a lead against division rival New Orleans in Week 1 to lose by one point. That defeat led to head coach Arthur Smith’s epic post-game speech. According to our friends at Pro Football Reference, here’s how the Falcons’ defense ranks.
Atlanta is tied for 12th with five sacks, tied for 21st with 10 QB hits, and 16th for the percentage of pass plays that end in a sack. They are not anywhere close to being a stout defense. These numbers bode well for the Seattle Seahawks offense.
Pete Carroll talked about opening up the offense more for quarterback Geno Smith. This week is a great time for the coach to back up his words. That means it’s also a great week for Metcalf to have his best game.
A good passing game should open up the run. Rashaad Penny will get the majority of the carries, and he should outperform what he did in the first two weeks. This game should also provide a nice opportunity to get a good look a rookie running back Kenneth Walker III.
Fans can reasonably expect one of two things from this game. A lot of action from both teams’ punters, with a lot of ugly football for good measure. Again, neither of these teams is very good. So, expecting some kind of amazing display or an offensive explosion is unrealistic.
While neither squad has much offense, they could give a very convincing impression because the defenses they face are that bad. This could lead to a lot of scoring and big plays because of breakdowns in coverage and poor tackling.
The Seattle Seahawks lost safety Jamal Adams. So, it will be up to Josh Jones and Ryan Neal to replace Adams’ production. The loss of Adams might mean an increase in better pass coverage. However, it will negatively impact the team’s ability to rush and harass the opposing quarterback.
Without a great pass rush to face, Seattle Seahawks rookie tackles Charles Cross and Abraham Lucas should have their best pro games to date. Another matchup to watch is rookie cornerback Tariq Woolen against Drake London.
One area to note is the Seattle Seahawks injury report. If Justin Coleman is out, then Coby Bryant will get the first crack at playing nickleback.
Las Vegas has the Seattle Seahawks as a one-point favorite at home. And in close games, the team with the better quarterback usually comes out on top. Mariota’s latest Pacific Northwest return doesn’t net a victory. Seattle will head to Detroit in Week 4 with a 2-1 record.
Look for our gameday eve Seattle Seahawks injury report on Saturday.