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Falcons open as field goal underdogs against the Seahawks

They’re on the road against a depleted Seahawks team, and this one could legitimately go either way.

Divisional Round - Seattle Seahawks v Atlanta Falcons Photo by Scott Cunningham/Getty Images

Your Atlanta Falcons are coming off one of their most impressive wins of the season, albeit against a depleted Dallas Cowboys team. This week, they have to take to the road to play the Seattle Seahawks, a suboptimal matchup made a little easier by the fact that the Seahawks are depleted, too.

With injuries to an already weak offensive line, one of the league’s most anemic ground attacks, and the loss of star cornerback Richard Sherman, this Seattle team is gifted enough to make a deep playoff push but may legitimately struggle to win on a weekly basis. Considering they’re hosting an inconsistent Atlanta team without Devonta Freeman, you can see why the Seahawks are favored by a field goal here.

I like Atlanta’s chances in this matchup if they can manage the kind of effort they had against the Cowboys, though Seattle’s defense is far better and Russell Wilson is far more used to making magic happen with nothing good happening around him. I think the kind of explosive plays and taut defense we just saw would put them in a stellar position to steal a close game. I always expect close games with Seattle.