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The weird 2020 NFL season is upon us as our Atlanta Falcons host the Seattle Seahawks. This has been a good series since Russell Wilson joined Seattle in 2012, with the teams even 3-3 in that time. Of course, the Falcons hold a 2-0 playoff edge with Matt Ryan and team thumping them in the last outing.
Can they repeat that performance or will the Seahawks revamped secondary shut down Julio Jones, Calvin Ridley and the rest of the Falcons offense? Read on to find out.
First quarter
After the Seahawks kickoff to the Falcons, on 1st and 10 from the 25 the toss to Todd Gurley goes for 6 yards. Gurley carries it again for a big gain of 15 on 2nd and 4. His third touch of the game went for a 1 yard loss, setting up 2nd and 11. Ryan targets Julio, who couldn’t bring it in. On 3rd down, Ryan connects with Calvin Ridley for a big gain and the first. After a Gurley run for 4 yards, Ryan is called for intentional grounding after pressure comes up the middle. On 3rd and 16, Ryan connects with Julio but it’s a few yards short. Younghoe Koo comes on and punches in the 49 yard field goal.
Falcons 3, Seahawks 0
Starting on their own 22 after a kick return, Russell Wilson is taken down by Takk McKinley for a first down sack. On 2nd and 19, Russell Wilson connects with Tyler Lockett to setup 3rd and 4. Wilson is able to connect with Greg Olsen to keep the sticks moving. After a carry by Chris Carson goes for 4 yards, Wilson passes to Carson out of the backfield to convert the first down. A screen to Carson sets up 2nd and 4 and Carlos Hyde runs it for the conversion. A short pass to Lockett for 5 yards is followed by a run by Hyde, but a holding penalty sets up 2nd and 15. Grady Jarrett then busts through for a sack of his own. On 3rd and 23, Wilson throws into heavy traffic and gets a pass interference call against Ricardo Allen. Russell Wilson passes to Chris Carson for the touchdown to close out the drive.
Falcons 3, Seahawks 7
Starting on their own 25, the Falcons open with a big gain to Julio Jones which puts them into Seattle territory. After a checkdown to Gurley goes nowhere, on 2nd and 10 Gurley takes it wide to setup 3rd and short. Brian Hill gets the carry, but can’t convert. The Falcons go for it on 4th and 3, but the pass is knocked down and Seattle gets the turnover on downs.
The Seahawks start on their own 40 with a slant to D.K. Metcalf that goes for 12 and the first down. Russell Wilson then runs a keeper that goes for 15 or 20 - who the hell cares. The screen to Chris Carson then easily goes for a touchdown as he runs in completely untouched.
Falcons 3, Seahawks 14
From their own 25, the Falcons offense starts with a run up the middle by Brian Hill for a 10 yard gain. Ryan then finds Hayden Hurst for a an impressive diving 27 yard catch and the end of the first quarter.
Falcons 3, Seahawks 14
Second quarter
After a toss to Brian Hill goes for 4, Matt Ryan finds Calvin Ridley for a 10 yard gain and the first down. On 2nd and 11, Ryan finds Russell Gage for the big gain to put the the Falcons at first and goal from the 5. After 2 runs by Gurley sets up 3rd and 1, Gurley takes it up the gut for the 1 yard touchdown run. Koo misses the extra point after a false start pushes them back to try again.
Falcons 9, Seahawks 14
Starting on their own 25, after a toss goes for no gain and a 2nd down pass gains only 3, on 3rd and 7, Grady Jarrett and Dante Fowler come together for a (coverage) sack to kill the Seattle drive quickly.
Atlanta starts their drive from their 25 with a throw away by Ryan after being pressured by Jamal Adams. After a Gurley run sets up 3rd and 6, Ryan connects with Gage again for 10 yards and another first down. Another throw away is followed by a quick out to Gage to setup 3rd and 6. The drive unfortunately comes to an end with a Jamal Adams sack.
After the punt, a short pass to Will Dissly, Carlos Hyde bursts through the middle for a big gain and the first. After a Wilson scramble and a short pass to lockett, on 3rd and 2 the Seahawks can’t convert on the throw to Metcalf. Seattle opts to punt.
A false start sets up 1st and 15 from the 6, and after a run by Ito Smith gains 4 yards and a clear DPI is not called, on 3rd and 11, Ryan connects with Julio but they are short of the sticks. Atlanta has to punt.
After a Chris Carson run gains 4 and a false start pushes them back, on 2nd and 11 Russell Wilson passes to Carson for 5 yards to setup 3rd and 6. Takk McKinley pressures Wilson, who has to throw short and Seattle is forced to punt.
With a minute and a half to go in the first half, the Falcons offense opens with an incomplete pass to Luke Stocker. On 2nd and 10, Gurley takes the draw up the middle for 10 yards and the first down. An incomplete pass to Julio is followed by a pass to Calvin Ridley who picks up the first down. After an illegal formation penalty on Atlanta, Ryan targets Christian Blake who gets the blatant DPI call. Ryan quickly finds Russell Gage for another first down. On 3rd and 10 from the Seahawks 40, Ryan connects with Gage yet again who picks up the first. After an intentional down to setup the last second field goal, Koo comes on and punches it in from 49 to close the gap as we go into halftime.
Falcons 12, Seahawks 14
Third quarter
Starting from their 25, the Seahawks start the second half with an 11 yard run by Chris Carson. After a big drop by D.K. Metcalf on first down, on 2nd and 10 Wilson finds Dissly who is quickly tackled by McKinley to setup 3rd and 7. On 3rd down, Wilson finds Metcalf who extends for the first down. After several first down completions and Takk batting down a 1st and 5 pass, on 2nd and 5 Grady Jarrett shuts down a run up the middle to set up 3rd and 4. On the money down, Deion Jones reminds us he is an unstoppable force and shuts down the run to set up 4th down. On 4th and 5, Wilson hits D.K. Metcalf for the deep ball touchdown.
Falcons 12, Seahawks 21
After a Gurley run for 2 yards from the 25 and another for 2 yards, on 3rd and 6 the Falcons fail to convert as Ryan’s pass to Hurst doesn’t pick up enough. Atlanta fakes the punt, gets the first down, but Atlanta fumbles it and the Seahawks take over at midfield.
After a screen to Carson picks up 3, Wilson connects with Lockett for 9 and the first down. After a gain for 4, and a conversion on 2nd and 6, Wilson finds Greg Olsen for the touchdown pass and a sizable lead.
Falcons 12, Seahawks 28
Following the touchback, the Atlanta offense starts with a deep bomb from Ryan to Julio to put them on the other side of the 50 for a 44 yard gain. After a shuttle pass to Gurley gains 1 yard, Julio amazingly catches a pass that Ryan barely got out for the first down. Another minimal gain by Gurley is followed by a 7 yard reception by Julio to setup 3rd and 2. On the money down, Atlanta runs for no gain. The Falcons go for it on 4th down and ... can’t convert yet again as everyone was uncovered and Ryan is sacked.
Wilson starts the drive with a pass to Lockett for a quick first. He finds Lockett yet again for another big gain and first down and the merciful end of the third quarter.
Falcons 12, Seahawks 28
Fourth quarter
A quick pass to David Moore is followed by a running pass to Lockett, who picks up another first down. A short gain by Carlos Hyde, 2 false starts and a holding penalty setup 2nd and 29. A loft pass to Locket puts the Seahawks at 3rd and 19. Wilson connects with Swain to setup 4th and short, but Seattle mercifully goes for a field goal and a 3 score lead. Jason Myers punches it in.
Falcons 12, Seahawks 31
The Falcons start with a nice 15 yard gain to Julio and a quick throw to Gage for a fast 2nd and 2. Ryan connects with Ridley for 10 and another first down. Ryan finds Julio yet again for a fast first down. From the 18, Ryan then connects with a wide-open Calvin Ridley for the touchdown. The two point conversion fails.
Falcons 18, Seahawks 31
Seattle starts their drive on their own 28 with a run for a 3 yard loss as Dante Fowler takes down Chris Carson. After a short pass to Greg Olsen, on 3rd and 9 Wilson can’t connect with Metcalf and Atlanta forces the 3 and out. Seahawks punt.
Starting on their own 30, Atlanta starts with a great scramble by Ryan and pass/catch with Ridley for the first. Ryan then finds Julio on a slant for another first. A quick out to Hayden Hurst is followed by an incompletion targeting him downfield. On 3rd and 3, Ryan targets Ridley downfield but is nearly picked off. On 4th down, Ryan targets Ridley again but he can’t bring it in. Turnover on downs.
A first down run up the gut is followed by a deep pass to Metcalf for an easy first down. Greg Olsen catches the short throw for a short gain and it’s followed by a 2 yard run by Carlos Hyde. Wilson avoids a sack and passes to David Moore, who converts the first down and nearly goes in for the TD. Carlos Hyde finally punches in the 1 yard touchdown, effectively putting this game away.
Falcons 18, Seahawks 38
The Falcons pointless drive starts with a quick 4 yard gain and incomplete pass to Julio. On 3rd and 6, Ryan connects with Russell Gage who picks up the first and hurdles a player in the process. A short gain to Brian Hill is followed by a first down pass to Ridley. Ryan connects with Gage for another first down and the two minute warning. A screen to Ito Smith goes nowhere and is followed by a short pass to Ito that nearly gets him killed. On 3rd and 7, Ryan finds Ridley for the first to setup the goal line series. On 3rd and goal, Ryan connects with Ridley again for the touchdown.
Falcons 25, Seahawks 38
Younghoe Koo gets another onside kick and the Falcons offense is on the field again. Ryan connects with Gage for a quick first down. Ryan is then intercepted in the endzone on the hail mary pass. Wilson takes a knee and our suffering is over.
Final: Falcons 25, Seahawks 38