Rashid Shaheed Burns the Falcons-Again-This Time in Seahawks Blue
Some players just have a knack for haunting certain teams. For the Atlanta Falcons, Rashid Shaheed has become that guy.
He used to do it in a Saints uniform, and now he’s doing it as a Seattle Seahawk. Different jersey, same nightmare.
In Week 14, the Falcons came into their matchup with Seattle knowing exactly what Shaheed brings to the table-elite speed, game-breaking ability, and a flair for the dramatic. Yet somehow, they still got burned.
The backbreaker came on the opening kickoff of the second half. With the game tied 6-6, Shaheed fielded the ball deep in his own end zone and took off like a rocket.
One hundred yards later, he was in the end zone, and the Seahawks had a lead they wouldn’t give back. It was the kind of play that doesn’t just change the scoreboard-it changes the tone of the entire game.
And for a Falcons team already reeling, it was a gut punch they couldn’t recover from.
Special Teams Woes Continue to Haunt Atlanta
If this feels familiar for Falcons fans, it’s because it is. Special teams have been a sore spot lately, and Sunday’s game only added to the frustration.
Just a week ago, that unit was largely responsible for gifting the Jets 10 points in a loss. That performance already had special teams coordinator Marquice Williams under the microscope.
After this latest meltdown, the pressure is only mounting.
The decision to stick with Williams despite the struggles is starting to raise eyebrows. Head coach Raheem Morris has publicly backed his coordinator, but results like this make that loyalty harder to justify. The Falcons aren’t just losing games-they’re losing them in the same ways, and that’s what stings most.
To make matters worse, kicker Zane Gonzalez missed a field goal that could’ve helped chip away at Seattle’s lead. Every miscue adds up, and when you’re giving away points on special teams, it’s tough to stay competitive in a league that punishes mistakes.
Shaheed Shines in Expanded Role
But Shaheed wasn’t just a problem on kick returns. Offensively, he had his best game yet as a Seahawk, catching four passes for 67 yards. And it wasn’t just empty yardage-his speed was a tactical weapon, especially against a Falcons defense that struggled to adjust.
Credit Klint Kubiak, Seattle’s offensive coordinator and a familiar face from Shaheed’s New Orleans days, for knowing exactly how to deploy his former weapon. Kubiak used Shaheed’s speed to stretch the Falcons’ two-high shell coverage, a staple of defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich’s scheme. And it worked to perfection.
While the Falcons keyed in on Jaxon Smith-Njigba as the primary threat, it was Shaheed who did the damage. That miscalculation proved costly.
Atlanta had the scouting report-they knew what Shaheed could do. They just couldn’t stop it.
A Familiar Foe, A Familiar Result
For Atlanta, this loss feels like a bad rerun. A player they knew well made the biggest play of the game.
A special teams unit that’s been under fire gave up another game-changing moment. And a coaching staff that’s clinging to its current structure is running out of room for error.
As for Shaheed, he’s proving that his impact goes far beyond the NFC South. Whether it’s in black and gold or navy and action green, he’s still the same explosive playmaker. And for the Falcons, he remains a problem they just can’t seem to solve.