Seahawks Soaring, Falcons Floundering as Teams Head in Opposite Directions Ahead of Sunday Clash
Two teams. Two very different trajectories.
The Seattle Seahawks are flying high, winners of six of their last seven and firmly in the thick of a tight NFC West race. At 9-3, they’re not just eyeing a division crown - they’ve got a real shot at a top playoff seed. But with the Rams and 49ers also sitting at nine wins, there’s zero room for error.
On the flip side, the Atlanta Falcons are spiraling. They've dropped six of their last seven, falling to 4-8 and all but sealing their eighth straight losing season. For a franchise still trying to find its footing after a Super Bowl appearance not too long ago, it's another year of watching the postseason from home.
So when the Seahawks roll into Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Sunday, the stakes couldn’t be more different. For Seattle, it’s a must-win to keep pace. For Atlanta, it’s damage control and pride.
Seattle Locked In
The Seahawks are coming off a dominant 26-0 shutout of the Vikings - their first blanking of an opponent since 2015. That kind of defensive statement this late in the season says a lot about where this team is mentally and physically.
“We put ourselves in a good spot,” said linebacker Ernest Jones IV. “But a couple of other teams have done the same thing.
The NFC is a tough one right now, so we’ve got to just go out there one game at a time. You don’t help your case losing games.”
Jones isn’t wrong. The NFC playoff picture is a logjam, and dropping a game to a struggling Falcons team would be a major setback. Seattle knows it can’t afford to look past anyone - not with the postseason seeding on the line.
Riq Woolen Rebounds
There was a point earlier this season when it looked like Riq Woolen might be on the way out in Seattle. The fourth-year cornerback, in the final year of his rookie deal, had a couple of rough outings and found himself on the bubble.
But Woolen has flipped the script in recent weeks. He’s defended eight passes over the last six games and finally snagged his first interception of the season last Sunday.
“He's doing a tremendous job,” said head coach Mike Macdonald. “He’s had a great attitude, he’s been a great teammate, so you do those things and you’re practicing well, you’re productive in practice, and now it starts to show up in games.”
Woolen’s resurgence couldn’t come at a better time for a Seattle secondary that’s rounding into form just as the playoff push intensifies.
Williams and Murphy: Seattle’s Sack Duo
Up front, Leonard Williams and Byron Murphy II are forming a formidable tandem on the defensive line. Both players have seven sacks, tying for the team lead, and they’ve been a disruptive force week in and week out.
Williams is within striking distance of his career-high in sacks, while Murphy has already blown past the half-sack he notched as a rookie. Their chemistry is paying dividends, and it’s clear they feed off each other’s energy.
“Especially for a young guy, I think he’s impressed me a lot with the way he’s been able to come in and just soak up knowledge,” Williams said of Murphy. “He’s starting to have more of a voice out there.”
Seattle’s defense has piled up 40 sacks on the season - fourth-most in the NFL - and they’ll be licking their chops against a Falcons offensive line that’s struggled to protect its quarterbacks.
Falcons’ Freefall Continues
For Atlanta, the season has slipped away in a series of close, gut-wrenching losses. Their latest heartbreaker came against the Jets, who won on a 56-yard field goal from Nick Folk as time expired.
It’s been that kind of year. The Falcons have lost two games in overtime, two more in the final minute, and are just 1-5 in one-score games. They're not getting blown out - they’re just not finishing.
“Certainly the tough losses, you just go back to what are the inches we can find here and there to make the difference,” said quarterback Kirk Cousins, who took over the starting job after Michael Penix Jr. went down with a season-ending knee injury.
The team’s inability to close out games has put head coach Raheem Morris squarely on the hot seat. But Morris remains confident his players will keep battling.
“These guys, they are competitors. They love playing,” Morris said. “I’ve got a lot of confidence they’ll go out there and do that for us.”
Special Teams Miscues Add to Falcons’ Woes
Atlanta’s special teams have gone from inconsistent to outright problematic.
Last week’s loss to the Jets featured two brutal breakdowns. Jamal Agnew tried to field a punt inside the 5-yard line - a cardinal sin - and fumbled it away. The Jets recovered at the 2-yard line and punched in an easy touchdown.
Later, the Falcons gave up an 83-yard kickoff return that set up a game-tying field goal. And just to complete the trifecta, kicker Zane Gonzalez - Atlanta’s third kicker this season - missed a 50-yard attempt.
“We played awful on special teams,” Morris said bluntly. “I don’t know how to say it any other way.”
Ernest Jones IV: Making His Mark
While the Seahawks’ defense has been strong across the board, linebacker Ernest Jones IV has been a standout - and now he’s getting the recognition to match.
Jones was named NFC Defensive Player of the Week after a monster performance against Minnesota: two interceptions, including a pick-six (the first touchdown of his career), and a team-high 12 tackles.
“I think just finally getting some recognition, finally people are knowing who I am,” Jones said. “It just feels good. I’ve been playing this game for a long time, and I’ve been in the back seat, so I’m ready to do what I’ve got to do to keep playing and get to that top.”
Jones is peaking at the right time, and if he continues to play at this level, he could be a game-changer down the stretch for a Seahawks team with championship aspirations.
Bottom Line: Sunday’s matchup is more than just a game - it’s a measuring stick. For Seattle, it’s about proving they can stay focused and handle business against a struggling opponent.
For Atlanta, it’s about showing some fight and salvaging pride in a season that’s slipped away. One team is chasing January glory.
The other is trying to avoid another chapter in a long-running rebuild.