If the Seattle Seahawks (6-2) seriously can’t blow out the Atlanta Falcons (1-7) then they probably can’t blow anyone out this season.
Alas, it’s a win. Russell Wilson threw only 20 times, but completed 14 of them for 182 yards and a pair of touchdowns to DK Metcalf. Chris Carson had 90 yards and a rushing TD, Tyler Lockett had 6 catches for 100 yards, and... well the defense sucked bad. Just imagine if Matt Schaub wasn’t the QB, because Schaub went 39/52 for 460 yards and a TD (and an INT). A 24-0 halftime lead turned into something much closer for no good reason. Who knows if that is enough to keep Dan Quinn employed in Atlanta? Perhaps Pete Carroll’s stubbornly conservative 2nd half was all a nice gesture to his former DC.
The other bad thing to come out of this one was a likely season-ending knee injury to starting center Justin Britt.
1st Half
The Seahawks received the ball first and went on an 8-play drive that ended with consecutive incomplete passes to David Moore, so Seattle settled for a field goal. Unfortunately, they lost starting center Justin Britt to a knee injury. 3-0 Seahawks.
The two teams traded punts before the Falcons went on a nice drive that included big catches from Julio Jones and Calvin Ridley. When the drive stalled out in field goal range, Dan Quinn opted for a 51-yard attempt by AARP-eligible Matt Bryant instead of going for it on 4th and short. He missed.
Chris Carson and Rashaad Penny gashed the Falcons defense on the ground before Russell Wilson found a ridiculously wide open DK Metcalf for a goal-line touchdown. I mean... WIDE OPEN. 10-0 Seahawks.
.@dkm14 was RIGHT THERE.
— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) October 27, 2019
Q2: SEA 10, ATL 0 pic.twitter.com/vs4b6DmFg2
An iffy OPI call on Julio Jones erased a big catch on Shaquill Griffin. If Falcons fans were irate over that call, they really weren’t happy when Matt Schaub got picked off by Mychal Kendricks on the next snap.
aaaand PICK ‼️@MychalKendricks said NOPE ❌ pic.twitter.com/qXvODnwL6j
— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) October 27, 2019
The Seahawks offense took advantage of the short field and Chris Carson punched the ball in from a yard out. 17-0 Seahawks.
Can't stop @ccarson_32 on the touchdown run!
— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) October 27, 2019
Q2: SEA 17, ATL 0 pic.twitter.com/RTiLSF9cEN
Matt Bryant missed an even longer field goal on Atlanta’s ensuing drive, which makes me think Dan Quinn is on autopilot or he wants to get fired before I even publish this article. Tyler Lockett personally dunked on Atlanta’s dreadful defense with two ridiculous catches in tight coverage, then DK Metcalf was left by his lonesome yet again to extend the lead. 24-0 Seahawks.
Look at the placement on this one... Also how did Tyler Lockett catch it?!? #Seahawks pic.twitter.com/xOVZPx3sS7
— Samuel Gold (@SamuelRGold) October 27, 2019
What the hell here's another one on the same drive. Tyler Lockett is crushing it. #Seahawks pic.twitter.com/MEvBNH9JmD
— Samuel Gold (@SamuelRGold) October 27, 2019
Déjà vu?
— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) October 27, 2019
Make that 2️⃣ TDs on the day for @dkm14!
Q2: SEA 24, ATL 0 pic.twitter.com/9lEWzZjvJG
Just for fun, Atlanta tried a Hail Mary. Jadeveon Clowney strip-sacked Matt Schaub instead and it was a half-ending turnover.
2nd Half
Atlanta got on the scoreboard with a 7-play, 75-yard drive that featured a big screen pass to Austin Hooper and an easy toss play touchdown to rookie RB Brian Hill. A poor job by Jadeveon Clowney to stay disciplined and not jump offsides led to a 4th and 2 conversion. 24-8 Seahawks.
For god knows what reason, the Seahawks offense went extremely conservative for the entire 3rd quarter and the Falcons offense was marching on Ken Norton’s group. A Bryant field goal made it 24-11 Seahawks before the 3rd quarter ended.
It looked as if the Seahawks would really blow this lead and that Atlanta could cut it to 24-18, but a (sketchy) fumble by Devonta Freeman near the goal-line was recovered by Bobby Wagner. Somehow this play stood on replay but we’ll take it!
In a novel idea, the Seahawks started throwing the ball again and magically they started advancing down the field. Tyler Lockett and David Moore got the offense back into gear, but a horrible missed face mask on Vic Beasley Jr (who almost ripped Russell Wilson’s head off) and a sketchy OPI on Lockett turned a possible TD drive into a field goal. 27-11 Seahawks.
Atlanta had a lengthy drive that culminated in a Schaub touchdown to Austin Hooper, but their two-point conversion was stopped by none other than Bobby Wagner. 27-17 Seahawks.
Seattle’s offense tucked itself to bed and let the defense go out there to suck some more. Matt Schaub extended his 400+ yard passing game even more and drove them to another Matt Bryant field goal with under two minutes to go. The onside kick went out of bounds, so game over. 27-20 Seahawks.
Seahawks injury report
C Justin Britt injured his knee in the opening quarter and did not return.
Next week’s opponent
Seattle has a home game on Sunday, November 3rd against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-5) at 1:05 PM PT on FOX.