Top takeaways from Seattle’s divisional round loss to the Falcons

Four years an Atlanta Falcons tight end, Levine Toilolo, participated in his first playoff game Saturday evening in the Georgia Dome.

But Falcons coach Dan Quinn called for Ryan to take a knee, not wanting to pile it on against the team he previously worked for as defensive coordinator.

Two plays later, Russell Wilson was sacked in the end zone for a safety that shrank the Seahawks’ lead to 10-9, and from that point on the Falcons were off the races.

If Green Bay upsets the Cowboys, the NFC championship game would be next weekend at the Georgia Dome, extending the 25-year-old stadium’s tenure one more game. They have managed to overcome safety Earl Thomas’ season-ending injury so far, but things are going to be much more hard moving forward. Normally, they make due with mid-round picks and while you can pick up a gem on occasion there, you can’t build a whole line that way. Those two combined for seven catches, 102 yards and a touchdown.

On Saturday, the Falcons had mounted touchdown drives of 75, 99 and 75 yards by early in the third quarter.

Ryan has now won both his playoff games against the Seahawks but is winless in 4 postseason starts against other National Football League teams.

Jones is a powerful receiver who combines his eye-opening athletic ability with outstanding receiving skills. It may be the best playoff game yet, the battle between these two teams was back and forth with incredible plays. Mohamed Sanu has been an excellent addition and is a fine complementary receiver. Seattle has the playoff pedigree and experience, not to mention the better defense.

Maybe he was thinking of the following week when the Falcons blew a 17-0 lead to San Francisco in the NFC title game and lost 28-24.

“We feel like the only thing that can stop us is ourselves”, said Falcons offensive left tackle Jake Matthews.

Seattle has an excellent leader in Russell Wilson, who knows how to handle the pressure of the postseason.

Sporting the best offense in football, the Falcons are a game away from the franchise’s second Super Bowl appearance.

“One of the mentalities this week going into this game is we’re the underdogs, always been underdogs all season – let’s go out there and prove to them why we’re here in this second round now”. A trip to the NFC championship game will be on the line Saturday, and Quinn said that overshadows any personal motivations in the rematch against Seattle and his former boss, Pete Carroll.

Richard Sherman versus Atlanta’s Julio Jones wasn’t the decisive showdown for Seattle’s defense. Atlanta scored 19 points in the second quarter and never looked back. Playing in the Georgia Dome means the playing conditions should be flawless. Atlanta, like Seattle, is one of the few teams that still uses a fullback. “Smart people will reject the narrative that he has something to prove to us because he’s now 1-4 in playoff games”. Jones was in and out of the game with what the Falcons said is a foot injury before heading to the locker room for good during the fourth quarter.