Seahawks vs Falcons: What to watch for

Keeping it close, Sherman, the run game, and coaching against a friend: The playoff matchup between the Seahawks and Falcons is full of storylines.

The Seahawks will head to Atlanta this weekend looking to advance to their third NFC title game in four years. Here a few things to watch for ahead of Saturday’s matchup.

Can the Seahawks keep it close early? –The Seahawks have had some issues with slow starts on the road this season. A few instances that come to mind were the games in Los Angeles, Tampa Bay and Green Bay. All of these games featured a somewhat helpless Seattle offense for two-plus quarters. In the end the slow starts in each of those games proved too much to overcome and resulted in losses.

What might be more troubling is looking at the Seahawks history in divisional round road games under Pete Carroll.  In 2010 the Seahawks traveled to Soldier Field to face the Chicago Bears. Before Seattle could blink, they trailed the Bears 28-0 and eventually fell 35-24.

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Fast forward to the 2012 season where the Seahawks flew to Atlanta, just as they are preparing to do now. By halftime the Hawks trailed the Falcons 20-0 and appeared to be finished. A furious rally saw Seattle capture its first lead with just 31 seconds remaining in the game. However it wasn’t enough as the Falcons threw two deep passes and kicked the game winning field goal with 8 seconds on the clock.

We saw the divisional road woes again last season when Seattle squared off against the Panthers in Charlotte and again fell into a large hole by halftime. A 31-0 deficit was far from ideal. Another furious rally ensued, but the Seahawks simply ran out of time.

Given this painful track record, it’s of great importance that the Seahawks come out ready to play in the Georgia Dome. Being down two or three scores early is not a recipe for success in road playoff games. The high powered Atlanta offense is capable of piling up points in a hurry, so the Seahawks must be locked in. It would be nice if they didn’t have to count on a late rally to stay in the game.

Richard Sherman & Juilo Jones. –This could be a matchup for the ages. Sherman and Jones are two of the best at their respective positions and will no doubt play big roles in the outcome of Saturday’s game.

It will be interesting to see what the Seahawks will do with Sherman early on. In a “do or die” scenario it would be reasonable to think the Seahawks will put their best corner on the Falcons best receiver. Obviously that’s not a typical practice for the Seattle defense, but we’ve seen them do it in the past when they play opponents with All-Pro caliber receivers.

In their previous meeting (a 26-24 Seattle victory) Sherman didn’t start shadowing Julio Jones until later in the game. In fact he only started following the star receiver after Atlanta exploded for a 21 point third quarter outburst.

Seattle shouldn’t mess around in this one. Jones deserves special attention. Sherman should pick up number 11 from the moment he runs out of the tunnel. If I  was Sherm, I wouldn’t even let him catch a ball while he’s warming up.

Will the Seahawks establish a running game in consecutive weeks? –To almost everyone’s surprise the Seahawks actually showed signs of life running the football last week. Behind a solid performance from the offensive line, Thomas Rawls

gashed the Lions for 161 yards and a touchdown.

It would be nice to see the Seahawks establish the running game once again this weekend. If they can run the ball, they can control the tempo and help the defense out by limiting Atlanta’s offensive possessions.

When a running attack has been as inconsistent  as Seattle’s has this season, it’s difficult to forecast what you’re going to see week to week. That being said, a solid rushing effort would be a huge boost to the Seahawks chances of victory.

Pete Carroll and Dan Quinn. –Another big story line this weekend will be the relationship between Pete Carroll and Falcons Head Coach, Dan Quinn. As many know, Quinn served as the Seahawks defensive coordinator for two seasons helping the team reach consecutive Super Bowls. Now in his second season with Atlanta the student will face the teacher with a trip to the NFC title game on the line.

This coaching matchup will be intriguing to say the least. Carroll and Quinn obviously share similar philosophies. The difference in this one could come down to who wins the coaching chess match. On paper it would be logical to give the nod to Carroll given his experience. However, Quinn will have the distinct advantages of playing at home and knowing his opponent better than just about anyone.

The return of CJ Prosise. –The possible return of Seattle’s rookie running back could be a potential x-factor in this game. Prosise has been a limited participant in practice this week and Carroll said a final decision on his status will likely be made Friday.

If Prosise is able to go on Saturday the Seahawks will benefit by adding another versatile weapon to the offensive side of the ball. CJ is both an explosive runner and pass catcher given his background as a receiver.

If nothing else, Prosise’s presence as another capable playmaker will command some attention from the Atlanta defense.

Communication in Seahawks secondary. –This is a big component to pay attention to. In their week six meeting the Seahawks led the Falcons 17-3 at halftime. Then, the third quarter happened. The Falcons put up 21 points while feasting on a confused Seattle secondary. On back to back possessions the Seahawks didn’t communicate well while playing their zone defense. The Falcons made them pay with a couple of explosive touchdown plays.

If the Seahawks want to have a chance this time around, they cannot afford to have communication breakdowns. There is no doubt Matt Ryan will be looking to confuse the Seattle defense once again on Saturday afternoon. Luckily for the Seahawks, they will have one of their most vocal leaders on the field in Kam Chancellor. That’s something the team missed in week six as Chancellor was sidelined with an injury.

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This game certainly won’t be short on storylines and should be a great matchup. If the Seahawks can play to their potential they will be in this game and have a chance to secure another trip to the NFC Championship. If they do advance it may be one of the more satisfying playoff victories in franchise history. Football fans should be excited for this one.