NFL schedule release: 10 best games of 2017
By John Buhler
6. Atlanta Falcons at Seattle Seahawks
While many had picked the Carolina Panthers as the primary NFC South foe of the Seattle Seahawks because of the dynamic quarterback battles between Cam Newton and Russell Wilson, shouldn’t it have been Dan Quinn’s Atlanta Falcons.
Quinn left Seattle for the Atlanta job in 2015 after two years as the Seahawks defensive coordinator. While Pete Carroll’s coaching tree leaves a lot to be desired, Quinn has emerged as the best branch in only two years with the Falcons. He took Atlanta to its second trip to the Super Bowl in only his second year with the team.
Atlanta and Seattle split their games in 2016. The Seahawks clipped the Falcons 26-24 in Seattle early in the season on a questionable no-call from the official. They would meet in Atlanta in the divisional round of the 2016 NFC Playoffs where Atlanta clobbered Seattle, 36-20.
Defensively, these two NFC teams are mirror images of each other running the Cover 3 with a 4-3 Under base. Seattle is more adept defensively, but is getting up there in age. Atlanta is still on the come-up on that side of the ball. However, it is without question that the Falcons have the more dynamic offense over the Seahawks.
That being said, this battle between first-place NFC teams will be at CenturyLink Field. It is a notoriously difficult place to play. Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan maybe the reigning NFL MVP, but has struggled to win in cold, wet climates. A win for Seattle over Atlanta could decide which team gets a first-round bye in the 2017 NFC Playoffs. Then again, that did not prove to be the case last January.