The Seattle Seahawks will face off with the Atlanta Falcons on the road in Week 8. The Seahawks have been the better team so far this season and now get to face a shorthanded Falcons team, which should result in an easy victory.
Let's breakdown four reasons the Seahawks will defeat the Falcons squad.
4. Falcons quarterback situation
It is unknown if Matt Ryan will be able to play in this game as a result of an ankle injury. After the Falcons' 37-10 loss to the Seattle Seahawks in Week 7, Ryan was spotted wearing a walking boot. The expectation is that Matt Shaub will be inserted into the lineup if Ryan is unable to play. It doesn't matter if it's Ryan or Shaub that starts this game, they are going to be in a lot of trouble.
Ryan hasn't been an issue this season for the Falcons, but there is no chance he is going to be at ‘100 percent' if he plays. He is going to have trouble moving around, which means the Seahawks defense should be able to tee off on him.
Things get even worse for the Falcons if it's Shaub that gets the start. His last start came in 2015 when he was a member of the Baltimore Ravens and he was ineffective during the preseason.
3. Coaching Battle
There are a lot of advantages for the Seahawks but one that might be getting overlooked is the coaching battle. Dan Quinn decided in the offseason that he didn't need a defensive coordinator and he would take over the play-calling on that side of the ball. That has led to a lot of issues as they are giving up 31.9 points per game (31st).
With Pete Carroll at the helm, the Seahawks have one of the best coaches in all of football, but he is often overlooked. Having to go up against an elite coach will complicate things for Quinn in what could end up being his last game as the Falcons' head coach.
2. Falcons lack of running back
Most teams would try to lean on their running game if they had to start their backup quarterback. However, that isn't something the Falcons are going to be able to do given their deficiencies in this area.
The team has experienced issues with establishing anything on the ground this season. They are averaging only 68.4 rushing yards per game and to make matters worse, it's going to be tough sledding against the Seahawks.
If the Falcons fall behind early in this matchup, they will probably be forced to abandon the run early, especially if it's not working. Not having a running game is going to really hurt the Falcons chances and there are a variety of factors going against them in that area.
1. Russell Wilson
The stats that Russell Wilson produces don't always jump off the page, but he is undoubtedly a top-five quarterback in the league. On the season, Wilson has thrown for 1,945 yards, 15 touchdowns, and one interception.
A matchup with the Falcons should be a game where Wilson gets to open it up against a pass defense that is giving up 274 yards per game. He should be able to throw for at least 300 yards and two touchdowns, which will lead the Seahawks to a win.
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