The 2020 NFL season is set to get underway after what has been the craziest offseason in history. No, the craziness didn't all come from the roster moves that were made, but the coronavirus made things interesting. Now, Week 1 is here and the Seattle Seahawks and Atlanta Falcons are set to take each other on.
Both the Seahawks and Falcons put together a nice offseason period. For the Falcons, they were able to bring in star running back Todd Gurley following his release from the Rams. On the other side, the Seahawks made a blockbuster trade with the New York Jets to acquire superstar safety Jamal Adams.
While the Seahawks are viewed as serious contenders in the NFC, the Falcons are being viewed as a very fringe playoff team. In a stacked NFC South division that now contains both Drew Brees and Tom Brady, Atlanta will have an uphill battle. Seattle doesn't have an easy road in their division either with the San Francisco 49ers favored to win the NFC West once again and DeAndre Hopkins now in Arizona.
No one can get too up or too down about a win or loss in Week 1. However, this game could come into play later in the season when it comes to playoff positioning.
All of that being said, here are four bold predictions that can be made for the Seahawks vs. Falcons matchup in Week 1.
4. Todd Gurley Looks A Bit Like His Old Self
Granted, the Todd Gurley that tore through defenses and was considered the best running back in football will never return. He is older and has a knee condition that will absolutely slow him down. But, the Falcons are still going to get a very good version of Gurley.
Seattle is not a team that makes it easy to run the football. Even though they aren't stacked with elite talent on the defensive line, they do have two star linebackers in K.J. Wright and Bobby Wagner that makes things difficult. Gurley will not let that phase him.
Gurley will end up carrying the football between 17-20 times in the game. He will rack up 75 yards and a score on the ground. In addition to his running numbers, Gurley will also catch five passes for 40 yards and another score.
3. DK Metcalf Shows Off His Superstar Potential
During the 2019 NFL Draft, Metcalf became one of the most talked about prospects due to insane physical ability. At one point, he was projected to be a top-10 pick, but that did not end up happening. Metcalf fell all the way to the No. 64 overall pick.
Standing in at 6-foot-4 and nearly 230 pounds with elite speed and athleticism, Metcalf showed major promise in his rookie season with the Seahawks. He caught 58 passes for 900 yards and seven touchdowns. In the playoffs, Metcalf wreaked havoc on the Philadelphia Eagles in the Wild Card round to the tune of seven receptions for 160 yards and a touchdown.
To start the season against the Falcons, Metcalf will show off his elite potential. Russell Wilson will find him eight times for 130 yards and a score. Metcalf will continue making teams who passed on him regret their decision.
2. Seattle Slows Julio Jones Way Down
While the Falcons are going to find success running the football with Gurley, their other offensive superstar will not be as fortunate. Julio Jones is going to have a very tough time against the Seahawks' defense.
Jones is one of the top wide receivers in the NFL, but his season will start off slow. He will catch just five passes for 50 yards with no touchdowns. Atlanta will try to get him going, but to no avail.
Matt Ryan will have to try to work with Calvin Ridley more often throughout this game. The Seahawks are not going to let Jones beat them.
1. The Seahawks Pull Out A Hard-Fought Victory
Finally, and most importantly, the Seahawks are going to start the season with a 1-0 record. Atlanta will put up a fight, but they will not be able to keep it up in the fourth quarter.
Wilson and Seattle have a potent offense and with the addition of Adams have a defense capable of being elite. They will need a big year from both Shaquill Griffin and Tre Flowers at cornerback and Quinton Dunbar could come in handy as well. However, the Seahawks are just a better all-around team than the Falcons.
We are predicting that the final score of this game will end up being 28-20 in favor of the Seahawks. The Falcons may not win this football game, but they are going to be a much better team in 2020 than they were in 2019.
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