By Zach Walker
After a tidal wave of what appeared to be nerves, the Seattle Seahawks regained the reigns and stopped the Redskins before the game got blown wide open. The defense started to get consistent and made Robert Griffin III uncomfortable in his ability, Russell Wilson took the game back for the Seahawks by engineering run heavy drives, including his own brand of fancy footwork. The defense led by the biggest cornerbacks in the league did not allow much of anything in the passing game. The Seahawks went into hostile territory, got down big early, regained footing and earned the franchise’s first road playoff win in almost three decades.
The Atlanta Falcons backed into their playoff spot, having lost in week 17 to Tampa Bay. Their regular season was a wash of good-to-great performances by Matt Ryan leading his team to a 13-3 record, the second 13-3 record in three seasons, so having the top seed is nothing new them. But with all their season long success, the consensus is to hold your breath, don’t crown them anything, because Matt Ryan has yet to win a playoff game in his career. So it rests on the arm of their young quarterback to change the perception about him and his team, being all face and no trousers.
The Seahawks are familiar to hostile environments and just outlasted the storm of 80,000 playoff starved, rowdy Redskins fanatics. The Seahawks cornerbacks versus the Falcons receivers will be the matchup of the game. The Seattle safeties are charged with the biggest tasks of all, containing the run game against the Falcons and limiting Tony Gonzalez’s opportunities. The Falcons have a lot to prove, to the league, the doubters, their fans and themselves that they can win against someone who bites back. Prediction: The Seahawks defense keeps the game close and Lynch rocks the fourth quarter. Seahawks win 27-21.
Watch It: Sun. Jan 13 at Noon on FOX