Coming off a Wild Card win over RG3 and the Washington Redskins, rookie signal caller Russell Wilson arrives in Atlanta as the quarterback without anything to prove. Despite his impressive regular-season career win total, it's Matt Ryan who finds himself in a pressure-packed spot.
The Atlanta Falcons (13-3) are 0-3 in the postseason during Ryan's five seasons while Wilson is 1 for 1 in his playoff career. If Ryan and the Falcons are to finally translate their regular-season success into a postseason win then they'll need to overcome a defense that might be custom built to slow them down. With a pair of stellar cornerbacks, the Seattle Seahawks (12-5) have the personnel to at least hope to contain Atlanta's standout wide receivers, Roddy White and Julio Jones.
"I expect our guys to try to play like they always play. They don't need to change anything because we're not doing anything different, we're going to try and hang with them, and we'll find out what happens," Seattle coach Pete Carroll told The Associated Press ahead of this matchup. "This is probably the best pair and pair that you could match up, and because of the size, and because of their physical nature in the way that they play, it's going to be really exciting to see."
If the Seahawks can limit the Falcons' passing game then Ryan's playoff winless streak could continue, as his team's running game ranked 29th in the league during the season. On the other side of the ball, Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch has once again proven one of the hardest runners to bring down. With "Beast Mode" in full effect, the Seahawks' rushing offense ranked third in the NFL.
Will Ryan be able to connect with White and Jones enough to limit Lynch's impact on the game? Or will the red-hot Seahawks keep on rolling to the NFC Championship Game?
In the final game of the NFL Divisional Round, the Houston Texans travel to Foxboro in hopes of avenging a dispiriting Week 14 loss to Tom Brady and the Patriots. New England dominated the Texans in that game, even after J.J. Watt and company had hyped up the matchup. Will they be able to turn the tables this time?
STAY TUNED FOR LIVE UPDATES THROUGHOUT BOTH GAMES:
What a way to respond. 14-play, 80 yard drive. Took 7:36 off the clock. Great drive.
Ryan delivers a shuffle pass to Snelling up the middle and he FINDS THE END ZONE FOR THE TOUCHDOWN! Great play-call by Mike Smith. Defense was totally faked out. 27-7 FALCONS.
Ryan rolls to his right and hits Rodgers out of the backfield for 5 yards. Ball is at the 6-yard line.
Seahawks blitz but Ryan gets it out fast to Gonzalez cutting across the middle and he makes the catch with safety Winston Guy all over him. First down.
Ryan hits Julio Jones on a slant route and he takes it all the way to the 22-yard line of Seattle's.
Ryan looks for Harry Douglas down the right sideline with Richard Sherman on him. The ball went over the outstretched arm of Sherman but Douglas couldn't reel it in. Hit him in the hands. Incomplete.
Ryan hits Julio Jones running across the middle and he picks up 13 yards and a first down. He has 4 catches for 41 yards now.
After 2 short runs, Ryan drops back in shotgun and hits Gonzalez even though the throw was behind him and he caught it a yard ahead of the first down.
| @ Liz_Mathews : Drive went 9 plays for 80 yards in 5:13. Atlanta still leads the #Seahawks 20-7 with 9:47 left in 3Q. |
Seattle finally gets on the board after Wilson finds Tate down the left sideline and the receiver breaks a tackle and tip toes into the end zone. Good start to the second half for the Seahawks. 20-7 FALCONS.
Someone forgot to cover Zach Miller as he made a catch and easily took it all 18 yards for the first down. Ball inside Atlanta's 30.
Wilson scrambles out of the pocket but could never find anyone down the field and was eventually tripped up from behind for a sack. 2nd and 18 coming up.
Wilson takes it himself over the o-line for about 2 yards. 1st down for Seattle.
Russell Wilson runs a play-action but can't find anyone open, then he takes it himself all the way down to the 50-yard line.
Wilson hits Rice on a post pattern for about 11 yards.
Kickoff to Seattle goes over the end zone. Touchback.
| @ Liz_Mathews : First half rushing: Lynch 8 carries for 27 yards, Wilson 2-26, Turner 9-66, Rodgers 6-61. |
| @ NFL_RealUpdates : Some hope for #Seahawks, with DE John Abraham aggravating his ankle injury the #Falcons can only create little to no pass-rush in 2nd half. |
| @ RVacchianoNYDN : Huge half-ending sack by DT Jonathan Babineaux, with Seahawks again at Atlanta 11. Seattle gets nothing. Falcons up 20-0 at the half. |
| @ nakiahogan : A couple questionable decisions by Pete Carroll to not take FGs in the red zone have cost the #Seahawks. |
Wilson gets sacked on 3rd down and the Seahawks are unable to get the FG unit out on the field with Seattle out of timeouts and the Falcons go into halftime up 20-0. Seahawks get zero points. Rookie mistake.
Wilson throws one away out of the end zone.
False start. 5-yard penalty.
Wilson looks for Rice in the back of the end zone but Asanta Samuel is there to knock it away.
Wilson drops back and hits Golden Tate with a short pass and he gets another first down. 1st and goal from the 6-yard line now. 25 seconds left.
Wilson hits Miller again for a gain of 9. 30 seconds left in the half. Seahawks calla timeout.
Wilson finds Sidney Rice on the right side inside the 20 for another first down. But Wilson threw it away on the next play. 2nd and 10 coming up with 35 seconds left.
Wilson drops back and hits Zach Miller with a 14-yard pass. Ball at Atlanta's 31.
Lynch gets stuffed for no gain. Ball is at midfield.
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