***SWAMP NFC DIVISIONAL ROUND 1 - SEA @ ATL***

***SEATTLE SEAHAWKS @ ATLANTA FALCONS***

Bird game! Bird game! Man what a matchup we have to kick off the NFL Divisional Playoffs in a quartet of games this weekend that should help make up for all the stinkers during the Wild Card round. Or so I hope. First up we have the Seattle Seahawks who are fresh off a big home win against the Detroit Lions, heading into Atlanta to take on league MVP candidate, QB Matt Ryan and the red hot Atlanta Falcons offense. The Falcons are the number 2 seed and surely enjoyed a nice bye week as they watched the Wild Card games to see who their opponent would be. I think they got who they were hoping for as the last time these two met up in Seattle week 6, the game ended in a controversial manner. The Hawks were able to fend off a late Falcons surge and squeak out a 26-24 win. Matt Ryan threw up a bomb to WR Julio Jones who was unable to come down with the ball that would have put them in field position to try a game winning FG. However, it was clear that Julio's arm was held by CB Richard Sherman and hindered his ability to go up for the jump ball. The zebras swallowed their whistles in true Seattle home field advantage fashion and the Hawks were victorious. This game left a sour taste in Atlanta's mouths as they felt they should've won the game. Today they will get their chance to return the favor as they host their first playoff game since 2012, and in what could be the final one at the Georgia Dome due to a new stadium in the works. The final score of the game earlier this season was a bit eerie considering the last time the Falcons were in the playoffs and hosted the Seahawks in the Divisional Round they defeated the Hawks 30-28, another two point differential, weird. This was Matt Ryan's only career playoff win. As I am sure you have heard, the man is 1-4 thus far and will be looking to try his luck again today with all the weapons a QB could ask for. Will he get it done? I'm not so sure.

The Falcons offense is truly one of the most if not the most potent and explosive unit in the NFL. They got it all man. Whether it is through the air or on the ground, ATL has studs all over. WRs Julio Jones, Mohammad Sanu, and Taylor Gabriel are deadly for any secondary to face. The combination of RBs DeVonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman boasts a relentless attack that can beat you both between the tackles and by catching dump-off passes while bailing out Ryan out of the backfield. The Georgia Dome will surely be ROCKING today and the Seahawks will once again be without one of their defensive leaders in Safety Earl Thomas. This is a tremendous loss for this defense as Thomas helps conduct the defense on the field, helping his teammates to audible and adjust wherever and whenever needed. Needless to say, the Seahawks have their work cut out for them. However I think if any team can slow down this overwhelming offense, Seattle can. Now I know that this isn't your typical lights-out, shutdown Seahawks defense that we are used to and that they have been extremely inconsistent, playing up and down this season, but I do believe they have the experience and enough veterans to rally together and get the job done. Especially on the road, this team has shown that they have some issues and can be beaten, but this is the playoffs, and the Seahawks will surely be LOCKED IN and ready to go. These guys know when to take their game to another level and I believe they will do so here. When analyzing the first matchup I mentioned up above, the Falcons were absolutely shutdown for three quarters. The Hawks DOMINATED them in the first half with both teams heading into halftime by a score of 17-3. To the Falcons credit, Offensive Coordinator Kyle Shanahan and Matt Ryan made the proper adjustments and came out firing in the third quarter where they scored on each possession, putting up three touchdowns taking the lead 24-17. The Hawks then retaliated and put in 9 in the 4th quarter to seal the victory. That being said, the first game was played without Safety Kam Chancellor and two of those three touchdowns were given up by his replacement Kelcie McCray, kudos to Atlanta for exploiting the weakness. Now today's game has the reverse situation, they will have Kam back but no Earl Thomas so that means backup Steven Terrell will continue to take his place. Terrell has been complimented on his discipline and is a solid plug-in for Thomas. Now having started in a couple games, I like this kid to do his part in this one, especially because I think Matt Ryan will be under siege as well, which always helps a secondary out tremendously. In the first matchup the Seahawks blitzed like crazy. LBs Bobby Wagner and KJ Wright shot gaps more than the usual and it was extremely effective. Ryan was uncomfortable in the pocket for most of the game. It is also important to note that DE Michael Bennett was injured early in the third quarter, when Ryan started catching fire. Bennett is back healthy today and so is another pass rush specialist in DE Frank Clark, who also wasn't in the previous matchup. I believe Seattle will get after Ryan today and frustrate him early on, while the pressure for him to perform and win a playoff game continues to build up. I think Seattle has the LBs necessary to slow the Atlanta running game down, as they did the first time around.

Finally, I believe that this is also a different Seattle offense this time around. QB Russell Wilson is no longer the hobbled and limited version of himself that he was in week 6. I expect Seattle to open up the playbook with more read-option and plays where he utilizes his legs. The Atlanta defense is average at best. They have some young talent for sure, mainly in the NFL sack leading LB Vic Beasley and hard hitting Safety Keanu Neal. In my opinion Neal is the second coming of Kam Chancellor, he strikes me as the same type of player and will be great for Atlanta for a long time. Unfortunately I do not think that these two will be enough to slow down a motivated Russell Wilson and last game they were torched by TE Jimmy Graham. I believe they will do their best to limit Graham but it isn't necessarily the passing game that I think they have to worry about. Last week Seattle showed that they are committed to the run game once again with RB Thomas Rawls back healthy. They brought FB Marcel Reece back in to help block for Rawls out of the I-Formation and man oh man did they look a lot like the old Seattle ground and pound game with the GOAT Marshawn Lynch. I think Seattle's gameplan will be to pound the rock with Rawls to help keep the Falcons offense off the field and I think they will do it with success and that Ryan will be out of rhythm and under fire in this one. Almost kickoff so I will shut-up now. Bottom line, Seattle and this generous cushion during the playoffs with all their experience? Maybe I'm absolutely wrong here but come on man! I think Seattle wins outright here but will be a close game either way. SEAHAWKS+6.5