Preview: NFL: Atlanta Falcons at Seattle Seahawks
By Matthew Brady
Two 4-1 teams will be looking to take control of the NFC when the Atlanta Falcons travel to battle the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday.
Seattle will be better rested heading into the match-up after a bye week. This couldn’t be better timing for quarterback Russel Wilson who is recovering from knee and ankle problems.
Of course many eyes will be drawn to Wilson’s opposite number Matt Ryan, who alongside wide receiver Julio Jones has been a revelation for the Falcons this season. The pair smashed team-records in week fours win over Carolina, becoming the first QB-WR duo to gain 500+ passing yards and 300+ receiving yards in a single game.
This astonishing form sees the Falcons perched atop the NFC South, but they will have their work cut out against Seattle’s infamously strong “Legion of Boom” on defence.
Richard Sherman, the brash star Seahawks cornerback, draws the unenviable task of shadowing Jones.
Jones, 27, admited earlier this week that facing Sherman presents a unique and daunting prospect, even for a team who just handed the Broncos their first defeat of the year.
This matchup could cause Ryan to target his backs over receivers as was the case against the Broncos, but whether they can repeat the trick remains to be seen.