What we learned from Atlanta’s Week 7 loss

Penalties and errors hampered the Falcons early in the season and they came back against the Seahawks. Atlanta committed nine penalties, creating a deficit of 72 yards. The timing of these penalties was significant as it stalled the Falcons’ offense and kept the Seahawks’ offense alive.

For comparison, the Falcons only had four penalties in their win against the Panthers last week. Penalties were a factor for Atlanta from the start. Three flags were thrown for false starts against three different players on the Falcons’ first possession, including two consecutive penalties on third down.

The Falcons got the penalty back from the first flag with a 10-yard reception to Kyle Pitts, who turned a 1st-and-15 into a second and controllable possession. But then back-to-back penalties forced a punt after a failed third-down conversion. Atlanta’s offense failed to find a consistent rhythm throughout the game, and the penalty kill played a big role in that.

Heading into the game, the Falcons defense was among the best in the league at containing explosive plays through the air. Seattle’s No. 1 passing offense presented a threat and took advantage of it by making several big plays downfield. The Seahawks finished the game with 236 total passing yards, which was below their season average of 276.7, but they ran the ball with a lead in their hands for much of the fourth quarter.

Smith distributed the ball to six different receivers, four of whom had receptions of at least 15 yards. After failing to register a sack in Week 6 against the Carolina Panthers, the Falcons put constant pressure on Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith and managed to get him on the ground. James Smith-Williams, starting in place of injured fullback Lorenzo Carter, recorded a sack for a 6-yard loss in the second quarter. Defensive tackle Grady Jarrett also pressured Smith multiple times, but he didn’t have a sack in the game.

Overall, some of the Seahawks’ biggest plays of the game came when Smith was under pressure but was able to evade the Falcons’ defenders. As the defense prepares for another important matchup next week, their ability to get to the quarterback will once again be a topic of conversation.

Left back Matthew Bergeron and center back Ryan Neuzil left the game after sustaining injuries. Neuzil was accompanied by trainers as he left the field under his own power in the second quarter, and third-string center Matt Hennessy, who started 22 games for the Falcons from 2020 to 2022, entered the game. The substitution did not slow Atlanta’s rushing attack, however, as Bijan Robinson scored the Falcons’ first touchdown later on the same drive.

Neuzil returned later in the second quarter after being diagnosed with a possible head injury. Starter Drew Dalman suffered an ankle injury in Week 3 and was subsequently placed on injured reserve. Since then, Neuzil has started for the Falcons. Bergeron left the game on the Falcons’ first drive of the second half and was evaluated for a possible head injury. He was cleared of a possible concussion but did not return to the game due to a neck injury. Reserve left guard Kyle Hinton played the rest of the game for the Atlanta offense.

In his rookie season, Bijan Robinson scored four rushing touchdowns. Robinson only needed seven games in his second year to reach that total. He scored the touchdown on a 5-yard run in the second quarter; it was his third in the previous two games. Robinson finished the game with 143 total yards – 103 rushing and 40 receiving yards – and the touchdown against the Seahawks. The running back outscored Seattle’s defense for multiple plays of 20 yards or more, including gains of 26 yards as a runner and receiver.

In the first half alone, Robinson scored 80 of his 103 total rushing yards. Robinson also averaged an impressive 4.9 yards per carry. Tyler Allgeier added 36 yards to the Falcons’ 155 total rushing yards.