The Atlanta Falcons faced the hot Seattle Seahawks Sunday in a divisional round matchup. The Falcons let up a 20 point lead, but emerged victorious on a 48 yard field goal by Matt Bryant to win 30-28 and advance to the NFC Championship. Here are the complete game grades for the Falcon's win.
Quarterback: B+
Matt Ryan played a good game in which big plays and a clutch drive to set up the game winning field goal offset his fourth quarter pick that could've cost the Falcons the game. He created a few explosive plays, namely a 47 yard strike to Roddy White to put the Falcons up 20-0. While the first pick wasn't Matt's error, the second one came on an ill-advised throw late in the game. It was a disaster. All in all, Matt Ryan had a good game that he made look even better with a game winning drive.
Running Backs: A
The running game did what it had to do in order to win this game. They established a solid, consistent run game complimented by explosive runs by both Michael Turner and Jacquizz Rodgers. Turner had the bulk of the carries as well as two big runs that really got drives going. Jacquizz was absent in the screen game and didn't get many carries, but his 45 yard explosion sparked by a huge trucking of Earl Thomas. Jason Snelling, the battering ram of Atlanta's offense, found the end zone on a tricky shovel pass out of an unusual shotgun formation featuring Snelling and Julio Jones. The only reason the running backs did not receive an A+ is the fact that they didn't do as well late, and left time for Seattle to make a comeback.
Wide Receivers: A-
It was an unusual game for the receivers. Julio Jones and Roddy White seemed to reverse roles, Julio ran crossing patterns and drag routes while Roddy burned them deep. The prominent screen game was shut down by Seattle, but overall the highly praised duo of Richard Sherman and Brandon Browner were not able to stop the dual threat as much as they would've liked. Harry Douglas made a huge catch to start the final drive, however, he dropped a bomb that hit him between the numbers early in the game.
Tight Ends: A+
It wasn't future Hall of Fame inductee Tony Gonzalez final game as he picked up his first career playoff win in his final year against the Seahawks. The tight ends blocked well in power formations, and played really well in the passing game. Gonzalez had six receptions for 51 yards, including an immaculate tip-toe touchdown off play action and a catch that set up the game winning field goal. Chase Coffman, who only had one catch all year, came down with a huge catch on a deep wheel route that set up the Falcons for a first-and-goal from the one.
Offensive Line: A+
The offensive line may have played their best game under head coach Mike Smith, and it couldn't have come at a better time. Veteran Todd McClure, rookie Peter Konz, Garret Reynolds, Sam Baker, and Tyson Clabo didn't allow a single sack of Matt Ryan, and blocked well to develop a running game.
Overall Offense: A-
The offense once again played a nice, balanced game in which they started hot and let off late. They proved once again they can run the ball when needed, and Matt Ryan is capable of making any throw on the field. The offense complemented the defense's first half shutout and finished the game by giving Matt Bryant an opportunity to win it, and he did.
Defensive Line: A
My player of the game goes to Jonathan Babineux, who was able to get a hit or a tackle on Marshawn Lynch at the line of scrimmage, as well as make a big-time sack to send the Seahawks to the locker room with zero points. Bierman and Abraham got in on the action as well, and they were able to get to Russell Wilson a couple times. The line was just a couple narrowly missed tackles from an A+ (and stopping Seattle's final drive), but you couldn't ask for more out of this unit.
Linebackers: B-
Atlanta's defensive game plan was to stop Beastmode, and they did. However, the majority of this goes to the defensive line. Sean Weatherspoon (8 tackles and a forced fumbler) had a great game, but the rest of the proud linebacker core which dubs itself "D-Block" did not. Zach Miller had the game of his career with 142 yards and a touchdown. All of Wilson's rushing yards came on busted pass plays, and the linebackers weren't able to prevent first downs even in their often back-to-the-receiver zones. This was the only unit that didn't play superbly well against Seattle.
Cornerbacks: A-
Asante Samuel and Dunta Robinson are a talented and aggressive duo that continued their success against a big-bodied Sidney Rice and a young Golden Tate. Samuel made Rice a minimal threat, but Golden Tate had a good game and a touchdown against Robinson. As a whole, the corners limited the outside threat, tight end Zach Miller was the biggest factor.
Safeties: A+
Thomas DeCoud and William "C4" Moore, who I see as the best safety tandem in the league, did not allow a single explosive play. They did their job, which included a huge, diving deep pass break-up by DeCoud.
Overall Defense: A-
The defense may have allowed Zach Miller to have the game of his life, but they shut down the "beast" and limited rookie Russell Wilson. The defense's energy was flattened by a conservative second half offense, but they shutout Seattle in the first half when the Falcons weren't in cruise control. Considering how well they did without a turnover, I may have gave the defense an A+ if Wilson wasn't able to escape the grasp of Weatherspoon late and finish the go-ahead drive.
Special Teams: A
The sole negative of the "third phase of the game" was the punting game. Atlanta only punted twice, and both punts were atrociously bad. The rest of the special teams play could not have been better. Second year punter Matt Bosher, aside from the punts, was the unsung hero of the game. He was five for seven on touchbacks, giving speedy Turbine only two returns on which he did not capitalize. Matt Bryant showed why he is one of, if not the best, kicker in the NFL by making all three attempted field goals, including the game winning 48 yarder.
Coaching: C+
The game plan obviously worked, as the Falcons lead 20-0 at halftime. Adjustments and situational football, however, was about the worst I've seen under coach Mike Smith in his five year tenure. The Seahawks were not only allowed back into the game by a conservative offense and defense, but they took the lead. After said lead is when things got really bad in terms of coaching. First, when Matt Ryan completed a strike to Tony Gonzalez to put Atlanta into field goal range, the Falcons spent their final timeout with thirteen seconds hanging on the clock instead of letting it run down to three, preventing any possible Seahawk hail mary magic. After the field goal was made, the Falcons decided to do an unexplainably stupid squib kick that barely traveled ten yards, which gave Seattle a very good shot at a desperation heave.
Atlanta Falcons Final Grade vs the Seattle Seahawks: A
I give the Falcons a slightly inflated grade due to the simple fact that they won the game, not to mention a playoff game versus a hot Seattle squad. The entire team started hot, and the Falcons did what they had to do to eventually get the win, which ended in the franchise pivot-point that was a Matt Bryant game winning field goal that rescued the club from absolute disaster and put them one game from the Super Bowl.
Garrett Webb
