NFL divisional playoff matchups: Can Matt Ryan, Falcons exploit Seahawks
NFL divisional playoff matchups:- The Legion of Boom is accustomed to being an answer rather than a question for the Seattle Seahawks.
Yet as the NFC West champions prepare to face MVP front-runner Matt Ryan and the Atlanta Falcons’ top-scoring offense in Saturday’s divisional playoff matchup, the storied Seattle secondary doesn’t appear to offer the same assurances it once did.
Losing free safety Earl Thomas to a broken leg has left cracks in the defense, as the Seahawks allowed 23 points or more in three of their final four regular-season games without the three-time all-pro. But operating to their typical high standards without Thomas might be a prerequisite for beating an Atlanta team on the upswing.
Even in a 26-24 win over the Falcons in Week 6, Seattle showed it wasn’t impervious to the Atlanta passing attack. Ryan threw for 335 yards and three scores, and wide receiver Julio Jones’s 139-yard day was marred only by an apparent missed penalty on Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman that helped seal Seattle’s win.
Without Thomas lurking, the Falcons likely will be willing to further test the deep part of the field and his replacement, Steven Terrell.
Ryan’s 9.26 yards per attempt led the NFL and, and he has 10 touchdowns with no interceptions on balls thrown 20 or more yards in the air, according to ESPN. The Falcons also had the most passing plays of 40 yards or more with 17.
Sherman’s rematch with Jones will be a focal point, but Ryan threw touchdowns to an NFL-record 13 different receivers this season. Cornerback DeShawn Shead and safety Kam Chancellor, who missed the first meeting, will also have to hold up against Ryan. Running backs Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman have been able to find mismatches against linebackers in the passing game, but Seattle’s K.J. Wright and Bobby Wagner are among the best at the position in coverage.
The Seahawks may have to pick up any slack on defense with their pass rush. They sacked Ryan four times and tallied 13 hits in the previous meeting, with both Michael Bennett and Cliff Avril disrupting plays consistently. Pete Carroll and defensive coordinator Kris Richard could ramp up a blitz-heavy approach to be even more frenetic.
Here are four other matchups to watch in the divisional playoff games:
Chiefs OLB Justin Houston vs. Steelers RT Marcus Gilbert
Houston’s presence alone won’t be enough to slow a Pittsburgh Steelers offense that rolled to five passing touchdowns in a 43-14 romp over the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 4. But the pass rusher’s return should at least slow Ben Roethlisberger and Co.
Roethlisberger’s road woes this season (9 touchdowns, 8 interceptions) could be a troublesome indicator for a chilly Sunday night at Arrowhead Stadium, especially with the quarterback recovering from a foot injury. Applying consistent pressure could open up turnover opportunities for a ballhawking secondary, as the Chiefs ranked first in the NFL with 16 interceptions. Roethlisberger was sacked a career-low 17 times this season, however, and Gilbert is one of the line’s top performers.
Even if limited while he recovers from knee inflammation, Houston could also play an integral role for the Chiefs’ 26th-ranked run defense. The Steelers have showed an increasing willingness to let Le’Veon Bell drive the offense, as he carried the ball on every down in a 10-play, 83-yard scoring drive against the Miami Dolphins last week. The Chiefs’ front seven, including 346-pound nose tackle Dontari Poe, will have to find a way to stop the patient Bell before he reaches the second level.
Texans RB Lamar Miller vs. Patriots LB Dont’a Hightower
The Houston Texans need a steady rushing output from Miller to have any chance of upsetting the top-seeded New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium. But the running back’s impact extends beyond that, as his performance will have a ripple effect on Brock Osweiler and the passing game.
The Patriots consistently mix up their coverages, but the Texans have to be able to run the ball when faced with the repeated Cover-2 looks they witnessed in a 27-0 loss to New England in Week 3. If Hightower and the rest of the New England front seven can keep Miller in check, the defense can continue to neutralize the vertical threat posed by wide receivers DeAndre Hopkins and Will Fuller. That could prove lethal for Osweiler, as it did in the first meeting when Houston fell into an early 13-0 hole.
Having left tackle Duane Brown healthy should help Houston, but there’s only so much Miller can do as the offense’s sole threat. Even against a vulnerable Oakland Raiders defense last week, Miller had just 73 yards on 31 carries.
Cowboys secondary vs. Packers QB Aaron Rodgers
The Dallas Cowboys don’t have the luxury of facing the same version of Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers they saw in Week 6, when the quarterback was mostly held in check in a 30-16 win. With 22 touchdown passes and zero interceptions in his last eight games, Rodgers is the foremost threat for sending the Cowboys to an early postseason exit.
The Packers’ sound protection combined with Rodgers’ evasiveness have made him hard to rattle, and coordinator Rod Marinelli’s blitz-averse defense likely will rely on the front four for pressure. It’s on the Dallas secondary, then, to keep plays in front of it and avoid the back-breaking gains Rodgers has repeatedly found during the Pack’s seven-game win streak. Cornerback Morris Claiborne’s return should help, but Brandon Carr and rookie Anthony Brown will be called on to continue their standout seasons.
The loss of Jordy Nelson is a blow to Green Bay, as Rodgers’ primary target had five touchdown catches in the last six weeks. Randall Cobb re-emerged with three scores last week, however, and tight end Jared Cook is becoming a steady threat.
Seahawks RB Thomas Rawls vs. Falcons front seven
Rawls may be one of the best safeguards Seattle has against the explosive Atlanta attack. In a 26-6 win over the Detroit Lions last week, he rumbled for a franchise playoff record 161 yards on 27 carries as the Seahawks held the ball for nearly 37 minutes.
Having a healthy Rawls running behind fullback Marcel Reece in the I-formation has given Seattle much-needed consistency in its run game. Rawls could be asked to set the tone again Saturday when facing an Atlanta defense that ranked 29th against the run.
A steady rushing attack should also help the passing game, as an improving offensive line is still struggling to protect Russell Wilson. If he can fend off edge rusher Vic Beasley, who led the NFL in sacks with 15½, then receivers Doug Baldwin and Paul Richardson could thrive on downfield strikes.
Source:-Â http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2017/01/13/divisional-playoff-matchups-seahawks-falcons-cowboys-packers/96548418/
