The Atlanta Falcons were outmatched for all four quarters of Sunday’s 34-14 loss to the Seattle Seahawks. At no point in the game did the Falcons have control, and whenever they started to catch up, there would be another mistake, penalty, or turnover.
Quarterback Kirk Cousins turned the ball over three times, losing a fumble that was recovered for a touchdown and tossing two interceptions. Those three late-game mistakes put the team in an insurmountable deficit.
While it was just one game, it was definitely a step in the wrong direction. Even CBS Sports was stunned by the poor showing and dropped the team six spots in this week’s power rankings. The Falcons went from No. 8 down to No. 14:
“Kirk Cousins and the passing game really struggled against the Seahawks. That’s a bad home loss,” wrote Pete Prisco of CBS Sports.
The Buccaneers were listed as the top NFC South team in Prisco’s power rankings. Atlanta and Tampa Bay will face off in Week 8 with the division on the line. Both teams have 4-3 records after seven games.
When these two faced off in Week 5, the Falcons pulled off an impressive overtime win. Cousins played his best game yet, passing for 509 yards and four touchdowns.
The Buccaneers are extremely banged up, especially at wide receiver. Mike Evans and Chris Godwin each exited Monday’s game with injuries and are expected to miss time.
However, it won’t matter unless the Falcons defensive line can get some pressure on quarterback Baker Mayfield and stop Tampa Bay’s run game. Check out Atlanta’s latest depth chart and updated 53-man roster/practice squad entering Week 8.
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