Seattle/Atlanta: Who will win? Who do we want to win?

[brdmaverick]

One poll, select 2 options (1 each to answer the following questions)......

Who do you think will win?

Who do you want to win?

 

[Keep Up With The Joneses]

It's a bit premature to be trying to pick our SB opponent, IMO, but I'll play the "assume" game.

Assuming the Patriots make it to the Superbowl and Dallas and Green Bay are off the table, I would rather see Seattle. They aren't the same team without Earl Thomas, and the Pats are in a much better place than they were in the last matchup.

Atlanta is one of the few teams that can match punches with the pats, and playing in a dome stadium suits them just fine.

I don't think Seattle has a chance in hell to beat Atlanta, but that's who I'd like to see.

 

[Kontradiction]

This is the toughest one of the weekend to call, IMO. I want Atlanta to win but it strongly depends on which Seattle team shows up. They're missing a huge piece in Earl Thomas but they look like they're beginning to regain their footing on defense and rediscover an identity on offense through the ground game. Granted, Detroit has been an absolute crap defense over the second half of the season. But if Seattle brings their A-game, they're very capable of the upset.

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

Definitely Atlanta. Crap defense and play drops way off away from home.

 

[brdmaverick]

With or without the Pats in the Super Bowl I want to see the Seahawks defeated.

Plus I find Atlanta to be a likable team and wouldn't mind watching them in the Super Bowl. Sure, they are good, but I like the prospect of facing a QB playing in his first Super Bowl.

 

[RobertWeathers]

I want Matty Heisman to win.

I have no clue who will win this game. I'm leaning toward ATL b/c they are at home and Ryan scorched SEA in SEA in Oct even when they had Earl Thomas.

 

[pazrul72]

We have seen this play a bunch of times before, record breaking offense comes in red hot carrying a total **** defense into the playoffs. Team meets physical playoff defense that manhandles receivers and doesn't let them get free releases while **** defense does just enough to make it look like the offense should have put up a few more points to win the game but couldn't. Seattle at full health has that kind of defense and I would bet heavily on them if they were healthy. However, they are not healthy and are missing a HUGE piece in Thomas so I voted Atlanta for both because I don't think Wilson can keep up with Ryan in Atlanta.

 

[RelocatedPatFan]

I don't care who wins the NFC until the Patriots make it to the SB (if they do).

I'd feel better for the Atlanta fans than the Seattle fans, so I'd passively root for them. But, not because I don't want to Pats to possibly face a Seahawk team (that's a good double negative)

 

[FourierSeries]

Seattle. I'm still not sold on Matt Ryan being able to get it done in the postseason, and Atlanta's defense is garbage. Seattle should have a lot of success running on the Falcons.

 

[Brandon_Cox]

Definitely Atlanta. Crap defense and play drops way off away from home.

Atlanta was 5-3 at home and 6-2 on the road. They won at Denver and at Oakland and were a ref's swallowed whistle on a blatant pass interference away from winning at Seattle. I agree with the crap defense part, though.

 

[jah]

Picking Atlanta. That injured Seattle secondary is going to get absolutely shredded, and the Seahawks offense isn't good enough to win a shootout no matter how bad Atlanta's defense is.

I'm also rooting for Atlanta because we can win a shootout, and even though we're 1-0 vs Russell Wilson in the Super Bowl, none of our games against him have been remotely easy. Hate seeing him escape a sack, run 20 yards to the other side of the backfield, and throw it for a first down on third and long. Atlanta also just looks like a fraud that could win a playoff blowout in a mismatched game (potentially this one) but would lose any close game.

 

[chris_in_sunnyvale]

Want Atlanta. Cannot stand Seattle, although I have a ton of respect for Russell Wilson and begrudging respect for Pete Carroll.

I don't think Seattle's D can hold up against Atlanta's offense, especially without Earl Thomas and with Sherman at times looking mortal. Seattle's OL is up and down, but I think their "down" is closer to their norm. Atlanta may tee off on Wilson in that dome.

Regards,
Chris

 

[BobDigital]

At this point I would Seattle to win which is weird cause it goes against my ceiling philosophy for the year. Generally I cheer against the team with the higher ceiling and Seattle's is higher. However Seattle has been consistently unable to hit it pretty much all year. Atlanta with a lower ceiling is more consistent and I think we know week in and week out what to expect and that won't be easy.

So even though Seattle is potentially more dangerous give me this highly inconsistent Seattle team.

 

[Pessimistic Pete]

I want Atlanta and think Seattle will win.

Seattle came to Foxboro and beat us this very season (we've lost Gronk since, they've lost Thomas), people acting like they wouldn't be a legit matchup are delusional. I'd still favor the Pats but the Seahawks have proven what they're made of

NFC in general, these are the teams I'd want in the SB in order

1. Atlanta
2. Dallas
3. Green Bay
4. Seattle

 

[deroc5050]

It's a bit premature to be trying to pick our SB opponent, IMO, but I'll play the "assume" game.

Assuming the Patriots make it to the Superbowl and Dallas and Green Bay are off the table, I would rather see Seattle. They aren't the same team without Earl Thomas, and the Pats are in a much better place than they were in the last matchup.

Atlanta is one of the few teams that can match punches with the pats, and playing in a dome stadium suits them just fine.

I don't think Seattle has a chance in hell to beat Atlanta, but that's who I'd like to see.

Maybe defensively but that was Gronks last game. And Gronk made some incredible plays against Seattle.

I voted I think Seattle will win- Defense travels
I voted for I want Atlanta to win- Just because I would rather not play Seattle again.

 

[Keep Up With The Joneses]

Maybe defensively but that was Gronks last game. And Gronk made some incredible plays against Seattle.

I voted I think Seattle will win- Defense travels
I voted for I want Atlanta to win- Just because I would rather not play Seattle again.

I love Gronk. The team is better with him on the field.

That said, he scored 3 touchdowns this year.

In 8 games with Gronk playing, the team scored 207 points. In 8 games without him they scored 235. This team has built itself to win without Gronk moving forward, and they are more than capable of beating Seattle without him.

Before Earl Thomas got injured the Seahawks gave up 14.4 points per game (while missing Bennett and Chancellor for extended periods). During that stretch they played the Pats and Saints on the road, as well as the Falcons. After Thomas went down? 20.8 ppg with only one game against a team with a good offense (the Packers), and the rest against the Rams, 49ers, Cardinals, and Detroit Lions.

Maybe I'm cherry picking but the Seahawks don't have the same defense without Thomas in the middle of the field.

 

[deroc5050]

I love Gronk. The team is better with him on the field.

That said, he scored 3 touchdowns this year.

In 8 games with Gronk playing, the team scored 207 points. In 8 games without him they scored 235. This team has built itself to win without Gronk moving forward, and they are more than capable of beating Seattle without him.

Before Earl Thomas got injured the Seahawks gave up 14.4 points per game (while missing Bennett and Chancellor for extended periods). During that stretch they played the Pats and Saints on the road, as well as the Falcons. After Thomas went down? 20.8 ppg with only one game against a team with a good offense (the Packers), and the rest against the Rams, 49ers, Cardinals, and Detroit Lions.

Maybe I'm cherry picking but the Seahawks don't have the same defense without Thomas in the middle of the field.

Basically Gronks first real game was the Browns game. He took a few snaps with Jacoby but that doesn't really count. Technically Gronk only played in 5 full games. So add up the Browns, Bengals, Steelers, Bills 2nd meeting, and Sea Hawks, .. I will do the quick PPG with Gronk.

From the Browns through the Sea Hawks game, the Patriots averaged 32 PPG.

Through games 1-4 and games 10 through 16 they averaged 27 PPG. Without Gronk. Still good and its not exactly correct because he did play a few plays against the Jets in week 12 before he was taken out. And he played a little with Jacoby but that doesn't really count.

Then again taking out the first 4 games completely. They averaged 28.5 PPG without Gronk. Only 4 points less per game but Gronks impact at the end of the day is more significant than 4 or 5 ppg. He completely changes the way defenses play us.

 

[Keep Up With The Joneses]

Yep, I don't disagree. But since he's been gone others have picked up the reins,and the offense has been good. I didn't even mention that the sample size without Gronk included Baltimore and at Denver, two defenses typically considered to be elite. If not for special teams it's reasonable to think the Pats score more against Baltimore.

The more significant part of my last post is the impact losing Thomas has had on the Seahawks. They haven't adjusted nearly as well as the Patriots have.

 

[TheBostonStraggler]

Intriguing matchup. Atlanta scored a huge amount of points (still hard to believe they scored 100 more than the Patriots). They have the advantage of the dome and they have a QB who has been repeatedly close to making the step from B+ level to A level. They've gone under the radar which can be seen as a lack of respect for their capability to win in the POs.
On the other side is a very experienced SEA organization, always seem to bring their best D when the playoffs start, a PO veteran A list QB who many many times found ways to win big games, and SEA is now always in that small group of teams that is in reaching distance of the big prize.
I'm going with Seattle based on ATL's D being ??, PO victories more often than not leaning toward the better D, and SEA's established ability to turn it up a notch (I'm ??? on ATL's ability to do so). But it looks like a good football game that can go either way (this game allows ATL to show they are for real).

SEA v ATL, Dallas v GB, KC v Pitt are a real win for us football watching fans. It appears to be top tier, back to back to back, quality competitive football coming up this weekend.
For us, as harsh as it is to be so dismissive of Houston, the stark reality of the Texans' track record suggests our game Saturday night isn't likely to be a competitive one. Works for me

 

[Ronbo]

It's a bit premature to be trying to pick our SB opponent, IMO, but I'll play the "assume" game.

Assuming the Patriots make it to the Superbowl and Dallas and Green Bay are off the table, I would rather see Seattle. They aren't the same team without Earl Thomas, and the Pats are in a much better place than they were in the last matchup.

Atlanta is one of the few teams that can match punches with the pats, and playing in a dome stadium suits them just fine.

I don't think Seattle has a chance in hell to beat Atlanta, but that's who I'd like to see.

i want the Seahawks because it would be a revenge game which just gives us another edge and to shut them up for good