The Falcons’ 2013 narrative took another gruesome turn on Sunday.
Not only were the they pummeled again, this time at home by the Seattle Seahawks, 33-10. But the game was concluded before a lot of empty seats, while chants of “Seahawks!” echoed through the building.
After road losses at Arizona (27-13) and Carolina (34-10), the Falcons have dropped their last three games by a combined score of 84-33. The team that finished one play shy of the Super Bowl last season was booed on its home field.
“I do feel like our guys are playing hard,” Falcons coach Mike Smith said. “We just physically didn’t win the line of scrimmage today, on both sides of the football.”
Seattle improved to 9-1, while the Falcons dipped to 2-7 and appear to have no realistic hope of reaching the postseason.
“It’s been frustrating,” quarterback Matt Ryan said. “Obviously, we’re nine games into it and certainly not even close to where we want to be and that makes it difficult.”
The team’s start is poorer than 2007, when Bobby Petrino’s team opened 3-6 and finished 4-12.
The defense was shredded for 490 yards offense while the offense managed a season-low 226 yards. The Falcons needed 38 yards in a meaningless final drive to get over the 200-yard mark.
Running back Marshawn Lynch powered Seattle with his brutally efficiency, rushing for 145 yards on 24 carries, carrying Atlanta defenders for extra yards several times. Wide receiver Golden Tate had six catches for 106 yards and a touchdown with one second left in the first half to open up a 23-3 lead.
Hopeful of a boost from the return of wide receiver Roddy White, the Falcons were stymied by a talented Seattle defensive front. The Seahawks shut down running back Steven Jackson (11 yards in nine tries) while quarterback Matt Ryan, who completed 23-of-36 passes for a season-low 172 yards, appeared out of sync with White and his receivers.
Under Smith, the Falcons have posted five straight winning seasons, reaching the playoffs four times. Last season, the Falcons reached the NFC championship game and were 10 yards away a trip to the Super Bowl.
Now, they will have to win their remaining seven games just to record a sixth straight winning season.
The Falcons went three-and-out to start the game, part of a disturbing pattern. They have had three-and-outs to start five games this year, scoring a touchdown on the opening drive just twice this season (vs. Miami and St. Louis).
This time, the Falcons went three-and-out on their first three possessions.
“To tell you the truth, I really don’t know,” White said when asked about the slow starts. “We pride ourselves on getting out of the box, making plays early and dictating tempo. We need to get back to doing stuff like that. I felt like we came out and did some good stuff, but not enough. “
With Seattle up 6-3 with six minutes left in the half, Atlanta defense was out-flanked when Seattle went to a trick play.
One play after Lynch ripped off a 37-yard run, he was handed the ball again. But this time, he flipped it back to quarterback Russell Wilson, who threw a 43-yard bomb to Jermaine Kearse for a touchdown. Free safety Thomas DeCoud was in coverage, but didn’t play the ball.
“I was kind of trying to flow to the ball,” DeCoud said. “It was a different kind of flea-flicker. It was a toss. You think the ball is outside of the tackle box and you think the only option that they have is to run the ball. But it was a great designed play by them.
“I tried to fight back into position and make a play on the ball once it got in his basket. But he made a good play and was able to shield me off.”
After another Falcons’ three-and-out, Hauschka added a 44-yard field goal to make it 16-3.
The Falcons had the ball with 1:52 left in the half and were trying to mount a final drive. After using a timeout with 1:21 left, they failed to convert convert on third-and-4 from their 36 and were forced to punt, leaving plenty of time for the Seahawks.
Seattle went for the jugular, driving 60 yards in seven plays and scoring when Wilson lofted a nice pass to Tate on a fade route. He made the catch with a second left and rookie cornerback Robert Alford in coverage.
Behind Lynch, Seattle controlled the second half. Hauschka added a 53-yard field goal on the first possession of the third quarter. The Falcons followed that with a 12-yard touchdown pass to rookie Darius Johnson to close to 26-10 late in the quarter.
But Seattle closed out the scoring when Lynch went in from one yard out midway through the fourth quarter.
The Falcons will try to pick up the pieces of a once-promising season when they travel to Tampa Bay Sunday.
“Just don’t give up,” said DeCoud when asked about the team’s psyche. “Don’t ever give up. Keep fighting. Keep going out and trying to put our best foot forward every week and let the chips fall where they may.”
