Seattle Seahawks Vs. Atlanta Falcons Odds: Russell Wilson The Underdog Again


Seattle Seahawks vs. Atlanta Falcons odds have already been revealed for the 2017 NFL Playoffs. The Seahawks come into this game as four-point underdogs to the NFC South champions. This is despite already beating the Falcons during the regular season. The 26-24 victory in Week 6 ended up being a key reason the Seahawks were able to secure the No. 3 seed in the NFC. That game took place at CenturyLink Field, requiring the Seahawks to score nine points and overtake the Falcons late in the fourth quarter. Now the teams travel to the Georgia Dome for the divisional round of the postseason.

The opening line had the Falcons favored by 3.5 points, but the spread has already shifted again in less than 24 hours. The over/under for the game is 51 points, suggesting there is going to be a lot more offense than the Wild Card game. The Seahawks beat the Detroit Lions 26-6 in that game, taking control of the game on the ground and on defense. That defense is going to receive a huge test in the form of Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan and Pro Bowl receiver Julio Jones.

In that first Seattle Seahawks vs. Atlanta Falcons game, Ryan passed for 335 yards and three touchdowns. Jones had seven catches for 139 yards and a touchdown, showing how he has continued to be the focal point of the offense. The Falcons turned often to the passing game, as they were limited to just 52 net rushing yards by the Seahawks’ defensive line. The numbers worked out to just 2.9 yards per carry for the Falcons, which proved to be better than the average for the hobbled Seahawks in Week 6.

[Image by Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images]

Christine Michael was still the primary running back for the Seahawks at that point, rushing for 64 yards and two touchdowns on 18 carries. The rest of the team combined for just eight yards rushing on nine carries, working out to an overall average of just 2.7 yards per carry for the Seahawks. The numbers could be a lot better with Thomas Rawls healthy again. Rawls just set a Seahawks postseason record with 161 rushing yards against the Detroit Lions, giving the Falcons something else to worry about in the divisional round.

The ESPN matchup predictor has a slightly different outlook for the Seattle Seahawks vs. Atlanta Falcons playoff game. While the over/under remains at 51 total points, ESPN has the Falcons as five-point favorites in this game. Those people choosing to bet on the Seahawks continue to get better odds for this divisional game. As for the overall prediction, though, ESPN has the Falcons with a 72.8 percent chance at this victory. That is a very one-sided prediction for a divisional round playoff game. It’s also bulletin board material for the Seahawks.

[Image by Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images]

The Seattle Seahawks vs. Atlanta Falcons game time is 1:35 p.m. PT on Saturday, January 14. It will be the first game during the NFL divisional round, with the New England Patriots hosting the late game against the Houston Texans. As the No. 2 seed in the NFC, the Falcons get to host the game, with the winning team advancing to play in the NFC Championship Game the following weekend. The opponent in that game will be the winner of the other side of the NFC playoff bracket. The other divisional round game is the Dallas Cowboys vs. Green Bay Packers or New York Giants.

If the Packers or Giants find a way to upset the Cowboys, then the winner of the Seahawks vs. Falcons game is going to get to host the NFC Championship Game. That gives Seattle fans the possibility to see one more game at CenturyLink this season. That’s a bit down the road, though, as the Seattle Seahawks first have to overcome the early odds and beat the Atlanta Falcons to even get a shot at returning to the Super Bowl.

[Featured Image by Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images]

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