Rapid Reaction: Seahawks Slaughter Falcons in Resounding 34-14 Victory

Turning in the team's best all-around game of the season thus far, the Seahawks responded beautifully from a mini bye to smash the Falcons on their home turf.

Oct 20, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Seattle Seahawks defensive end Leonard Williams (99) sacks Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins (18) during the first half at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images / Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

Snapping a three-game losing streak in emphatic fashion, the Seattle Seahawks scored on four of their first six possessions and added a defensive touchdown by Derick Hall as they secured a signature 34-14 road victory over the Atlanta Falcons.

Ever efficient running Seattle's offense under center, Geno Smith completed 18 out of 28 passes for 207 yards and had his first multi-touchdown game of the season, connecting with DK Metcalf for a 31-yard score and Ken Walker III for a 17-yard score. Walker added a 20-yard touchdown on the ground, wrapping up with 69 yards on the ground, while Noah Fant added four catches for 65 yards.

Defensively, the Seahawks sacked Kirk Cousins three times and forced a pair of turnovers with Boye Mafe registering a strip sack, while Coby Bryant recorded his first career interception and Julian Love also had a pick with the team forcing three total turnovers.

Improving to 4-3 on the season and staying atop the NFC West, here are five key takeaways from the Seahawks bounce-back win at Mercedes-Benz Stadium:

1. Down to their fourth string right tackle, Mike Jerrell impresses in his NFL debut.

After not suiting up in the first five games of the season as a healthy scratch, an injury to Stone Forsythe forced Jerrell into the starting lineup in Atlanta without a single regular season offensive snap to his name. Though he wasn't perfect by any means, including allowing a sack to James Smith-Williams in the second quarter, the sixth-round pick out of Findlay looked the part of an NFL tackle after making the jump from Division II Findlay University and made the most of his opportunity.

Helping spring Walker on his 20-yard touchdown run, Jerrell sealed his defender outside while fellow rookie Christian Haynes drove a defensive tackle several yards off the ball, creating a massive crease for the back to explode through. Fast forwarding to the third quarter, the rookie was late off the snap on a first down pass play in the red zone, allowing Arnold Ebiketie to rocket past him on a beeline to Smith. But showing off his athleticism, he managed to recover enough to get a piece of the defender, allowing Smith to slip out of the pocket to loft a 17-yard touchdown to Walker, extending the lead to 24-14.

2. Gutting it out sick, Walker provides Seattle's much-needed spark in the run and pass game.

Playing in what may now be known as his Michael Jordan flu game on his birthday, Walker didn't waste his time or energy celebrating after big plays as he normally would. But he had plenty of chances to do so if he wanted to, reaping the benefits of facing an Atlanta defense that entered Sunday ranked 26th defending the run. Finding his groove on the opening drive, he unfortunately had a 13-yard touchdown wiped out by a holding penalty on tight end AJ Barner. However, he would get his revenge one quarter later when exploded past a pair of oncoming tacklers after following Jerrell and Haynes for a 20-yard scoring strike.

Also contributing as a receiver, Walker ran a smooth wheel route on Smith's second touchdown, gaining separation on a linebacker as the quarterback lofted the ball out in front of him. Showing off his receiver skills from high school, he reeled in the diving grab as he flew across the goal line, managing to secure the ball through the ground for six points. He wrapped up the day with only two catches, but turned them into 24 yards and his touchdown, continuing to make an impact in a variety of ways out of the backfield.

3. Run defense continues to be problematic, but some positives emerged on Sunday.

If you're a glass half empty thinker, the Seahawks allowed 132 rushing yards and more than five yards per carry, including Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier combining for 116 yards before halftime thanks to a trio of 20-plus yard runs. The same issues that had plagued Mike Macdonald's defense in the first six weeks, from wide open run gaps to missed tackles to poor pursuit angles, reared their ugly head once again, helping fuel the Falcons lone touchdown drive in the first half.

But Macdonald had to be pleased with what he saw from Seattle's defense out of halftime. Playing faster and creating disruption at the line of scrimmage, Robinson and Allgeier rushed for just 22 yards in the second half. Byron Murphy II, who returned from a hamstring injury after missing three games, Leonard Williams, and Dre'Mont Jones also recorded tackles netting zero or negative yards against the run in the final two quarters. As the game started to slip away, Atlanta was forced to abandon the ground attack, which paid major dividends down the stretch for the visitors.

4. Defensive line dominates as a group swarming Kirk Cousins throughout second half.

Aside from Murphy making his presence felt in the run game, his return seemed to have a positive ripple effect on the rest of Seattle's defensive line from a pass rushing aspect. Drawing plenty of double teams, the attention dedicated to the rookie created ideal one-on-one situations for the rest of the group, which gradually started to feast more and more on Kirk Cousins as the game progressed. Williams started the action in the second quarter when he took advantage of strong rushes on the outside by Derick Hall and Roy Robertson-Harris, forcing the quarterback to step up right into his arms for a sack. This led to a punt inside two minutes to play and Smith took advantage of the extra possession by finding Metcalf for a touchdown inside 10 seconds to play.

Once the Falcons fell behind two scores in the second half and had to start dropping back more frequently, the Seahawks seized the opportunity, Already down 10 early in the fourth quarter, Cousins tried to roll out to his left and unload the ball, only for Boye Mafe to hit him before his arm started moving forward. With the ball coming out on a strip-sack, Hall scooped and scored, running 64 yards for his first career NFL touchdown. Jones also added his second sack of the season in what may have been his best game as a Seahawk, tallying a season-high four quarterback hits and a tackle for loss in an outstanding effort.

5. Special teams wasn't flashy, but won the head-to-head against Atlanta in third phase.

Whether it has been muffed punts, fumbles, or missed tackles, the Seahawks have struggled to find consistency on special teams under new coordinator Jay Harbaugh. But as the offense and defense did on Sunday, the group turned in their best performance of the year across the board. Rookie returner Dee Williams had an exciting 18-yard punt return and added a 34-yard kick return as well with solid blocking in front of him, while kicker Jason Myers boomed a 59-yard field goal over the uprights in the fourth quarter to extend the lead to 20 points.

On the other side, normally automatic kicker Younghoe Koo missed a short field goal in the second quarter as the Seahawks thwarted a promising drive for the Falcons. The kick and punt coverage units also missed a pair of tackles, and while it ultimately didn't decide the final outcome on a day where the home team was outplayed in every way, shape, and form, there's no question Harbaugh's squad had a key part in the bounce back win on the road.

More Seahawks News

5 Storylines to Watch in Seahawks' Week 7 Game vs. Atlanta Falcons

Seahawks RB Kenneth Walker III Added To Injury Report

Injuries Present 'Great Opportunity' For Seahawks' Cornerbacks in Atlanta