Battle for the Birds

Sundays match against the Seattle Seahawks was at season’s start as challenging as any game on the Falcons Schedule. After last January’s wild first playoff win for Matt Ryan and team, a 30 – 28 victory on a field goal with 13 seconds to go, you would figure they’d have the return trip marked on their calendar since they flew out of Georgia ten months ago. Seattle comes in at 8 – 1 and atop the NFC. They have a point differential of plus 83 compared to the negative 42 differential the Falcons have. I found it interesting that when I went and checked the time left on the winning field goal that it was logged Mike Johnson and Kroy Biermann both reported eligible prior to the kick. Not a year has passed and both are obviously missed and will not be on the field Sunday. I had kind of forgotten Biermann being gone while monitoring the Julio, Roddy, Baker, Dent, ‘Spoon, Jackson, Nicholas and Samual injuries. Kroy, a versatile defensive card that can rush the passer, cover tight ends, keep mobile quarterbacks in the pocket and loves to chase the ball went down in game two and there is no argument that 2013 has been no Joy without Kroy.
Against Russell Martin his services will even be more sorely missed. Falcon nation probably hopes the battle of these Birds flying in different directions, and the better one with revenge motivation, that it does not turn into a laugher. Smitty should reference to the team a quote from Moliere’, an old French actor who once said, “ The greater the obstacle the more glory in overcoming.”
Beating Seattle would be a glorious point in the season, and considering losses to New Orleans, Miami, New England and the Jets came down to just minutes in the game and Atlanta had a chance at a win in all of them, the Falcons are certainly capable of pulling off the upset at home in the nest.
We may not see January football in Atlanta this year but all expect them to defend their home, the Dome. Although Atlanta has lost two games at home this year they have been one of the toughest road opponents for any team in the league, losing only four regular season games since 2010 up until this year.
The Dome has earned the reputation as a unfriendly stop on opposing schedules and it should stay that way going into the new nest in 2017. It may have been a dark cloud over the Falcons this year but I think the sun can still shine on Atlanta even if the roof is not open.
My Bird prediction, Falcons 30 Seahawks 24.