3 Seattle Seahawks the Atlanta Falcons must slow down

3. Geno Smith

Given that I mentioned the team’s two best receivers, adding Geno Smith brings it full circle. I’ve mentioned how the Falcons’ defense is against the pass. Yet, it’s imperative to take a deeper dive into those stats. Thus far, Atlanta has allowed the second-most air yards (357 yards), 29th in quarterback pressures (14.3 percent), and the fifth-highest quarterback rating (105.7). Simply put, the passing defense is off to a not-so-great start.

As the defense in totality is an issue, getting to Smith is an absolute must. So far, the Seahawks quarterback has been sacked just four times. The Falcons have five sacks as a defense, with Grady Jarrett leading the way with one-and-a-half sacks. Looking at Smith’s first two games, he has two touchdowns, one interception, and 392 yards passing. In addition, he’s ninth in the NFL with a quarterback rating of 99.1 and has an 81 percent completion percentage, the best in the league.

Although he’s thrown the ball just 58 times over the last two games, it’s still impressive nonetheless. Blitzing Smith could fluster him enough into making mistakes but it could also lead to more open opportunities. For the most part, can Atlanta keep Smith from beating them vertically in the passing game?