Seahawks 34-14 Falcons (Oct. 20, 2024) Game Recap

ATLANTA – Geno Smith passed for two touchdowns and Derick Hall returned a fumble 36 yards for the game-winning score as the Seattle Seahawks ended a three-game losing streak with a 34-14 victory over the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday.

The Seahawks (4-3) ended Atlanta's streak of three straight wins, shutting down a Falcons offense that had averaged 37 points the previous two weeks.

Smith completed 18 of 28 passes for 207 yards, his second-worst performance of the season but more than enough to throttle the Falcons. He connected with Kenneth Walker on a 17-yard touchdown and a huge 31-yard scoring play against DK Metcalf just before halftime.

After Walker's TD catch made it 24-14 late in the third quarter, Seattle's defense secured the victory.

Kirk Cousins ​​was hit by Boye Mafe as he attempted to throw, with the ball squirting away from the Falcons' quarterback before his arm went forward. Hall grabbed the ball in front of Atlanta's bench and raced to the end zone with 12:46 left.

Cousins ​​capped off a miserable day with interceptions on his last two possessions and three sacks. Rookie Michael Penix Jr. landed for the Falcons, making his NFL debut.

The Seahawks' victory was marred by Metcalf being carted to the locker room with a knee injury after landing awkwardly on an acrobatic catch attempt late in the third quarter. The extent of the injury was initially unknown.

Walker also had a 20-yard touchdown run that gave the Seahawks a 10-0 lead. Jason Myers hit field goals of 38 and 59 yards.

But that win belonged to the Seahawks' beleaguered defense, which gave up an average of nearly 36 points per game during the losing streak.

The Falcons cut Seattle's lead to 10-7 with a 70-yard drive powered by their running game. Cousins ​​threw just one pass and relied on Bijan Robinson to complete seven pass throws for 55 yards, capped by a 5-yard TD.

But Seattle gave itself some breathing room on its final possession of the first half. Smith completed four straight passes before an intentional grounding penalty forced the Seahawks to take their final timeout with 10 seconds left.

Instead of setting up the field goal unit, the Seahawks decided to run another play starting in the 31st minute. This decision definitely paid off.

Smith found Metcalf breaking free on a slant toward the middle of the end zone and delivered a game-winning score with just four seconds left, sending the Seahawks into the locker room with a 17-7 lead.

Cousins ​​connected with Drake London on a 5-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter, but that was Atlanta's last gasp.

Injury report

Seahawks: Metcalf's injury was the big news for Seattle on an otherwise clean day for the struggling team. … Rookie DT Byron Murphy II (hamstring) returned to the field after missing the last three games, bolstering a defensive unit that has lost five players to injuries in recent weeks.

Falcons: OG Matthew Bergeron was sidelined in the third quarter with a neck injury. … C Ryan Neuzil limped off the field midway through the second quarter but was back on the field before halftime. …TE Charlie Woerner has been cleared to return after being evaluated for a possible concussion. … S Justin Simmons (hamstring) was able to walk after being limited in practice during the week. … OLB Lorenzo Carter (concussion) was placed on injured reserve Saturday.

Next

Seahawks: Return home to host the Buffalo Bills next Sunday.

Falcons: Travel to Tampa Bay next Sunday for their second meeting of the season against the NFC South rival Buccaneers.

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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl