So, if you watched the Week 14 matchup between the Seattle Seahawks and the Atlanta Falcons this past December, you probably went through a wild range of emotions. Especially if you’re a Falcons fan. One minute you’re thinking, "Hey, we're actually hanging in there against a 10-win team," and the next? Total collapse.
It was ugly.
Honestly, the Seattle Seahawks vs Atlanta Falcons game on December 7, 2025, wasn't just another regular-season loss for Atlanta. It was a season-killer. A 37-9 beatdown that officially booted the Falcons out of the playoff conversation and left the Seattle faithful feeling like they might actually have a Super Bowl-caliber squad under Mike Macdonald.
The Play That Flipped the Script
The first half was a slog. Let’s be real—neither team looked like they wanted to score a touchdown. It was 6-6 at the break. Atlanta had their chances, though. Kirk Cousins found Darnell Mooney for what looked like a go-ahead touchdown with about a minute left in the second quarter.
But, as usual with the "what is a catch" era of the NFL, the refs ruled it incomplete. They said Mooney didn’t re-establish himself in bounds after being pushed out. Total momentum killer. Instead of six points, they got a field goal. Then Seattle marched down and tied it up right before the whistle.
Then the second half started.
If you blinked, you missed the turning point. Rashid Shaheed, who the Seahawks snagged from the Saints, took the opening kickoff of the third quarter 100 yards to the house. Boom. Just like that, Seattle was up 13-6 and the Falcons looked like they’d seen a ghost.
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Mike Macdonald actually predicted it. During the halftime break, he reportedly told his players that "Sheed" was going to take one back. Talk about a coach having his finger on the pulse.
Why the Falcons’ Playoff Hopes Vanished
You can't talk about Seattle Seahawks vs Atlanta Falcons without mentioning the absolute disaster that was Atlanta's special teams. Beyond giving up that 100-yard return, they had a 50-yard field goal attempt blocked by Nick Emmanwori.
Emmanwori was everywhere. Seriously, the kid is a menace. He became the first player in Seahawks history to record an interception, a sack, and a blocked field goal in the same game. That’s a Hall of Fame stat line for a single Sunday.
On the other side, Kirk Cousins had a rough afternoon. Two interceptions. 162 yards. Zero touchdowns. It’s hard to win games when your quarterback is struggling and your run game—despite Bijan Robinson hitting the 3,500 career rushing yards milestone—can't find the end zone.
The Falcons entered the third quarter with a minus-19 point differential for the season. They ended the day much worse. Seattle dropped 17 points in that quarter alone.
The Sam Darnold Resurrection
Remember when people thought Sam Darnold was a bust? Seattle doesn’t care. Darnold went 20-for-30 for 249 yards and three touchdowns. Most of that damage happened in the second half when he just started carving up the Atlanta secondary.
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He found Jaxon Smith-Njigba for two scores. JSN is quickly becoming "the guy" in that offense, hauling in 7 catches for 92 yards. He’s got this weird ability to find soft spots in the zone that makes veteran corners look like they're playing in slow motion.
Then you’ve got Cooper Kupp, who chipped in with an 11-yard touchdown catch in the fourth quarter to put the game completely out of reach. It was surgical.
Historical Context: A Rivalry That Tilts
Historically, Seattle has usually had the upper hand in the regular season. After this win, they lead the all-time series 17-11. But Falcons fans will always have the playoffs to brag about. Atlanta is 4-0 against Seattle in the postseason.
That didn't matter in December, though.
The atmosphere at Mercedes-Benz Stadium went from hopeful to "let’s beat the traffic" pretty quickly. Raheem Morris was visibly frustrated on the sidelines. He talked after the game about "back-breaking plays," and he wasn't wrong.
When you turn the ball over three times and give up a special teams touchdown, you’re basically handing the other team the keys to the stadium.
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Key Stats You Should Know
The box score tells a grim story for Atlanta:
- Total Yards: Seattle 365, Atlanta 274.
- Third Quarter Points: Seattle 17, Atlanta 0.
- Turnovers: Atlanta 3, Seattle 1.
- Sacks: James Pearce Jr. got his 6th of the year for Atlanta (a bright spot!), but Seattle’s defense was more consistent overall.
Bijan Robinson is still a superstar, though. He joined LaDainian Tomlinson and former Falcon William Andrews as the only players in NFL history with 3,500 rushing yards and 1,500 receiving yards through their first three seasons. It’s just a shame that individual brilliance is being wasted on a team that can’t seem to put four quarters together.
What’s Next for Both Teams?
If you're a Seahawks fan, you're looking at a team that's 10-3 and peaking at the right time. The defense under Macdonald is legit. They held Atlanta without a touchdown for the entire game. That’s two weeks in a row they haven't allowed a trip to the end zone.
For the Falcons, it’s "pride time." They’re looking at a losing record and another year of "what if." The fan base is getting restless, and there’s already talk about what needs to change in the offseason to prevent another mid-season collapse.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Analysts
If you're tracking these two teams moving forward, keep an eye on these specific areas:
- Watch the Seahawks’ Special Teams: Jay Harbaugh has this unit playing out of their minds. It's not just Shaheed; it's the kick coverage and the block units. This is a massive "X-factor" for the playoffs.
- The Nick Emmanwori Tracker: Keep an eye on his Defensive Rookie of the Year odds. After that Atlanta game, his stock skyrocketed. He’s the type of hybrid safety that changes how coordinators have to call plays.
- Atlanta’s Third Quarter Curse: If you’re betting on or analyzing Falcons games, look at the halftime adjustments. They consistently struggle in the first 15 minutes of the second half. Until they fix that, they aren't a serious contender.
- JSN’s Volume: Jaxon Smith-Njigba is seeing more high-value targets than DK Metcalf in certain packages. If you play fantasy or just like stats, he's the focal point of that passing attack now.
The Seattle Seahawks vs Atlanta Falcons rivalry might not be the most famous in the NFL, but it always seems to produce high-stakes moments. This time, it was the moment Atlanta’s season officially went off the rails.