MNF: Falcons vs Seahawks Game Thread

Monday Night Football, Week 11. The 5-4 Atlanta Falcons make the long trip west to CenturyLink Field in Seattle, Washington to take on the 6-3 Seattle Seahawks in what shapes up as a crucial game for both teams' playoff hopes.

The Falcons come into the game losers of four of their last six games. A loss tonight would all but end the Falcons' hopes for defending their NFC Championship. It would sink the Falcons to 5-5, two games back for the final wild card berth with six to play, with tough games against the Vikings, the Panthers and two against the Saints still on the schedule. This is close to a must win for the Falcons. The Falcons rest their hopes on star quarterback Matt Ryan, having a bit of a down year this year after last year's MVP campaign, star wide receiver Julio Jones, also struggling with just one touchdown all season, and a defense ranked 8th in the NFL.

The Seahawks are a team gradually shifting from one dominated by a superb defense and a strong running game to one dominated by the talented quarterback Russell Wilson. The legendary Legion of Boom, while still formidable, is slowly sinking from near invincible to just pretty good. Age and injuries are beginning to take their toll on the superstars of the Seattle defense, and the Seahawks have not found new superstars to take up the slack. Star cornerback Richard Sherman has been lost to injury for the season, as has star safety Kam Chancellor. What's left of the defense is likely to sink out of the top 10 in the NFL for the first time since 2010. Fortunately for Seattle Russell Wilson is taking up the slack with his most productive season yet. This is Wilson's team now, and so far he has been up to the challenge. The Seahawks come into the game on a roll, winners of five of their last six games.

It's the Falcons and the Seahawks in a fight for survival in the tough NFC playoff race tonight.

Enjoy the game everybody. As always we ask that you neither ask for nor post links to illegal streaming sites.