Thanks to Matt Ryan’s big third quarter, Seahawks-Falcons went from pretty slow and forgettable to one of the weekend’s best games.
There was a wild finish, too.
After Ryan and the Falcons scored 21 unanswered in the third quarter to take a 24-17 lead, the Seahawks then scored in the final five minutes, got the tying extra point blocked, then got a stop and what became the winning field goal, a 54-yarder from Steven Hauschka, with 1:57 left.
After forcing the Falcons to turn it over on downs, the Seahawks took knees and celebrated a 26-24 win.
That winning kick came after Hauschka missed a field goal earlier in the fourth quarter and had the tying extra point blocked by Ra’Shede Hageman with 4:43 left.
After trailing 17-3 at halftime, Ryan went 13-of-17 for 220 yards and three touchdowns in the third quarter. The Falcons had scoring drives of 75, 79 and 97 yards in the quarter, all ending in Ryan touchdown passes.
Ryan finished with 335 yards passing. Julio Jones caught seven passes for 139 yards and a touchdown.
Christine Michael had two rushing touchdowns for the Seahawks, the second in the fourth quarter to bring his team within a point. Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson was 25-of-37 for 270 yards; Jimmy Graham had six catches for 89 yards.
Seahawks defensive end Michael Bennett left the game in the third quarter with a knee injury and did not return.
The Falcons fall to 4-2. The Seahawks move to 4-1.