The Seahawks and Falcons were locked in a low-scoring battle at halftime, but then Rashid Shaheed gave Seattle a spark to start the second half, and from there, the Seahawks took over and rolled to a 37-9 victory over the Falcons. With Shaheed’s 100-yard kick return touchdown getting things started, the Seahawks outscored the Falcons 31-3 in the second half, and the defense that has been great all season, kept its opponent out of the end zone for the second week in a row and forced three more turnovers.
Here are six rapid reactions to Sunday’s win, which improved Seattle’s record to 10-3:
1. Nick Emmanwori is making a case for defensive rookie of the year.
Nick Emmanwori received a ton of praise from teammates and from Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald in the days leading up to Sunday’s game. Macdonald noted that “We’ve never really had a player like him,” while safety Julian Love said, “Nick can be the best of all of us.”
On Sunday, Emmanwori backed up those comments with what might have been his best game yet. The second-round pick’s first splash play of the game actually came on special teams, when he came flying off the edge to block a field goal attempt, allowing the Seahawks to survive a turnover in their own territory without allowing a score for the second straight week.
