Falcons bracing for Seahawks’ top-rated passing attack

FLOWERY BRANCH — Seattle, under the direction of first-year offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb, has the top-rated passing attack in the NFL.

The Falcons (4-2) are set to host the Seahawks (3-3) at 1 p.m. Sunday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

The Seahawks, led by quarterback Geno Smith, pass for 276.7 yards per game, tops in the league. Smith’s top targets are wide receivers D.K. Metcalf, Tyler Lockett and Jaxon Smith-Njigba.

To help them get ready for the passing attack, the Falcons had wide receiver Chris Blair wearing No. 14 in practice, that’s Metcalf’s number. They also had Dylan Drummond dressed at Lockett and Jesse Matthews as Smith-Njigba. Blair, Drummond and Matthews are on the Falcons’ practice squad.

“This has been a little bit different than a normal week,” Falcons safety Jessie Bates III said. “Getting use to all of these shifts and motions. (We are) starting to talk about how they are having success on offense.”

The Seahawks like to play up-tempo.

“They do a lot of hurry up, getting up on the ball,” Bates said. “Check-with-me at the line, type of offense.”

Falcons backup quarterback Michael Penix Jr. played at Washington under Grubb when he was on the staff there in 2022 and 2023.

“There is definitely some similarities from when Mike was there,” Bates said. “The philosophy and what he was thinking. Mike is my locker mate, so I will chop it up with him a little bit about what they did and some of his (Grubb’s) favorite things he likes to do.”

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