Temperatures in Georgia won't be the only thing scorching when the Atlanta Falcons host the Seattle Seahawks in Week 1. With the meeting of two of the game's elite veteran quarterbacks, offensive firepower will be on display.
The Falcons have started regular seasons on a hot note since the opening of Mercedes-Benz Stadium in 2017, winning each of their last three home openers and putting up 24 or more points in those games. Dating back to Matt Ryan's first season with the Falcons in 2008, Atlanta has averaged a whopping 31 points per game in home openers - with total points surpassing 54 in seven of them - often to the tune of monster fantasy performances from Julio Jones, Devonta Freeman, Austin Hooper and, back in the day, Michael Turner.
This year's high-scoring affair, however, will come under a new identity for the Falcons. Aside from new uniforms, the Atlanta offense will unveil former Georgia Bulldog, Todd Gurley, as primary workhorse in the ground game while also introducing a reformed passing attack that that fills the void left by Ryan's former short-yardage targets, Freeman and Hooper.
Expect offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter to go to the air early and test a vulnerable Seattle pass defense that no longer includes big name pass rushers Frank Clark, Jadeveon Clowney and Ziggy Ansah. On the opposite side of the ball, the Seattle offense stands to gain from the elimination of Mercedes-Benz Stadium's 71,000 strong and the crowd noise that would otherwise be supplied during Seahawk possessions.
Sportsbooks across the country forecast only moderate levels of scoring, with over/under marks in the neighborhood of 48.5. But, if the Falcons play their brand of early season football, a shootout is more than conceivable.
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