Seahawks vs. Falcons live stream: How to watch NFL playoffs online

The Atlanta Falcons and Seattle Seahawks had a thrilling encounter in the regular season that ended with the Seahawks standing tall. Now they meet up again in the Divisional round, this time at the Georgia Dome. Atlanta is in the playoffs for the first time since the 2012 season.

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The game is being televised on FOX and is the first matchup of the weekend, kicking off at 4:30 p.m. ET. Viewers can stream it online at Fox Sports Go, using their cable/satellite subscription to log in.

These teams last met in Seattle in Week 6, with the Seahawks coming out on top in a 26-24 win. The game was not without its controversy, though — on the final play, Matt Ryan threw a Hail Mary interception, which arguably should have been nullified by a Richard Sherman pass interference that went uncalled. Nevertheless, the Seahawks took the victory.

Both teams went their different ways to reach the postseason. The Falcons rallied from that loss to win the NFC South and secure a first-round bye at 11-5, with Ryan emerging as an MVP favorite. The Seahawks floundered a bit down the stretch, and their defense suffered a major loss with Earl Thomas breaking his leg. They took the NFC West title, but limped into the playoffs at 10-5-1.

Although the Seahawks didn’t play inspiring football in December, they had little trouble putting away the Detroit Lions in the Wild Card round, cruising to a 26-6 win. The running game finally came to life, with Thomas Rawls exploding for 161 yards, which was enough to break Marshawn Lynch’s franchise record in a playoff game. Paul Richardson stepped up in a big way with a pair of ridiculous circus catches, and Russell Wilson surgically picked apart the Lions’ defense, throwing for 224 yards and two touchdowns on 23-of-30 passing. It was the Seahawks’ most complete performance in a while.

Now Seattle’s biggest challenge will be trying to slow down Ryan and the Falcons’ lethal passing attack. Thomas’s injury left a big hole in the middle of the defense that Ryan and Julio Jones can easily exploit. Jones was slowed down by a toe injury toward the end of the regular season, but he should be close to full health coming off the bye. In their Week 6 matchup, Jones went off for seven catches, 139 yards, and a touchdown — and that was with a healthy Thomas patrolling the Seahawks’ secondary.

The MVP race could be a tight one this year, but Ryan has made his case crystal-clear. He set career highs in passing yards (4,944), touchdowns (38), yards per attempt (9.3), completion percentage (69.9), and QB Rating (117.1). He also threw just seven interceptions, the lowest of his career. Ryan has been aided by electric weapons in Jones, Devonta Freeman, and Taylor Gabriel, but he’s also elevated his talent to lead one of the most explosive offenses in football.

If there’s one major flaw with the Falcons, it’s their defense. Despite boasting an up-and-coming star in Vic Beasley (who led the league with 15.5 sacks), the Falcons have been way too generous on the defensive side. They’re 25th in yards allowed and 27th in points allowed. The secondary dearly misses Desmond Trufant, who is out for the year with a torn pectoral. Yet, despite those concerns, the Falcons’ offense is well-equipped to win shootouts, which is what they’ve been doing most of the season.

With the Falcons set to move into a new stadium next season, this is potentially their final game at the Georgia Dome. They’ll get another home game if they win and the Dallas Cowboys lose, thus granting them the right to host the NFC Championship. The Falcons are certainly eager to give the stadium and their fans a memorable sendoff. If the Seahawks carry over their offensive revival from last week, this game should be every bit as fun as their regular season encounter.

Time: 4:35 p.m. ET

Place: Georgia Dome, Atlanta

TV: FOX

Announcers: Kevin Burkhardt, John Lynch, Pam Oliver

Online: Fox Sports Go