The Falcons clinched a playoff spot for the second time in the last three seasons.

  • Atlanta’s 34-18 road win in Seattle and the New York Giants late game loss to Philadelphia ensured the Falcons a spot in the playoffs for the second time in the past three seasons. The Birds are the first NFC team to clinch a playoff berth this season.
  • The Falcons have won eight straight games, including four of the past five on the road, and own an NFC-best 12-2 record. Atlanta’s 12-2 record through 14 games is tied with the 1998 team for the best 14-game record in franchise history.
  • With a 5-yard reception on Atlanta’s first drive, WR Roddy White became the first Falcon to catch 100 passes in a season since RB/KR Eric Metcalf caught 104 passes in 1995. White finished the game with a team-high seven catches for 65 yards, giving him 106 receptions on the season. White’s 106 catches rank second in franchise history behind WR Terance Mathis who posted a franchise record 111 catches in 1994.
  • QB Matt Ryan established a new career-high when he hit RB Jason Snelling for a 3-yard touchdown on the Falcons first offensive possession, marking his 23rd scoring strike of the season. Ryan has thrown at least one touchdown pass in 13 straight games this season which is the third longest streak in team history. The Birds own a 29-7 record when Ryan throws at least one touchdown pass.
  • Ryan connected with WR Michael Jenkins on a 24-yard touchdown pass with just 19 seconds remaining in the first half to send the Falcons to the locker room with a 17-10 lead. The third-year signal caller has thrown multiple touchdown passes in four of the past six games and Atlanta is 16-4 when he finds the endzone two or more times in a game.
  • Ryan has tossed at least one TD pass in 13 consecutive games and on Sunday improved his record as a starting NFL QB in December to 8-1.
  • On the Seahawks’ first play of their first possession of the second half, DE Jamaal Anderson strip sacked QB Matt Hasselbeck in the end zone and Falcons DT Jonathan Babineaux dove on the loose ball for a Falcons touchdown. It was Babineaux’s first touchdown of his six-year career and his first fumble recovery of the season.
  • On the Seahawks’ next drive, CB Brent Grimes picked off Hasselbeck and ran it back to the Seattle 48-yard line. The interception was Grimes fifth of the season and his second pick in the last three games. The Falcons second takeaway of the game led to a 25-yard field goal to give Atlanta a 27-10 lead. In 2009, the third-year pro led the team with six interceptions.
  • The Falcons would make it three straight Seahawks drives with a takeaway when Grimes tipped a pass into the arms of S William Moore who returned the ball 27 yards to the Seattle 21 yard-line and set up a Falcons touchdown.
  • Atlanta opened the second half by scoring 17 points on three turnovers on consecutive drives to stretch its lead to a commanding 24 points at 34-10. In 2010, Atlanta has scored 101 points on 27 turnovers.
  • On the ensuing Falcons possession, Ryan hit White for a 5-yard touchdown pass. The touchdown was White’s eighth score of the season, marking the second highest single-season touchdown total of his career. Additionally, Ryan tied his career-high with three touchdowns in a single game.
  • Ryan has now won nine straight games in December and January and the Falcons are 9-1 with him under center during the final two months of the season.
  • DE John Abraham notched his team-leading 12th sack when he dragged down Seahawks QB Charlie Whitehurst for a 7-yard loss with 2:51 remaining in the game. The Falcons place a premium on getting to the quarterback late in games. This season, nine of Atlanta’s 27 sacks have come in the final frame.
  • The Predator has totaled 101.5 sacks in his career and has recorded 10 sacks in his past nine games. Since sacks became an official statistic in 1982, Abraham ranks 22nd in league history and is one of just 25 players record 100-or-more sacks.
  • The Falcons have posted at least one sack in 13 of their last 14 games and have notched two or more sacks in back-to-back games for the fourth time this season.
  • With the Falcons’ win over the Seahawks, Atlanta became the just fifth team since 2000 to win three consecutive road games. Along with the Birds, Jacksonville (2001 & 2005), Philadelphia (2005) and the New York Giants (2009) have accomplished that feat.
  • Atlanta has won four road games in five weeks and completed its 2010 road schedule with a 6-2 record, the Falcons best road record under head coach Mike Smith.
  • The Falcons became just the fifth NFL team since 2000 to win three straight road games. The others include the Jacksonville Jaguars (2001, 2005), the Philadelphia Eagles (2005), the New York Giants (2009), and the Falcons (2010).
  • TE Tony Gonzalez caught four passes for 26 yards, marking the 12th consecutive season that he has posted 60-or-more catches. Gonzalez passed Hall of Fame WR Jerry Rice, who posted 11 straight seasons of 60-plus catches, with a two-yard catch in the second quarter to become the NFL record holder in consecutive 60-plus catch seasons.
  • Ryan has now posted a 32-12 record in his first three seasons in the NFL. He trails only Hall of Fame QB Dan Marino, who went 33-10 in his first three seasons, for the league’s best record through three seasons.
  • Under Smith, the Falcons are 6-0 against NFC West teams including a perfect 4-0 record this season.
  • The Falcons put together three drives of 10 or more plays in the win over the Seahawks, including a 15-play touchdown drive on their first offensive possession. In 2010, Atlanta has notched 34 10-play drives, scoring on 33 of those drives.
  • In line with their long drives the Falcons have dominated time of possession this season. Entering Sunday’s game, Atlanta ranked third in the NFL in time of possession, holding the ball for an average of 32:26. In Sunday’s win at Seattle the Falcons held the ball for 35:25 seconds and limited the Seahawks to just 24:35 of offense. This difference in time of possession led to the Falcons posting an offensive play differential of plus-17, as Atlanta ran 17 more plays than Seattle.
  • Kicker Matt Bryant has now made 15 consecutive field goals after connecting from 27 and 25 yards during Sunday’s win over Seattle.
  • In their past two games, the Falcons have scored 31 points off of five takeaways.