‘Experts’ like what they see of Falcons

Former coach Reeves ‘excited’ about Saturday’s game at the Dome.

ESPN analyst Herm Edwards, a former NFL head coach, had a message for the football world.

“Don’t fall asleep on the Atlanta Falcons,” Edwards said in recent interview. “I like the Atlanta Falcons.”

The Falcons (11-5) are set to face the Seattle Seahawks (105-1 in the regular season, 1-0 in the playoffs) at 4:35 p.m. Saturday at the Georgia Dome.

While the Falcons didn’t attract much national attention while powering their way to the NFC South title and the No. 2 seed in the playoffs, folks are starting to take notice.

While Edwards likes the Falcons, he said it will be tough for them to advance against a rugged Seattle defense.

“I know one thing about Seattle, their defensive travels well,” Edwards said. “You’re not going to score a lot of points on Seattle. Maybe not the 34 you are averaging, but I do know this, you have to put pressure on this defense. You have to take shots down the field as well as use your running backs.”

Former NFL executive Gil Brandt, who’s an analyst for NFL.com and Sirius NFL Radio, also is high on the Falcons.

“I think this is going to be a close game,” Brandt said. “I think the Atlanta Falcons will win because of their offense. I don’t know if they can stop the run after I saw Seattle last week. Two weeks ago, they hadn’t run at all.”

Former Falcons coach Dan Reeves, the only coach to guide the franchise to the Super Bowl, also has been impressed.

“They’ve done a great job all year of putting pressure on the other team because they do score so many points,” Reeves said. “They’ve done it against some really good defensive teams and they’ve still put up points.”

Edwards believes Falcons running backs Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman could play key roles in a victory.

“With Freeman and Coleman, not only can they run, they are excellent pass catchers out of the backfield,” Edwards said. “So now, you put the stress on Seattle’s linebackers to cover running backs out of the backfield, so you’re not going to try to attack their secondary, you’re to going attack the middle of their defense, the linebackers. Can they cover these two running backs?”

Seattle is making its fifth consecutive playoff appearance and won the Super Bowl after the 2013 season and lost in the Super Bowl after the 2014 season.

“They have pedigree,” Edwards said. “They have playoff experience. They have that going for them.”

Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan, who’s the leading MVP candidate, has a 1-4 record in the playoffs.

“Atlanta, there’s a lot of pressure on Atlanta, especially the quarterback, Matt Ryan,” Edwards said. “He knows he has a good football team and hasn’t fared well in the playoffs. He’s got the best team that he’s ever had thus far . ... He knows the pressure is on him to beat this Seattle team.”

Brandt also has been impressed with the Falcons’ offensive wizardry.

“The coordinator (Kyle Shanahan) should be the man of the year because I think the guy has done a fantastic job,” Brandt said. “I think the head coach has done a fantastic job.”

Brandt, a former personnel guru for the Dallas Cowboys from 1960-88, liked some of the Falcons moves.

“The head coach (Dan Quinn) is really good,” Brandt said. “The guy that he drafted from Florida (Keanu Neal), everybody said, ‘Why would you draft that guy?’ He’s played pretty darn good for them.

“I think there is a good chance that the Atlanta Falcons will be playing at home against Green Bay or in Dallas.”

Reeves still follows the Falcons closely.

“When they played them earlier and had a great chance at the end to win the game,” Reeves said. “That’s in a tough place to play in Seattle.”

Reeves also marvels at the Falcons offense.

“You never know what the Falcons are going to do offensively, and that’s the thing,” Reeves said. “You have to give Kyle Shanahan an awful lot of credit and their offensive staff. They come out with a different (game plan) every time.

“Whether it’s bubble screens, boot legs one way or they don’t even throw to Julio ( Jones) one week and the next time they throw five or six straight passes to him. You never know what they are going to do because they have so many weapons and they use them so well.

“I’m excited about watching this game.”