Emerald City Dynasty: An NFL TL

[lightninglynx89]

Emerald City Dynasty

Chapter 1: A True Hail Mary
January 13, 2013

Inside the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia an intense battle between two burgeoning teams was occurring under the roof of one of the largest dome stadiums. In the twenty seconds of the game, the lead had shifted twice between the two teams duking it out. With only two points separating the winner from moving on to the next round. The home team who had just secured their lead with six seconds left in the tightly contested game were the Atlanta Falcons, the shooting stars of the NFC. Their regular season the latter capped off by an impressive 13-3 record, the best the franchise had ever seen. The black and red birds of prey led by proven quarterback Matt Ryan with his deep receiving core in second year pro Julio Jones, veteran tight end Tony Gonzalez, and veteran wide out Roddy White making the Falcons a through the air threat that no one should underestimate as they sliced and diced their way through defenses throughout the NFL. Their opposing team was the Seattle Seahawks, a team deemed by most critics as not prepared to face such a heavily offensive team with their young defense. The Seahawks themselves were no slouches racking up an impressive 11-5 record during the regular season. With notable victories over the Green Bay Packers, New England Patriots, and just recently near the end of the season the San Francisco 49ers. Yet, there were still many doubters amongst critics and professional analysts that this team made up of undrafted stars and players deemed as being drafted “too high up” was destined to simply be rolled over by the Falcons. The young team led by rookie Russell Wilson was proving them wrong. The Seahawks led by their first year quarterback, a power running back in Marshawn Lynch, a speedy receiving core had been able to score 28 points in the second half. Whilst their impressive defense had held the Falcons to just 10 points in the second half. The stage was set for either one of the greatest comebacks ever in playoff history, or the critics and analyst would be proven right...
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Commentary from Seahawks-Falcons Divisional Playoff Game

Thom Brennaman: Wilson, back to snap. Shotgun formation.

*Wilson calls for the snap, Doug Baldwin cuts up field easily blowing past Dunta Robinson who tries to cover him.*

Bill Billick: Baldwin has blown by Robinson!

Thom Brennaman: Wilson fires. Baldwin catches it, diving out at the Atlanta 43 yard line. One second left remaining.

Bill Billick: This is cutting it extremely close Thom. Do you risk going for the field goal and have Longwell attempt the kick?

Thom Brennaman: Timeout called by Seattle. Clearly going to strategize, they have one left. I don’t know there Bill, it’s gonna a be 53 yard field goal at this range. We’ve never seen Longwell kick that far, but it is worth the shot.

Bill Billick: Yes, but with one second left you don’t think that the pressure could possibly get to the kicker?

Thom Brennaman: You either risk going for a 53 yarder which you cannot guarantee. Or you put it in the hands of Wilson, the offensive line, and his receivers to make a play to secure the win.

*Pete Carroll can be seen intensely conveying plans to the offense, before sending them out back onto the field. The Atlanta crowd picking up their cheering again, in attempt to deafen the Seahawks to prevent them from getting the snap off.*

Bill Billick: They’re going for it Thom, it’s all or nothing for Seattle. I question this decision.

Thom Brennaman: We’ll just have to see how this plays out. A risky call for sure. Wilson back to snap. Baldwin on the left hand side of the field all alone, matching up against Asante Samuel. Rice, Tate, Butler on the right hand side.

*Wilson licks his hands, wiping them on his pants. Calls for the hike. His receivers barreling downfield. Baldwin streaking, him and Samuel neck-in-neck with one another. Butler and Rice streak down before hitting a slant across field.*

Thom Brennaman: Wilson steps back, looks for an open receiver. Line holding, fires over the middle hits Tate with a bullet. Tate makes contact with Nicholas at the one yard line! Tate spins into the endzone! TOUCHDOWN SEATTLE! TOUCHDOWN SEAHAWKS!

Bill Billick: My word! What a risky call by Pete Carroll, but what brilliant execution by Wilson and Tate as the clock strikes zero.

*Seahawks can be seen streaming onto the field, Wilson in the middle of it as Golden Tate and the receiving core celebrate. A circle forming as the team celebrates. Pete Carroll running down the sidelines to join his team in the celebration, headset dragging on the ground behind him.*


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Excerpt from “First Take”, January 14, 2013

Skip Bayless: ...Man o man how embarrassing does it have to be for Nicholas. You had Golden Tate at the one yard line and you didn’t even wrap up! I am surprised the people of Atlanta are not calling for his head yet Stephen A.

Stephen A. Smith: While I think the overreaction is a bit much there Skip Bayless-

Skip Bayless: Is it? Neither of us picked Seattle to win-

Stephen A. Smith: I know what we said Skip, but, that doesn’t change the fact that no one in Atlanta is going to the training camp or the head offices and demanding for the head of Nicholas. I will say Skip Bayless! It was a poor effort on his part on keeping Golden Tate down.

Skip Bayless: Well at least we can agree on something. But now Stephen A. Smith this leads into the next question: Do the Seattle Seahawks make it to the Super Bowl?

Stephen A. Smith: As of this moment right now? I think there is an argument to be made about this team. Personally for me I think Seattle has a very strong chance of making it to the Super Bowl statistically lined up against the 49ers. If you look at what happened between their two previous encounters during the season. Seattle goes to San Francisco, battles a tightly contested game against them in Candlestick, 49ers come out on top. Latter half of the season, San Fran under Kaepernick comes to Seattle and gets utterly punked out by the Seahawks both defensively and offensively. So unless something drastic happens in the next week, I think you see the Seahawks go into San Francisco and a mission now with all this momentum behind them.

Skip Bayless: Stephen A, as great of points as you make, I’m gonna have to disagree with you on this. I believe the 49ers will beat the Seahawks on their home turf in Candlestick and this Seahawks streak will come to an end. I like to look at it like this. The Seattle Seahawks under Russell Wilson beat the Green Bay Packers under controversial fashion, meanwhile, the 49ers beat the Packers led by Aaron Rodgers. Their defense was able to hold the Packers dynamite offense, whilst the Seahawks were barely able to beat the Falcons. I have to go with the 49ers in this case Stephen A.

Stephen A. Smith: Well then Skip Bayless, when you are wrong, and you will be, I’ll be here.
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The Herd with Colin Cowherd, January 14, 2013

Colin Cowherd: It seems everyone is surprised by the victory of the Seattle Seahawks over the Atlanta Falcons last night… I’m not. I’ve been saying it since the beginning of the season not to doubt Pete Carroll and or Russell Wilson. ‘Oh but he’s too short… he’s a baseball player playing QB.’ Well I tell those people… look at Drew Brees. The same claims that he was too short and all the same doubts were made. But, I think the Seahawks will surprise us. They have a running game that travels, a QB that knows how to draw out plays and make something happen, and a defense that has momentum with an amazing group of defensive backs. I very clearly have Seattle over San Francisco, especially due to the fact that the 49ers were barely able to beat them in their first encounter, Seattle stomping them on their second, and Seattle will beat them this coming Sunday.
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Next up: The Clash at Candlestick...