Wet, windy weather could ground Seahawks, Falcons

The rain likely won't be as heavy as it was during Seattle's NFC championship game victory over the Green Bay Packers on Jan. 18, 2015, but the weather conditions could have an impact on Sunday's matchup between the Seahawks and Atlanta Falcons. less The rain likely won't be as heavy as it was during Seattle's NFC championship game victory over the Green Bay Packers on Jan. 18, 2015, but the weather conditions could have an impact on Sunday's matchup ... more Photo: JORDAN STEAD, SEATTLEPI.COM Photo: JORDAN STEAD, SEATTLEPI.COM Image 1 of / 8 Caption Close Wet, windy weather could ground Seahawks, Falcons 1 / 8 Back to Gallery

Sunday's game between the Seattle Seahawks and Atlanta Falcons might be a matchup of two high-flying squads early in the 2016 NFL season, but this Battle of the Birds might be grounded due to the weather.

The remnants of a Pacific typhoon will hit Western Washington on Saturday, bringing with it heavy rain and wind gusts of up to 65 mph, according to the National Weather Service. That comes on the heels of a low-pressure system that brought rain and wind to the region on Thursday and Friday.

Sunday's forecast is better, with lighter rain and less severe wind, but it's unlikely the playing conditions at CenturyLink Field will be optimal for the passing game.

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That should work in Seattle's favor. Atlanta quarterback Matt Ryan, wide receiver Julio Jones and the two-headed running back attack of Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman come into Sunday's game averaging over 457 yards per game, including over 333 through the air. Both lead the league.

Seattle, meanwhile, ranks third in pass defense, allowing just 183.8 yards per contest and holding opposing quarterbacks to a 65.6 passer rating -- 56 points lower than Ryan's league-leading 121.6 mark.

While most NFL quarterbacks have grown accustomed to throwing a wet ball -- with our without gloves -- Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson told reporters the wind can wreak havoc on any air attack.

"Wind's always a factor for sure," Wilson said on Thursday. "I don't think rain is really a factor, it's more just the winds, you always have to know how to play that."

While the Falcons' ability to fly might be compromised, Atlanta is no slouch on the ground. Freeman and Coleman lead a rushing offense that ranks seventh in the NFL at 124 yards per game.

Facing the Falcons' irresistible force will be the Seahawks' run defense, the immovable object that ranks seventh in the NFL while allowing just over 80 yards per game after leading the league in that category with just 81.5 yards against per contest in 2015.

Seattle has yet to get its run game going in 2016, averaging just 93 yards per game through their first four contests, but that's partially due to the fact that Wilson's running ability was compromised by ankle and knee injuries.

Wilson, running backs Christine Michael, new addition C.J. Spiller and Co. should get a chance to have one of their best days on the ground the season against a middling Atlanta run defense that ranks 15th in the league through five games.

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The Seahawks won't have a home-field advantage when it comes to adjusting to the elements, however. After last week's road win over Denver, Falcons head coach Dan Quinn, a former defensive coordinator in Seattle, decided to come straight to the Pacific Northwest in order to avoid back-to-back cross-country road trips. That had the added benefit of allowing his team, which has practiced on the University of Washington campus all week, to prepare for Sunday's potentially stormy conditions by training in the rain on Thursday.

The Seahawks, who haven't played in adverse weather thus far in 2016, did the same. And according to defensive coordinator Kris Richard, Quinn's successor in Seattle, it's time for the team to prepare for the elements.

"It's been a while since we've had some rain around here," Richard said Thursday. "We got so used to the sunshine, and now it's the real Pacific Northwest rolling in here. We have to go out there and show some appreciation to the rain."

Visit seattlepi.com for more Seattle Seahawks news. Contact sports reporter Stephen Cohen at stephencohen@seattlepi.com or @scohenPI.