SEATTLE — The Seahawks got the win they absolutely had to have and now it's full steam ahead.
This wasn't just a win that ended a three-game losing streak, thanks to a win by Kansas City over San Francisco, it also vaulted the Hawks back to first place in the NFC West.
Still, there's a long way to go with ten games left to be exact, so what can we take on the road forward?
This team has fight
I don't think it can be overstated how easily a three-game losing streak can effectively end a season. How a rough patch like that can snowball into something that becomes insurmountable.
Not for this team. Not for this coach.
We saw it even in early deficits to Detroit and San Francisco, this team fights back no matter what. While it didn't lead to the desired result in those games, you knew as long as they kept fighting something would have to turn around.
So, you can call it the ability to respond.
You could see it in two different ways, as well.
Whether it was responding to the three-game skid or whether it was counter-punching every time Atlanta cut into the Seahawks lead, Seattle never wavered.
Now, it's a complete 180 in the vibe surrounding this team. And they did it by being themselves.
What an amazing result of simply staying the course.
The Seahawks are in first place and if they keep winning (even if that will be incredibly difficult against Buffalo next weekend) they'll stay there---controlling their own destiny for the moment.
Seattle's version of the "flu game"
It went down in sports history and is still talked about today, an apparent flu-stricken Michael Jordan rising to the occasion to lead his Chicago Bulls past the Utah Jazz in the 1997 NBA Finals.
While Sunday's Seahawks vs. Atlanta game wasn't nearly the same stakes and Jordan later admitted it was food poisoning from a pizza delivery and not the flu there's still one undeniable fact from what we saw Sunday.
Kenneth Walker III laid it all on the line.
The third-year running back tallied one rushing touchdown and a receiving score as well while accounting for 69 rushing yards---all while battling the flu.
It was also his 24th birthday.
When you talk about a team battling through a losing streak it takes some really gut-check performances to do so and "K9" fit the bill.
Sometimes it takes something extraordinary to help your team get out of a tough spot. Maybe the Seahawks version of the "flu game" is something that propels them forward.
Monitoring DK's status
DK Metcalf once again had a huge impact on the Seahawks win with four catches for 99 yards including a 31-yard touchdown reception. Even when he's not posting impressive numbers his impact is felt in his blocking and attention commanded from opposing defenses.
But will he play against the Bills?
In the 4th quarter of the win over the Falcons, Metcalf went up to make a reception and was pushed out of bounds by a Falcons defender. He landed awkwardly on his knee.
DK wouldn't return to the game and what's more concerning was the way he was in obvious pain and eventually had to be carted off the field.
After the game, some relief came by way of Mike Macdonald's comments saying that "it doesn't look too bad" but only time will tell how Metcalf's knee responds either to the injury or treatment.
And the Seahawks will need every weapon they can muster against Buffalo.
That game is set for a 1:05 p.m. kickoff at Lumen Field on Sunday.
