Kenneth Walker celebrates birthday with 2 TDs in Seahawks’ win

Kenneth Walker was a millennial baby. And on his 24^th birthday Sunday, he was a millennial machine. The powerful running back scored two important touchdowns in the Seahawks’ 34-14 win at Atlanta. Seattle added its running back to the injury report as questionable with an illness on Saturday, following the cross-country flight, but Walker woke up ready to make a difference.

Seattle needed him, too. Not only were the Seahawks (4-3) without starting tackle Stone Forsythe, they also were without starting cornerbacks Riq Woolen and Tre Brown entering the game. Then, Seattle lost electric wide receiver DK Metcalf to a second-half knee injury. The Seahawks needed points, and Walker answered.

“Our offense did a great job of pushing the envelope, responding, keeping us with the lead, as the game started to wind down,” said head coach Mike Macdonald, explaining that the offense opened pass-rushing opportunities for the Seattle defense.

Early in the second quarter, Walker broke open a close game with a 20-yard touchdown run, giving Seattle a 10-0 lead. Then, after Atlanta pulled to within 17-14 whebn Kirk Cousins threw a 5-yard touchdown to Drake London, Walker scored again. This time, he laid out to snag Geno Smith’s pass for a 17-yard touchdown near the right pylon, putting Seattle ahead 24-14 with 3:18 left in the third quarter. Walker finished with 69 yards on 14 carries and 24 yards and two catches.

Metcalf was important, too. His 31-yard touchdown reception on Seattle’s last snap of the first half allowed the Seahawks to take a 17-7 lead into the locker room. But it was the last offensive snap of the third quarter, a deep third-down incompletion, on which he injured his knee. After trying to get back into the game, he left on a cart and didn’t return, finishing with four receptions for 99 yards. Following the game, Macdonald was optimistic, hoping his receiver would return sooner rather than later.

While Seattle gave up 103 rushing yards to Bijan Robinson, the Seahawks held the Falcons in check most of the game and shut down an offense that was playing well of late. Seattle saved its best for the fourth quarter, picking off Cousins twice – interceptions by Julian Love and Coby Bryant – and delivered a lethal blow when Boye Mafe strip-sacked Cousins and Derick Hall – playing in front of 30 friends and family — scooped up the loose ball before returning the fumble 64 yards for a backbreaking touchdown. Seattle also didn’t commit a turnover.

With the game decided, Atlanta made a quarterback change on its last drive. Falcons quarterback Michael Penix, the eighth-overall selection in the 2024 draft, made his NFL debut in relief of Kirk Cousins. He completed his only pass for 14 yards.

Atlanta (4-3), which entered the day in a first-place tie with the Buccaneers (4-2) will travel to Tampa Bay next week. Seattle, meanwhile, returns home to face Buffalo (5-2), the leader in the AFC East.