ATLANTA (Interstat) — In a game that defied pregame projections and shifted decisively after halftime, the Seattle Seahawks scored 31 unanswered points to rout the Atlanta Falcons 37 to 9 on Sunday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

A crowd of 68,721 watched as the Seahawks, initially stymied by Atlanta’s defense, erupted in the second half behind quarterback Sam Darnold to improve to 10-3. The Falcons, installed as 6.5-point favorites despite statistical models favoring Seattle, fell to 4-9 with a performance that unraveled after a competitive first half.

The most important part of the game came in a stunning 17-second span to open the third quarter, which transformed a narrow contest into a Seattle runaway. Trailing just 6 to 3 at halftime, the Seahawks’ Rashid Shaheed fielded the second-half kickoff at the goal line and raced 100 yards for a touchdown. The electrifying return gave Seattle a 13 to 6 lead and immediate, commanding momentum.

“That was the spark,” a Seahawks spokesperson said after the game, acknowledging the play’s pivotal nature. “It changed the entire complexion of the afternoon.”

The Falcons, who had relied on a steady diet of running back Bijan Robinson and three Zane Gonzalez field goals in the first half, could not recover. On the ensuing possession, Atlanta drove into Seattle territory but stalled, and on the next Seahawks drive, Darnold found his rhythm. He connected with Jaxon Smith-Njigba for a 28-yard touchdown pass, capping a drive that extended the lead to 20 to 6.

Darnold, the clear star for Seattle, finished an efficient 20 of 30 for 249 yards and three touchdowns, adding 23 yards on the ground. He spread the ball effectively, with Smith-Njigba hauling in seven catches for 92 yards and two scores. Shaheed contributed 67 receiving yards and 148 return yards to go with his game-changing touchdown. Cooper Kupp also caught a touchdown pass.

Atlanta’s offense, led by Kirk Cousins, moved the ball at times but repeatedly failed in the red zone. Cousins completed 15 of 30 passes for 162 yards and was intercepted twice, by Seattle’s Devon Witherspoon and Nick Emmanwori. Robinson was a bright spot, grinding out 86 yards on 20 carries, while tight end Kyle Pitts Sr. caught six passes for 90 yards. The Falcons’ only touchdowns, however, never materialized; their scoring consisted entirely of Gonzalez field goals from 35, 43 and 27 yards.

The Seahawks’ defense, led by linebacker Ernest Jones IV with 11 tackles, stiffened when it mattered. After Shaheed’s return, they forced a punt and then produced Emmanwori’s interception, which set up a Jason Myers field goal to end the third quarter with a 23 to 6 lead. Seattle sealed the game with two fourth-quarter touchdown drives, one culminating in Kupp’s 11-yard reception and the other in Smith-Njigba’s second scoring catch.

Seattle’s 17-point third quarter and 14-point fourth contrasted sharply with a first half defined by defense and frustration. The teams traded field goals, with Atlanta taking a 6 to 3 lead late in the second quarter before Darnold engineered a two-minute drill to set up a 48-yard Myers kick as time expired, sending the teams to the locker room separated by just three points.

That slim margin evaporated instantly after the break. The Seahawks’ special teams and offense, which had been held to 133 first-half yards, exploded for 284 yards in the final two quarters. The Falcons, meanwhile, managed only a single field goal in response.

The victory extends Seattle’s winning streak and solidifies its playoff positioning. The Falcons, conversely, see their postseason hopes further diminished after a defeat where they were favored at home but thoroughly outplayed after halftime.

Seattle travels home to face Indianapolis next Sunday. Atlanta has a short week, visiting the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Thursday night.