Instant reaction: 710 ESPN Seattle voices on Seahawks’ 26-24 win

After each Seahawks game, we poll the hosts of 710 ESPN Seattle shows for their instant reaction. Here’s what they have to say about Sunday’s 26-24 win over the Falcons:

Brock Huard of “Brock and Salk”

A bye week was supposed to get a beat-up Hawks team healthy, but with injuries mid-week on the practice field to Frank Clark and Kam Chancellor, a still very much hobbled Russell Wilson, and in-game knee injuries to Michael Bennett and Luke Willson meant this Sunday’s game, like many this year, was about survival.

Sure Jimmy Graham and Earl Thomas were stars, and getting a favorable pass-interference non-call helped in the end, but a Seahawks culture built on grit and competitive toughness won out.

There is plenty to fix, including an out-of-whack run game and special teams woes, but those are much more fun to correct at 4-1.

Bob Stelton of “Bob, Groz and Tom”

A very big win for the Hawks, to say the least. An absolutely dominant first half followed by an atrocious third quarter. But the Hawks did what great teams do: they find a way to pull it out of the fire when all seems lost. Earl Thomas was the MVP of the game in my mind. He looked like the old Earl when the team needed him most.

Mike Salk of “Brock and Salk”

No one plays closer to the edge than the Seahawks do, and against Atlanta we saw the best and worst of that mentality.  They spent the first half right at that edge, pounding Matt Ryan, his receivers and his backs. They spent the third quarter over the edge, blowing assignments and playing altogether over aggressive. But the best players on both teams decided this game. Julio Jones had a pass bounce off his hands for an Earl Thomas pick. Russell Wilson escaped pressure and moved the ball just far enough for a game-winning kick. And Richard Sherman recovered his composure long enough to make the final deflection. You can’t dominate every game, but you can make one more play than your opponent, and the Hawks did that to win.