This NFC battle is big for both teams. The visiting Washington Redskins are struggling and in desperate need of a win at Seattle. The Seahawks are on a roll and looking to keep pace with the Eagles as the top team in the NFC. Both squads come into this game with serious questions and concerns. Kickoff inside CenturyLink Field is at 1:05 PM ET.
Washington is 6-1 against Seattle in regular season games dating back to 2001. However, Seattle did defeat Washington 27-17 the last time they played, which was in 2014. Additionally, Seattle has won all 3 playoff games between these two teams, dating back to 2001.
Washington (3-4) is coming off a 33-19 loss to their rival the Dallas Cowboys. They have lost 2 straight games and are 1-2 on the road. They’re currently 1-4 against teams with a winning record and desperately need to win this game in order to get back to .500 and try to keep within striking distance of a wild card spot.
Seattle (5-2) is coming off a thrilling come from behind victory against the Houston Texans. This shootout was not only fun to watch, but it also showcased the football skills of Russell Wilson. However, Seattle really needs to find some balance on offense by establishing some sort of running game. During the week, they traded for Houston’s starting left tackle Duane Brown to help improve a bad offensive line. Additionally, they have made Eddie Lacy their starter at running back in the hopes that he can provide a spark.
The spread opened with the Seahawks favored by 6 points, but it has gone up to 7 points. The Over/Under opened at 45 points and has remained unchanged.
Seattle is a different beast when at home. They have a clear home field advantage and it’s why I’m confident in them winning this week. Now, 7 points is a lot for an offense that’s imbalanced and inconsistent at times. But, they have averaged 32.5 ppg over the last 2 weeks since their bye. On the season, Seattle averages 25 ppg and Washington averages 22.9 ppg. However, Washington was only able to put up 19 points last week and they are struggling badly on offense.
Washington has lost more than half of their starting offensive linemen and barely average over 100 rushing yards per game. Quarterback Kirk Cousins has yet to find that magic he had last year despite the offense averaging 376 yards per game. Cousins is having a good season, but he has been unable to singlehandedly win games like he did last year and it’s clear by the team’s 3-4 record. This week, he goes on the road, into a very hostile environment and plays against the Legion of Boom. I don’t like his or the team’s chances in this one.
The addition of Brown should pay off immediately for Seattle. He will anchor the left side of the line and protect Wilson’s blindside. Additionally, I think we will finally see Seattle improve their running game with Brown and Lacy. Seattle’s run game is even worse than Washington’s as they only average 97.6 ypg. I expect the team to go over 130 yards this week and add a score on the ground.
Washington is 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games, 1-4-1 ATS when playing Seattle, 2-4 ATS in their last 6 games as an underdog, and 1-4 ATS in their last 5 NFC games.
Seattle is 11-1 in their last 12 home games and 3-0 this season. I expect them to win this game via a complete team effort. The defense will contain Cousins and wipe out any rushing attack. Seattle’s offense will look improved with the help of Brown and Lacy will produce a solid output on the ground. Look for Seattle to win 27-16 at home.