Drama Aside, Seattle Has Tall Task Ahead at Staying Atop of the West
Raise your hand if you forgot that the Seattle Seahawks won the NFC West last season. With all of the offseason drama around whether or not Russell Wilson was going to be traded, many forgot that Seattle won the division with its ninth straight winning season.
Behind Wilson and a defense that found its identity in the second half of the season, the Seahawks finished the regular season with a 12-4 record.
According to BetUs, one of the Top Sportsbooks at Online Betting Sports, the over/under wins for Seattle this season has been set at 10. Bettors taking the over have -105 odds, while the under is at -125.
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Tough Test from the Start
There may not be a more arduous start to a season than what Seattle has in the first six weeks this year. The Seahawks open at Indianapolis (-2.5) before hosting Tennessee in NFL Week 2. From there, it’s at Minnesota, at San Francisco, at home against the Los Angeles Rams, and at Pittsburgh in Week 6.
Last season Seattle raced out to a 5-0 start. If the Seahawks can duplicate that same start this season, go ahead and wrap up the West for them. Although a 3-3 start may be too steep of a hill to climb in winning the West, it still should be good enough to reach 10-plus wins and secure a playoff berth.
Rest of the Schedule at a Glance
After two easier games against New Orleans and Jacksonville, Seattle hits the road at Green Bay for a NFL Week 10 clash before hosting West rivals Arizona in NFL Week 11. Two more key divisional games vs. San Francisco and at LA in NFL Weeks 13 and 15, before wrapping up the regular season at Arizona in NFL Week 18.
Seattle’s bye in NFL Week 9 may be a good time after the tough start and ahead of its game against Aaron Rodgers and the Packers.
Key Players
DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett make up one of the better 1-2 WR punches in the league. There are also high expectations around second-round draft pick D’Wayne Eskridge to be the third option for Wilson from the WR position. Second-year pro Freddy Swain is also expected to be more of a contributor to the offense this season and gives the ‘Hawks some added depth at WR.
Chris Carson and Rashaad Penny will be the top two backs behind Wilson, with Travis Homer expected to get some reps in both the rushing game and passing game. Gerald Everett and Will Dissly are options from the tight end position.
Bobby Wagner and Jamal Adams are two of them at their positions on the defensive side of the ball.
Divisional Odds and More
According to Bovada, another one of the top sportsbooks at Online Betting Sports, Seattle has just the third-best odds of winning the West this season. The Seahawks’ odds sit at +280, while San Francisco (+175) is a slight favorite over the Rams (+190).
BetUs gives the Seahawks +1000 odds at winning the NFC, which is the fifth-shortest in the conference. Seattle also has -150 odds of qualifying for the postseason at BetUs.
Prediction
Even if the Seahawks can somehow make it to NFL Week 7 with a 4-2 record, it still may not be enough to claim their second-straight division title. The West is just too competitive, and with a stacked deck against them in the beginning may spell doom for the team. With Wilson leading the way and if the defense can build from its strong finish to the regular season last year, earning a wildcard berth is still well within reach. Also, reaching the 10-win plateau could also be within reach.
Final 2021-22 Season Record: 11-6, 3rd in NFC West
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