Simulation Picks
Maximize Your Odds of Winning with SportsLine Model and Our Top-Rated Picks
Maximize Your Odds of Winning with SportsLine Model and Our Top-Rated Picks
Maximize Your Odds of Winning with SportsLine Model and Our Top-Rated Picks
Understanding Public and Money
Expert Picks
The Seahawks are in desperation mode to avoid a fourth consecutive defeat and there's just enough value in the points for a take against a Falcons club that is historically awful ATS as a slight home favorite.
I expect this game to turn into a bit of a track meet, and both teams have explosive players all over the field on offense. Kirk Cousins has been excellent in his first season in Atlanta, and the Seahawks are battling all kinds of injuries on defense. I expect 27+ first half points here.
Intriguing matchup here given the Seahawks will be getting serious reinforcements back on defense. Seattle has been scoring a decent amount of points, but something has been off with Geno Smith throwing far too frequently averaging 49.3 attempts during the three-game losing streak. The Falcons are much more balanced with their utilization of Bijan Robinson, and we have seen Kirk Cousins get more comfortable as the season has progressed. Momentum does matter – as do body clocks with the Seahawks getting a 1 p.m. ET kickoff. This line should be under a field goal, but if Seattle is not able to control the clock, Cousins and Atlanta will have too many opportunities.
Robinson is a threat to rip off a big run anytime he touches the ball, and I expect him to get plenty of carries on Sunday. Seattle allows 144.7 rushing yards per game, and I see Robinson finishing with 75+ on Sunday.
Seattle has lost their last three games. The Falcons have been getting in a groove with Kirk Cousins, winning four of their last five games and averaging 33.3 points over their last three games. However, this seems like a buy low spot for Seattle as the Falcons are 25th in tackling and 30th in pass rush. Seattle's defense is getting healthier and still has the better overall offense.
Robinson is one of the most dynamic backs in the league, and Seattle has been getting gashed by opposing rushing attacks in recent weeks. Robinson is the type of player who should get around 20 touches per game, and I expect around 15 carries for the former Texas star on Sunday.
Seattle has gotten torched in three straight games, allowing 107 points during that stretch. The Falcons have been rolling offensively, and have one of the most balanced units in the NFL. I am also playing Atlanta to go over 3.5 team touchdowns (+124 on DraftKings).
Look for this game to be the advertised shootout between clubs that are among the top three in fastest pace of play in the NFL.
In a matchup where we can surely expect offense, I am taking a stab at the Under now that it has climbed all the way to 52. Injuries to Seattle's defensive backs have hurt their secondary, but their defensive line is starting to get healthier. They can assist by getting pressure on a stationary target in Atlanta QB Kirk Cousins. On the other side of the ball, Seattle continues to deal with offensive line injuries, and they just added Kenneth Walker to the injury report with a 'Questionable' tag due to "illness." If Walker's play is hindered, and Seattle's slightly healthier defense can shape up a bit, I think we can stay under this inflated total.
Seahawks slot receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba has gone Over this number just once this season, and this isn't a good matchup. The Falcons allow just 6.8 yards per target to slot receivers. Despite the high total and perfect conditions, I bet Under on JSN's receiving yards.
The Seattle Seahawks travel to Atlanta with a bevy of injuries. Yet, they still have one of the more octane offenses in football led by quarterback Geno Smith. Atlanta may have won four games in a row, but at home they have struggled in close calls. They failed to cover their first three home games against Pittsburgh, Kansas City, and the Saints. The lone cover was an overtime thriller against Tampa Bay. Take the value here with Seattle needing to end a three game losing streak.
So much for the reputation of first-year coach Mike Macdonald as a mastermind on defense. The past three weeks, the Seahawks have yielded the second most points and yards in the league. Injuries are a partial excuse, and starting CBs Riq Woolen (a Pro Bowler) and Tre Brown are absent in Atlanta, cracking the door for another big output from QB Kirk Cousins. On offense, a rash of ailments at RT has left Seattle rookie Mike Jerrell as the starter by default. The Falcons have won three straight, with Seattle on a three-game slide. That alone should lead to a line of over a field goal.
It should be a pretty great day for Geno Smith thanks to a Falcons defense that doesn't create pressure. The splits when Geno isn't pressured are stark and he should have a ton of success with his skill players healthy. Add that the Seahawks defense are having all kinds of issues and it's likely that they'll be playing from a neutral or negative game script. Even in neutral game scripts, the Seahawks pass way over expectation. I don't love that it's an early start for a west coast team traveling east, but there should be plenty of opportunity for Geno to sail over this number.
Kenneth Walker is having a fantastic season and gets a strong matchup versus an Atlanta run defense that is 24th in EPA allowed per rush and 28th in Run Stop Win Rate. Walker possesses an extremely impressive rushing profile this season while ranking in the top ten in Elusive Rating and Breakaway Yards. This game has a 51 point total and I expect Seattle to lean on Walker as long as the game remains competitive.
Seattle's failing defense is forcing them to chase games and throw the ball way more than the staff would like. Even when he's struggled in the first half, attempts soar in the second half. Throwing 50+ times is not uncommon and having to keep pace with the Falcons offense will be a chore. Smith has gone over 280 yards in 5 straight and is averaging 321/G in that span. Smith has thrown for 320 or more in 3 of his last 4 games in a dome. Expect them to air it out again here.
London has been good for at least 6 catches pretty much every week, despite facing some pretty good secondaries. Here he is facing a team that is getting carved up for a 138 passer rating the last three weeks and that has allowed the most passing yards in that span. London ahs at least 10 targets in three straight games and is really starting to hit his stride. I see plenty of easy pitch and catch opportunities here, around the line of scrimmage and deep downfield.
London has 9 more targets than any other Falcon and has emerged as Kirk Cousins's top guy. Seattle is getting destroyed by No 1 WR every week and London has caught 18 of 23 balls the last two weeks with 2 TDs. He has a TD in 4 of the last 5 games. Seattle has allowed 8 passing TDs in the last three weeks. Perfect conditions in a dome. London is a size match-up problem. Cousins has loved to force feed a top WR when he has had one. I don't think we get plus money on this much longer.
The Seahawks passing D is broken, allowing 74% completions and 138.5 passer rating (32nd) the last 3 games. They have also allowed 4 passing plays of 40 yards or more in that span, and the Falcons pass game in humming pretty good right now. Cousins is over this in 5 straight games. Plenty of chances for bombs away vs a toothless defense.
The market is three everywhere except here. So I’ll grab the value at 2 1/2.. It does make me nervous that everyone seems to be on Atlanta, but until Seattle’s defense is better, I can’t back the Seahawks in a 10 AM Pacific start.
Teams trending in opposite ways on three-game streaks. It's one of those tricky 10 a.m. Pacific time kickoffs for Seattle, which nearly lost its first such game this year at awful New England. The Seahawks really struggle to stop the run and that plays right into Atlanta's hands with Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier and plenty of play-action passing for Kirk Cousins. That Falcons offense seems to have found itself by scoring at least 26 points in three straight games.
First-round pick Byron Murphy is expected to return for Seattle, but the Seahawks' secondary continues to be decimated by injury. Seattle has no interceptions since Week 1 (Bo Nix) and has given up eight touchdown passes the past three games. Now the Seahawks must deal with a balanced Falcons' offense averaging 6.1 yards per play (7th, NFL). This number is trending toward 3 so I would play it now.
There is a lot to like about the Falcons here. Seattle will be playing in the early window on the East Coast (10 a.m. PST start time), which alone is probably worth a field goal. The Falcons have won three straight, going 2-1 ATS in the process. The Seahawks are banged up on defense, and Atlanta has one of the most dynamic and well-rounded offenses in the league -- In Week 5, the Falcons threw for over 500 yards, and in Week 6 they rushed for 198. Atlanta will be tested by Seattle's offense, but first-year head coach Raheem Morris has that group over-achieving and playing well. It's hard for me to see Atlanta not winning by a Field Goal or more here.
The Falcons have won three straight but all have come against the NFC South, while the Seahawks' three straight losses have included two against the NFC's best projected teams (Lions, 49ers). That being said, the Seahawks were exposed by a bad Giants offense in their other loss despite looking like their defense was getting healthier for that game. Geno Smith should have a lot of success against this Atlanta defense, but I expect the Falcons to do enough on offense (6.1 yards per play) and in the kicking game to win this one by at least a field goal.