At the outset of the season, no one expected very much from the Seattle Seahawks. They had traded quarterback Russell Wilson, almost out of necessity, because he just wasn’t on board with the program head coach Pete Carroll wanted to go forward with. BetOnline patrons noticed that the Seahawks didn’t draft a quarterback who could step in and play but instead seem to have some plans for Drew Lock, who was acquired in the trade for Wilson.
You might say that no one saw Geno Smith coming. The journeyman, who had washed out with the Jets and Giants, backed up Wilson for a few years and was expected to continue doing the same.
But partially because of an injury to Lock during training camp, Smith won the job in training camp, and he has never relinquished it. With 73% accuracy, which is the best in the league, Smith has become one of the more efficient quarterbacks in the NFL. On Sunday, he will lead his team into Glendale as it takes on the Arizona Cardinals in a 4:05 p.m. Eastern time kickoff at State Farm Stadium.
Just as no one expected that Smith could be on his way to the Pro Bowl, no one was expecting that Seattle would be 5-3 at this point and in sole possession of the first place in the NFC West. For all of that, Carroll deserves consideration as coach of the year. Usually, that kind of honor will go to a first-year coach who has taken the reins and turned the team around. But we might suggest that Carroll’s job is more difficult because he had to fill a big void at the quarterback position and seemingly turned water into wine.
In the NFL betting odds that have been posted on this game by the folks at BetOnline, the Seahawks are getting a small number on the road.
Arizona Cardinals – 1.5
Seattle Seahawks + 1.5
Over 49 points – 110
Under 49 points -110
Another hurdle that was thrown into Carolll’s path involved the ground game. The Seahawks were fortunate to have seen Rashaad Penny finally emerge as a force last season, as he had a higher per carry average than any other running back in the league. Penny seemed to be picking up where he left off but then suffered an injury that would take him out for the rest of the campaign.This disappointed the fans wagering on NFL betting sites.
Enter Kenneth Walker III, a rookie out of Michigan State, who Seattle has simply plugged in. Walker is averaging 5.8 yards per carry since he replaced penny, and he has the ability to take over games.
One of the things that the Seahawks prided themselves in last season was that they would bend but not break on defense. Well, they were breaking often enough this year but started to turn that around a little over the last few games, during which time they have given up just 37 points and posted more sacks than any other club.
It is difficult for us to be sold on Arizona, despite the presence of Kyler Murray, who had 100 yards rushing just a few weeks ago when these teams met. The Cardinals turned his efforts into just nine points, and Murray is still showing some signs of unpreparedness, which, of course, what’s highlighted by Management in the offseason when they attached a requirement for additional film study to his agreement for a lucrative extension.
Kliff Kingsbury is in that position where progress seems to have stopped, and now he’s regressing, so his days as the head coach in Arizona could be numbered. Meanwhile, Carroll proves why he is one of the elite coaches in the NFL. There is nothing to indicate that Arizona has any kind of home-field advantage either, as they have won only one of their last nine games at State Farm Stadium. We’re looking for the Seahawks to win this game straight up.
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