Seahawks vs Chargers matchup preview and current betting lines
Don’t look now, but the Seattle Seahawks may not be as bad as most of us thought they’d be this season. Pete Carroll’s team has fared just fine without Russell Wilson, boasting an explosive and well-balanced offense week in and week out.
The Seahawks are fresh off a big win over divisional rivals Arizona Cardinals. Their shaky defense was able to hold its own vs. Kyler Murray, and Carroll easily beat Kliff Kingsbury in the coaching battle, as one would expect.
The Los Angeles Chargers, on the other hand, are coming off an ugly primetime win over the Denver Broncos. They managed to get past that stout, physical defense and overcame some shortcomings of their own to clinch a 19-16 overtime win they’ll look to put in the rearview mirror ASAP.
Justin Herbert once again left us in awe with some electric plays and his freakish athleticism, but it was a tough night overall against en elite defense. Needless to say, that won’t be the case this time around.
Players to watch:
Kenneth Walker III: Rookie Kenneth Walker III has officially taken over as the Seattle Seahawks lead back, and he didn’t disappoint. He rushed 21 times for 97 yards and one score and added two receptions for 13 yards. He showed big-play ability with a 34-yard explosion as well.
Austin Ekeler: It took him a while, and he was quite underwhelming in the first three weeks, but Austin Ekeler has been one of the best backs in the league in the past three contests. Still, he’s coming off a subpar performance with just 46 total yards and one touchdown, so you know he’s due for a big bounce-back game.
Week 7 Predictions: NFL Bet of the week on Seahawks vs Chargers
Seahawks +6.5
The opening Seahawks vs Chargers spread has the home side favored by nearly a touchdown, but that seems like way too many points right now. The Seattle Seahawks have proven that they can put up points on the scoreboard, and it’s not like the Los Angeles Chargers’ defense has been too good.
The Seahawks aren’t likely to be a playoff team, but they sure love to play spoiler. They’re playing with a chip on their shoulders, and it seems like you can never count them out of a game, regardless of the scoreboard, the rival, or how bad their defense has been for the most part.
The Chargers should still get the win in this game. But they’ve been far from the dominant juggernaut most insiders predicted they’d be before the start of the season. A lot of that has to do with Brandon Staley’s over-aggressiveness and questionable decision-making.
So, yes, even though the Chargers boast the most talent in every position in this game, we still believe the Seahawks could make this a battle, not a blowout. They can hold their own with their explosive play-making skills and will be an upset-alert on a weekly basis.
Over 51
The opening Seahawks vs Chargers odds have this game total sitting at 51 points. That seems right on cue, given how bad the Los Angeles Chargers’ defense has been this season. They’re struggling to get stops with a shaky secondary and an underperforming front seven.
The Seattle Seahawks haven’t been much better, either. And facing an offense that features Austin Ekeler, Justin Herbert, Josh Palmer, and Mike Williams isn’t what the doctor ordered to get any better. Add Tyler Lockett, Kenneth Walker III, and DK Metcalf to that mix, and this game has the makings of a shootout.
Geno Smith has been vastly impressive through the first six weeks of the season. He’s got elite awareness in the pocket, can break tackles and make plays with his feet, and has a cannon in his arm. Justin Herbert doesn’t need a cover letter after all he’s done in his brief career in the league.
So, all things considered, we wouldn’t be shocked to see both teams go over 30 points in this matchup. There should be multiple lead changes throughout the game, and Herbert could be in for yet more late-game heroics and another game-winning drive to salvage his team’s poor defense.
FAQ
Right now, the first-overall pick belongs to the Carolina Panthers.
We don’t know, but we do have some exciting player props on our player props bet.
Yes, he’s a top-10 candidate right now.
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