Week 7 of the NFL season wraps up tonight on Monday Night Football with the New Orleans Saints heading out west to take on the Seattle Seahawks. The Saints come into this game with a 3-2 record while the Seahawks have stumbled to a 2-4 mark. This is a pivotal game for both teams but the Seahawks are almost in “must-win” mode.
Oddsmakers currently have New Orleans favored by five points over Seattle. The total is currently at 43 points. Can the Seahawks pull off the upset without Russell Wilson?
Saints Offense vs. Seahawks Defense
The Saints are missing several of their key pieces in this game, mainly wideout Michael Thomas and kicker Wil Lutz. New starting QB Jameis Winston has looked great so far this season, as he has thrown for 892 yards and 12 TDs. The former Florida State star also seems to have solved the turnover problems that have plagued him most of his career.
RB Alvin Kamara has started somewhat slow this year, but he does have 1 rushing TD and 3 receiving TDs. Seattle struggles to stop the run (30th in rushing yards allowed per game) so this may be the game that Kamara goes off (teamrankings.com). The best receiver on the Saints has been Deonte Harris, who has 236 receiving yards and 2 TDs.
Seattle’s defense played much better in the second half last week against the Steelers. However, this unit has some major issues against both the run and the pass. The main bright spot on the Seahawks’ defense has been Darrell Taylor, who has 16 tackles and 4 sacks.
Seahawks Offense vs. Saints Defense
It’s a shame that we don’t get to see Russell Wilson in this primetime game. The star QB was recently put on injured reserve after having surgery on his finger. However, Geno Smith is a seasoned veteran and he’s played pretty well so far in Wilson’s absence.
Seattle’s most explosive offensive weapon is DK Metcalf, who has racked up 441 receiving yards and 5 TDs. Running back Chris Carson has done a decent job by rushing for 232 yards and 3 TDs. It’ll be interesting to see how this offense performs against the Saints’ defense.
The Saints’ defense has done a masterful job against the run this season. This unit is only allowing 3.3 yards per rush, which leads the league. The secondary has also been good, as they’ve intercepted nine passes.
Our Pick: Seahawks +5
We don’t understand this point spread. Sure, the Seahawks miss Russell Wilson but they still have plenty of weapons on offense. Not only that, Seattle enjoys one of the best home-field advantages in the NFL.
Lumen Field will be rocking with a loud and rowdy Seahawks crowd. Our power rating numbers say that this game should be closer to a pick ‘em point spread, even with Wilson out. We’re betting on a spirited effort at home from this Seattle team. Take the points and best of luck!
