Seattle Seahawks (6-1 5-2 ATS) at Buffalo Bills (6-2 3-5 ATS)
The Seattle Seahawks take a long trip to northern New York to take on a 6-2 Buffalo Bills in a non-conference affair. The visiting Seahawks are the 2.5-point betting favorites in this non-conference affair with a total sitting at 54.
The public has slightly backed the Seahawks in this game, as they opened as a 1.5-point favorite, and as of Tuesday are a 2.5-point favorite.
The Seahawks got over their first loss of the season by beating the San Francisco 49ers 37-27 in their last game. The team’s pass defense has been lit up this season, but Russell Wilson is the front-runner in the MVP debate since his team is the highest scoring one in the league.
The Bills have won two in a row and are in first place in the AFC East but are they legit? They have a solid offense but the defense has issues and the teams they have beat are not elite. If they can get a win in this game it may show the Bills are for real.
After giving up 68 points in two losses the Bills have only given up 31 points in their last two games.
These teams have not met since the 2016 season.
While the Bills are 5-2 and atop the AFC East, they have failed to cover the spread in their last four games.
Taking Care of Division Business
In their last game, the Seahawks beat the San Francisco 49ers 37-27 where they had a balanced game and converted nine of their 15 3rd downs. The team gave up 20 points in the fourth quarter in the win but the game was already in hand.
After tossing three picks in the first Seattle loss Wilson bounded back in the last game facing San Fran passing for 261 yards with four TD and no picks. After having a less than stellar WR corps for a few seasons the Seahawks now have two legit #1 WR’s in Tyler Locket and D.K. Metcalf, who had 161 receiving yards and two TD in the win over the 49ers.
Seattle’s leading RB in Chris Carson missed the last game with an injury but should go in this game. Without him and Wilson not doing much in the last game the run game stalled and that should not be the case in this game facing a Buffalo run D that gave up 188 rushing yards in their last game.
Little Luck Never Hurts
In the Bills last game they beat the New England Patriots 24-21 where New England QB Cam Newton had a late fumble, which sealed the win for Buffalo.
In the win over the Patriots, the Bills had 339 total yards with 190 of them coming on the ground. Devin Singletary and Zack Moss combined for 169 rushing yards and Moss had two TD. While Seattle has had their issues on D this season their run defense has not been bad and in their last game held the 49ers to only 52 rushing yards.
Josh Allen passed for 154 yards with no TD and a pick in the win over New England and he has cooled off after a fast start. He has not passed for a TD in his last two games where he faced the Jets and Patriots, who have combined for two wins.
Allen will be facing a bad Seattle secondary and he and Stefon Diggs, who ranks second in the league in receiving yards, have to get on the same page.
Buffalo has received some kudos this season, but can they beat a Super Bowl contender like the Seahawks? Big question.
Prediction
The Seahawks are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 games overall while the Bills have failed to cover in their last four games and are only 3-8 ATS in their last 11 games as a home dog.
The Bills are a good team but the Seahawks are a great one led by a great QB. I see Buffalo giving Seattle a good game, but the Seahawks have too many weapons and they will not make many mistakes. In this non-conference affair, the Seahawks are the pick to win and cover.
PICK: Seahawks -2.5