Guten Morgen, Seahawks fans. Tomorrow your team is playing the first ever NFL game in Germany! There they will take on Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Part of what makes the NFL the unstoppable force in American media it is, is the unpredictability of the sport. No game this weekend better encapsulates this nature than the Seahawks vs Buccaneers. Before the season started, many picked the Buccaneers to be among the shortlist of NFC favorites, if not perhaps THE favorite to win the conference. Seattle, on the other hand, was considered to be in contention for a top five draft pick.
But that is why you play the game.
The Seahawks are in first place in the NFC West at 6-3 and are riding a four-game win streak of dominant football. Meanwhile, Tampa Bay has easily been one of the biggest disappointments. The Bucs are in first place in their division as well, but only by virtue of the rest of the NFC South being atrocious. Tampa is 4-5, while no other team in the south are above 4-6.
The biggest issue facing the Bucs has been their dreadful offense. Quarterback Tom Brady has played well but their inability to score has become a terrible concern. Had it not been for more classic late game heroics to score a touchdown in the final minute last week to escape with a 16-13 win, Tampa would be in the midst of a four-game losing streak – the first for Brady since the 2002 season.
Make no mistake, the Buccaneers are not to be trifled with. They have proven they can still be deadly, especially with the GOAT still taking snaps. Defensively, Tampa appears to be the toughest matchup on paper the Seahawks have faced since San Francisco. Seattle will need to play a clean game in order to move the ball.
However, I have full faith the Seahawks are capable of doing so. Currently, the Buccaneers are favored in the betting marked by three points. I for the life of me cannot fathom what Tampa has show this year to suggest they are a better team than Seattle. Expect a close showdown, but Seattle prevailing late… er, early, time zone speaking.
Prediction: Seahawks over Buccaneers, 21-17.
[listicle id=96271]