Prediction: Seahawks over Cardinals 28-27
There are a few factors at play here. First is Arizona’s recent history of being competitive in Seattle. Regardless of how good either team is, the Cardinals seem to know the secret to playing the Seahawks tough on the road.
Second, the Seahawks cannot win convincingly. Seattle is a 9.5 favorite, which is stunning, as the oddsmakers have clearly never seen a Seahawk game before. Of their 11 wins this year, 10 have been by a single score, including games against Atlanta, Minnesota, and Carolina, where the Seahawks led by 24, 17, and 20, respectively. In all three, the opponents gave Seattle a run towards the end.
Third, and most importantly, the Seahawks’ defense will be severely depleted once more. Jadeveon Clowney, Shaquill Griffin, Quandre Diggs, Mychal Kendricks, and Bobby Wagner’s playing status is either doubtful or up in the air entirely. Not to mention defensive tackle Al Woods, who was suspended four games for PED usage.
The Cardinals may not be good but they are competitive. This has trap game written all over it for the Seahawks, and they had best not be overlooking an Arizona team who would love nothing more than to spoil Seattle’s bid for a first-round bye.
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