Atlanta Falcons vs Seattle Seahawks Preview
Welcome to the CappersPicks.com NFL football weekly selection pages! We KNOW you will find our FREE weekly NFL football predictions, gambling tips, handicapping advice, and systems to help you become the best NFL bettor on your block!! Stay tuned for more NFL previews coming daily, here is your Falcons vs. Seahawks NFL Gambling preview.
Atlanta Falcons vs. Seattle Seahawks NFL Lines
Date/Time: Friday, December 19, 4:05 PM ET
Venue: Qwest Field, Seattle, WA
Broadcast: FOX
Atlanta Falcons vs. Seattle Seahawks Betting Lines from Sportsbook.com
Money Line: Seahawks (+225) Falcons (-265)
Spread: Falcons -7
Over/Under: 45
Bet now at Sportsbetting.com
Atlanta Falcons vs. Seattle Seahawks Preview
Both the Falcons (11-2) and the Seahawks (6-7) are in first place in their respective divisions and this game in the Great Northwest is big for each team. NFL lines have the Falcons as 7-point betting favorites in this game with a total of 45.
While each team is atop their division that is about all these 2 teams have in common. Seattle is one game below .500 and is tied with St. Louis atop the weak NFC West while the Falcons have won 7 straight and are on track to get home field advantage throughout the playoffs. That is HUGE for Atlanta, as they have yet to lose at home this season.
In their last games the Falcons killed the Carolina Panthers 31-10 and the Seahawks did not look like a division leader in losing to the San Francisco 49ers 40-21.
The Falcons can clinch a spot in the playoffs with a win this Sunday and can clinch home field by winning 2 of their last 3 games. Seattle has lost 3 of their last 4 games, but if they can beat Atlanta or Tampa Bay next week and then the Rams in their last game they will win the NFC West and host a Wild Card game.
Atlanta has been one of the better betting teams this season going 9-4 ATS while the Seahawks have not at 6-7 ATS. The Seahawks have only covered the spread in 2 of their last 5 games while the Falcons are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 games as a favorite.
Can the Seahawks stop the Falcons’ offense that ranks 5th in the league averaging 28.5 ppg? It does not look likely, as they have the league’s 30th ranked pass defense and 20th ranked run defense and last week they gave up 40 points to a 49ers team that has had trouble scoring for most of the season. Atlanta QB Matt Ryan and RB Michael Turner lead a potent Falcons’ offense that racked up 327 yards against Carolina last week. In the last 3 losses by Seattle their D has been torched giving up an average of just over 38 ppg.
Both Ryan and Turner have been on fire, as Ryan is averaging 247.4 passing yards per game with 13 TD’s in the Falcons 7-game winning streak and in that span Turner has ran for 708 yards with 10 TD’s. Turner has rushed for 100+ yards in 3 of his last 4 games and last week he rushed for 3 TD’s.
With Seattle’s defense struggling they will need a big game from QB Matt Hasselbeck. That is not out of the question since Atlanta only has the 24th ranked pass defense, but Hasselbeck cannot turn the ball over. He did pass for 285 yards with 2 TD’s last week, but he had 4 picks and in his last 3 games he has 8 INT. His WR corps is really banged up and while WR Mike Williams (52 rec 654 yards 1 TD) and WR Ben Obomanu (22 rec 430 yards 4 TD) may be back in this game after missing last week WR Deon Butler (36 rec 385 yards 4 TD) is out with a broken leg.
Turnovers are a key in this game for Seattle’s offense and Atlanta has 17 picks on the season and if they add to that total in this game Seattle is toast.
Hasselbeck will likely have to shoulder the offensive load since the Seattle rushing offense only ranks 31st in the league and the Atlanta run defense ranks 13th. The RB duo of Justin Forsett and Marshawn Lynch have not got it done this season, but they can take a lot of pressure off their QB is they can run the ball this Sunday.
Seattle is struggling while Atlanta is streaking and the Seahawks’ defense will not be able to contain Ryan and company. Look for the Falcons to spank the Seahawks, as they will qualify for the playoffs with a win and it will not be close so they will also cover the 7-point spread.
Betting Trends
Atlanta is 5-1 ATS in their last 6 road games and 9-2 ATS in their last 11 games as a favorite of 3.5-10 and Seattle is 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games as an underdog.
The Over is also a good pick, especially with the weak D the Seahawks have. Also, Seattle has an Over record of 6-0 in their last 6 games and Atlanta has an Over record of 3-0-1 in their last 4 road games.
Pick: Falcons -7 and the Over
NFL BETTING SEASON PROMO: SPORTSBETTING.COM WANTS YOU TO grab a 20% Sign Up Bonus for the 2010 NFL Football Wagering Season! CLICK HERE NOW!!! WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?
