Week 4 Atlanta Falcons vs Seattle Seahawks NFL Free Pick – Odds – Handicapping Preview
The Seattle Seahawks have to be pleased to get their first win of the season out of the way. Now comes the real test – maintaining some improved play against an elite team that finds themselves at the bottom of their own division.
ATLANTA FALCONS (1-2) vs. SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (1-2)
Date/Time: Sunday, October 2, 4:05 PM ET
Venue: CenturyLink Field, Seattle, Washington
Broadcast: FOX
Falcons vs. Seahawks Betting Lines from BetOnline.com
Spread: Falcons -4 ½
Moneyline: Falcons -215: Seahawks +185
Over/Under: 39 ½ points
The 1-2 Atlanta Falcons head west on Sunday to take on the 1-2 Seattle Seahawks in what could be a pivotal game for both clubs as they try to win their respective divisions for the second year in a row.
The Atlanta Falcons are in a place that no prognosticator in their right mind thought they’d be – in the basement of the NFC South. It is hard to point to one thing that has gone wrong with the Falcons so far – injuries, occasional mistakes and general malaise appear to be stifling this team at present.
Atlanta needs the running game to be clicking this Sunday. They were fine in the first two games gaining a combined 248 yards but were dreadful in last week’s contest gaining only 30 yards against Tampa Bay. Michael Turner will be featured heavily against Seattle’s surprisingly good run defense (13th in the league and allowing 99.7 yards per game). Turner is currently the 3rd ranked rusher in the league with 234 yards on the season.
Turner’s effectiveness or lack thereof will go a long way in determining how Matt Ryan plays on Sunday. So far this season, he has completed 60.7% of his passes for 844 yards, has five touchdown and four interceptions. The one troubling stat about Ryan is the amount that he is getting sacked – 13 times in 122 pass attempts – nearly one time for every 10 throws.
Seattle was in desperate need of a difference maker on offense and that came in the form of Sidney Rice who made his debut last Sunday in Seattle’s only win. He caught eight passes for 109 yards which is 1/5 of Tavaris Jackson’s passing totals for three games. Rice made Jackson better and he served to open a few holes for the running game as well. Marshawn Lynch had by far his best game in Week 3 amassing 73 yards on 19 carries. Still, a couple of things that jump out are the facts that Seattle is averaging just 10 points per game and are gaining just 3.7 yards per offensive play! [soliloquy id=”82219″]
The defenses will likely be the key to this game. Atlanta has been OK against the run allowing 3.6 yards per carry this year but they have been susceptible versus the pass – 22nd ranked and allowing 261 yards per game thus far. The Falcons could be without their two starting corners this week – Daunta Robinson and Kelvin Hayden are questionable to play.
Seattle meanwhile has been good defensively – 10th against the pass and allowing 218 yards per game and 13th against the run allowing 99.7 yards per game
Betting Prediction: The Atlanta Falcons are not just a home team as most would be quick to point out. They are 9-4 ATS in their last 13 games on the road and 5-1 ATS as a road favorite. More impressively, Atlanta is 17-4 ATS in 21 games following a loss. Seattle is 4-1 ATS in their last five games at home but is just 3-8 ATS as an underdog. Unlike the Falcons, the Hawks are just 5-18 ATS following a win.
There are far more weapons on the Atlanta Falcons – maybe too many for the home town Hawks. With Atlanta absolutely needing a win this week to keep up in the NFC South, I expect their “A-Game”. Seattle will keep this game close for a while but in the end will be overpowered by a motivated and more talented Atlanta club.
Pick: Atlanta Falcons -4 ½
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