New Orleans Saints (11-5) vs. Seattle Seahawks (7-9)
NFL Football Point Spread: Saints -10.5 O/U 44.5
By: Barrett Kazmerzack of Coopers NFL Picks CALL NOW 1-888-730-COOP
This season the Seahawks became the first team to win their division with a
losing record and they are big betting underdogs this Saturday taking on the
Saints. Not only did Seattle have a losing record this season, but also they have
a little QB controversy heading into this playoff game.
New Orleans dropped 2 of their last 3 games including the season finale losing
to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 23-13. However, they were without some injured
players and their playoff seed was, pretty much, locked up so there was not
much to play for.
This season each team was 7-9 ATS.
Drew Brees had a great season passing for over 4,600 yards, but he had to
do most of the work since the Saints’ rushing offense only ranked 28th in the
league. However, they have Reggie Bush back and if he plays like he did in the
loss to Tampa Bay the Seahawks may be in big trouble. After missing most of
the season with an injury he finally looked 100% in the last game rushing for 70
yards, on a solid 7.8 per carry average, and also had 5 catches for 55 yards. He
along with WR’s Marques Colston and Lance Moore will be a handful for Seattle
and their 27th ranked passing defense.
If Bush and the Saints’ running game can play well against Seattle and their 21st
ranked run defense New Orleans should easily win this game. The Seahawks
will have to play D like they did in wrapping up the NFC West title beating the St.
Louis Rams 16-6. In that game Seattle only gave up 137 passing yards and 47
rushing yards. Seattle has to get to Brees and pressure him and their pass rush
was decent this season ranking 13th in the league with 37 sacks.
The big question in the Great Northwest is who will start at QB? In the win over
the Rams Charlie Whitehurst played for the injured Matt Hasselbeck and did not
put up eye-popping numbers going 22/36 for 192 yards with a TD and 0 INT, but
he did not get picked off and did not make many big mistakes.
Whitehurst has no playoff experience while Hasselbeck has several playoff
wins and led Seattle to the Super Bowl in 2006. However, in his last 3 games,
all Seattle losses, Hasselbeck only had 2 TD and 8 INT. Whoever starts will be
going up against a New Orleans’ pass defense that ranks 4th in the league.
Much like the Saints the Seahawks have struggled to establish the run ranking
31st in the league averaging 89 rushing yards per game. In the win over the
Rams Seattle had 141 rushing yards and they may run the ball a lot in this game
facing the Saints and their 16th ranked run defense.
In a couple of interesting betting trends Seattle is 2-5 ATS in their last 7 games
and 0-4 ATS in their last 4 games as an underdog of 10.5 or more and New
Orleans is 2-6 ATS in their last 8 games as a road favorite and 2-6 ATS in their
last 8 games as a favorite of 10.5 or more.
Pick: The betting trends point away from New Orleans covering, but they are a
much better team on both sides of the ball and will show that this Saturday. The
Saints will dominate the game from the opening kick and blow out the Seahawks
and cover the 10.5-point spread.