The Seattle Seahawks (4-2) welcome the Cleveland Browns (4-2) to Lumen Field on Sunday for an AFC/NFC matchup that features two teams in the thick of the early-season playoff race. The Seahawks currently sit as 4-point favorites at DraftKings Sportsbook, while the total is set at 38.
Browns vs. Seahawks, Week 8: Pick against the spread
While the Browns are riding a two-game winning streak, the team is mired in a quarterback controversy due to Deshaun Watson’s injury. Watson, who missed Week 3 with a shoulder injury, left the Browns game last Sunday in the first quarter with shoulder and head injuries and stayed out of the game despite being cleared by the medical staff. Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski told the media on Monday that quarterback Deshaun Watson’s shoulder is being evaluated and he is considered day-to-day before announcing on Wednesday that Watson was out for the team’s game on Sunday. PJ Walker will get the start for the Browns, who have the best defense in the NFL.
The Seahawks enter Sunday’s game off a win over the Cardinals and will have their work cut out for them against the Browns stout defense. Geno Smith (1,391 yards passing, seven touchdowns) has been above-average at quarterback, while running back Kenneth Walker (450 yards, six touchdowns) has looked like a stud. The Seahawks have a middle-of-the-pack passing defense and a top-five rushing defense.
I think the Seahawks to cover the spread against a Browns team that will be down its starting quarterback and starting running back (Jerome Ford suffered an injury last week and will also be out). Both teams have stingy run defenses so this could end up being a game decided in the air, which has me siding with Smith and the Falcons.