The Seattle Seahawks are coming off back-to-back 9-8 seasons and looking to take another step forward. Geno Smith has found some footing late in his career and seems to have successfully turned things around.
Seattle had a fairly quiet offseason. The team added some depth in the trenches and safety K’Von Wallace, but it will look for last year’s core to continue developing.
The Seahawks enter this season with the 20th-best odds to win it all at +6500 on DraftKings Sportsbook. They have the 9th-best odds to win the NFC at +2800 and hold +650 odds to win the NFC West. Seattle’s season-long win total is 7.5 games, with the over favored at -150 odds.
Seahawks Under 7.5 Wins (+130)
While Seattle went 9-8 last season, they did not shine in the way you would hope. As a team last season, Seattle ranked 17th in scoring, 21st in yards, and 29th in turnover percentage. On the defensive side of the ball, they allowed the 7th-most points, 3rd-most yards, and the most 1st downs in the entire league.
The biggest surprise for Seattle has been the resurgence of Geno Smith. The West Virginia product has had the two best seasons of his career the past two years after bouncing around with the Jets, Giants, and Chargers.
Smith had a career year in 2022, leading the NFL in completion percentage and throwing for 4282 yards and 30 touchdowns. He took a slight step back last year, completing 64.7% of his passes for 3624 yards and 20 touchdowns.
While there are certainly some tangible strides forward that he has taken in his game from the start of his career, there is no guarantee he can return to his 2022 form. The receiving group is strong, but there is no significant reason for optimism beyond this.
Even under the best of circumstances, Smith is not a quarterback capable of carrying a team in the way some others can. Even more notable, the Seahawks have a difficult schedule. They will face the 49ers, Rams, and Cardinals in the division.
San Francisco holds the second-best odds to win the Super Bowl this year. Los Angeles is also expected to be in the mix and have -160 odds to win over 8.5 games this season. While Arizona is considered more of a longshot, holding +1300 odds to win the division, Kyler Murray is set to return for a whole season this year, and the team also made a key addition to his receiving core by drafting Marvin Harrison Jr in the first round. Beyond the division, Seattle also has matchups with the Dolphins, Lions, Falcons, Bills, Jets, Packers, and Bears.
Expect the Seahawks to struggle more than people are expecting this season. They are set to face several great teams and did not make enough notable additions to put themselves in a position to succeed. Count on Smith and Seattle to regress slightly enough this year to fall short of the 7.5-point win margin.
DraftKings Drive for Week 5: Record After Week 5- 3 Wins (+200)
While the strength of schedule over the entirety of the season is concerning, Seattle has some great opportunities to capitalize on in the early weeks.
The Seahawks will face the Broncos in the season opener. They will then face the Patriots, Dolphins, and Lions before a Week 5 matchup with the Giants. Seattle has concerns with their ceiling ability of play but also a high baseline for what to expect. The same cannot be said about the Broncos, Patriots, or Giants.
Look for Seattle to get out to a hot start and pick up the win in all three of these opportunities. Nix is too much of a question mark for Denver, and there are other concerns within the team. New England will be entering with Jacoby Brissett and is coming off a 4-13 season. Lastly, New York went 6-11 last season and lost arguably their most important players on both sides of the ball—Saquon Barkley and Xavier McKinney.
The schedule will get tougher from here, but bank on Seattle to get a hot start this season and win three of their first matchups. The +200 odds provide great value considering our baseline for what to expect in Seattle. Expect a solid first few weeks before the season slips away, and give yourself a chance to capitalize on both directions.
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All odds provided by DraftKings Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.
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