The Seahawks will be hosting the Chiefs for a preseason matchup Friday. On DraftKings Sportsbook, Seattle is favored by three points and this game carries a total of 39.5 points.
Below, I break down this matchup between the Seahawks and Chiefs and give a pick for the game.
Seahawks vs. Chiefs prediction
The Seahawks finished 10-7 last season, but missed the playoffs. As a result, Seattle decided to make some major moves this offseason. Seattle signed Sam Darnold and Cooper Kupp, and traded away DK Metcalf to the Steelers. While Geno Smith had some solid seasons with the Seahawks, swapping him for Darnold, who is six years younger and coming off the best season of his career was a wise move for Seattle at the quarterback position.
Shipping off Metcalf for draft picks was also smart with the receiver declining in the later years of his career. However, the Seahawks unfortunately didn’t fill Metcalf’s void with a younger, ascending talent, as Kupp is 32 years old and certainly on the decline himself. While these starters didn’t appear in Seattle’s first preseason game, this group is expected to start Friday’s preseason game vs. the Chiefs, per Seahawks’ HC Mike McDonald. Darnold and company likely will only play one to two drives, and then, Drew Lock and Jalen Milroe will take over at quarterback, with the rest of the offensive backups.
Seattle’s starters seeing some work is an advantage for the club in this preseason matchup, as the Chiefs may be without most of it’s starters. Kansas City HC Andy Reid said “there’s a good chance” that Patrick Mahomes won’t play in this contest and with the superstar quarterback likely unavailable, one has to assume the rest of the Chiefs’ starters will likely be out as well or see very limited action in this exhibition. With Mahomes absent, Gardner Minishew and Bailey Zappe should see most of the work at quarterback, both of which are serviceable backups.
The Chiefs are on the heels of another magnificent season. After winning back-to-back Super Bowls, the team lost to the Eagles in Super Bowl LIX this past February, as Kansas City was looking to become the first ever NFL team to threepeat. Despite a few losses in free agency, the Chiefs are bringing back close to the same roster this season and the club carries the fourth-best odds to win the Super Bowl on DraftKings Sportsbook at +850.
Seahawks vs. Chiefs pick, best bet
With the Seahawks deploying it’s starters to begin this contest and the Chiefs likely to do the opposite with Mahomes not expected to play, Seattle should win on it’s home turf and backing the club at -3 is a viable move.
