Here at The Rx, we dive straight into the action from NFL Week 1, breaking down Monday night’s football clash between the Seattle Seahawks and the Denver Broncos.
It’s great to have Monday Night Football back from the NFL, and this looks like a quirky match-up between the Broncos and the Seahawks
Denver Broncos vs. Seattle Seahawks
Monday, September 12, 2022 – 08:15 PM EDT at Lumen Field
• Spread: Denver Broncos -6.5 Seattle — Seahawks +6.5
• Total: 44.5
Wilson vs. Carroll
There’s plenty of optimism in Denver for this NFL campaign after a few lackluster years following Peyton Manning’s retirement.
Maybe now, with Russell Wilson entrenched in the crucial quarterback position, they are ready to hit the heights again in Denver.
How ironic, that the thirty-three-year-old Wilson’s first Broncos match is against his previous team, the Seattle Seahawks. The fans’ reaction at Lumen Field is going to be interesting with Wilson being a hero of theirs for many years.
Pre-season was a solid enough workout for the Broncos. though perhaps they would have liked to have got a few more points on the board and it will be interesting to see if Wilson’s superb deep ball throwing makes a difference to the Denver outfit. It is going to be interesting to see if head coach, Nathaniel Hackett can find the right level of play calling to suit the elite quarterback.
The Pressure Is on for Russell
Russell Wilson will be a man under pressure on Monday night regardless of how the game pans out at his old stomping ground. There was undoubtedly some bad blood spilled before his departure, considering his public lambasting of his treatment by the Seahawks management.
No doubt, Pete Carroll will be working his players up into a lather before this opening week clash with Wilson, and let’s not forget, if anyone should know how to neutralize the talent of Russell Wilson, it will be Carroll.
How Did the Teams Do in the Preseason?
Denver Broncos
We touched upon the lack of points in the off-season for the Denver Broncos but that’s nothing new. The Broncos’ pass defense was vulnerable last season and it remains to be seen if they improve this year, if they do, they will certainly be playoff contenders.
In the pre-season match vs. the Buffalo Bills, the Broncos looked rather disjointed and barely focused, while the Bronco’s defensive lineman never got near winning a challenge.
With new linebackers Alex Singleton and Justin Strnad likely to make the roster, Broncos fans will be hoping and wishing they make a difference.
I have seen poorer pre-seasons for the Broncos, and Coach Hackett seems to be cool, preferring to say that we will see the proper Courtland Sutton and Jerry Jeudy’s attacking prowess in the coming weeks.
Seattle Seahawks
For the Seahawks, Drew Lock and Geno Smith appear locked in a battle for the quarterback spot that Wilson left behind in pre-season.
I am sure Pete Carroll knows which one will start but he’s a canny coach and will be leaving things as late as possible to add confusion to the Broncos.
The Hawks lost all three pre-season games, but there was promise from tacklers Charlie Cross and Abraham Lucas. Cross, in fact, played the first 37 snaps before Lucas entered the fray in the third quarter.
The Seahawks’ rushing attack looks to have been strengthened by the draft pick, Kenneth Walker III. And with DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett on the wings, scoring points shouldn’t be an issue if the new quarterback –whether it be Drew Lock or Geno Smith– is proficient.
Broncos vs. Seahawks: Betting Pick and Prediction
The more I look at this game, the more I like the +6.5 spread on the Seattle Seahawks at home.
We know darn well that Pete Carroll has the perfect ammunition to rile up his troops for the opening week frenzy.
Then there’s the potential home-field advantage, and the position Russell Wilson finds himself in, as he’s relegated from fan favorite and hero to the villain of the peace.
Remember last season on NFL Week 1 when there was a slew of shocks with all the underdogs seemingly performing above their rating.
Then there’s pre-season. We’ve seen nothing special from either side, and certainly, a lack of passion has been on show from the Broncos.
Final Verdict
For me, the +6.5 on the Seattle Seahawks is my best bet of the week, and I will be adding a more modest stake on the money line price of +235 with DraftKings.
NFL Pick: Seahawks ML (+235) at DraftKings
NFL Pick: Seahawks +6.5 (-107) at PointsBet
