The Seattle Seahawks can smell blood. With the Arizona Cardinals down yet another quarterback, the streaking Seahawks – winners of four games in a row, which they started off against Arizona – have a golden opportunity to reclaim the NFC West lead with another win over the Cards on Week 16.
However, the current NFC-leading Cardinals have proven their resilience time and again despite multiple adversities this season, and will be formidable foes on their home turf for the defending champions.
Who emerges victorious in this potential division decider? Get a better perspective by checking out our game preview below. And for a better perspective of this penultimate week in the NFL regular season, don’t forget to view the Week 16 complete picks and predictions.
[sc:Football ]Seattle Seahawks vs. Arizona Cardinals Betting Preview and Prediction
Where: University of Arizona Stadium, Glendale
When: Sunday, December 21, 8:30 PM ET
Line: Seattle Seahawks (-8) at Arizona Cardinals (+8); total: 37.0 – see all NFL lines
Betting on the Seattle Seahawks
There might not be a more impressive winning streak this NFL season than the Seahawks’ current four-game run. Their performances have been dominant, as one might expect. They’ve won all four by double-digits and have covered the spread in each. But what truly takes their streak over the top has been the level of competition they’ve been dominating against.
[sc:NFL240banner ]Seattle held two division leaders in Arizona and Philadelphia to 343 yards of offense between the two of them. Meanwhile, they outscored a weakened but still-formidable 49ers team, 36-10, in two meetings spanning three weeks.
Not enough can be said of Seattle’s defense, which is seemingly back to its soul-crushing, Super Bowl-winning best. They’ve given up 27 total points in the four games, only three of which were scored by the Drew Stanton- and Andre Ellington-led Cardinals offense.
If Seattle could hold Arizona’s attack to 204 total yards of offense with its superior quarterback and running back options playing, what more could their defense accomplish without them?
While the Cardinals’ offense ponders that question, the Seahawks will be busy running their simple yet effective run-oriented offensive scheme until someone finds a way to stop it. Despite the Cards holding Marshawn Lynch to 39 yards on 15 carries (2.6 yards per carry) in their earlier meeting, the Seahawks still managed to move the ball efficiently with quarterback Russell Wilson (211 passing yards, 73 rushing yards).
Betting on the Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals just will not die. The Cards were dealt yet another significant injury – for the second time to their starting quarterback – against a St. Louis Rams team that had blown out its previous two opponents, 76-0. But instead of folding, they bluffed – and kicked – their way to an ugly but effective 12-6 win.
Ryan Lindley came in for the injured Drew Stanton at quarterback to play his first game since 2012. He didn’t play particularly well, completing just three of his 10 passes for 30 yards, and his track record suggests more of the same (and maybe even worse) if he does indeed get the nod to start over Logan Thomas.
In Lindley’s previous six NFL games, he’s completed 52 percent of his passes for 752 yards and no touchdowns with seven interceptions.
Lindley also shouldn’t expect to have a suddenly revitalized running game which has gained over 140 rushing yards in back-to-back games to lean on against a Seahawks run defense that has allowed just over 80 rushing yards per game over the last month.
But despite a potentially flaccid offense, the Cardinals still have two things working for them: 1) their continuously great defense which reduced the Rams’ offense to six points and 69 yards rushing last week. and 2) excellent homefield advantage. Arizona’s win over the Rams was its eighth-straight home win and seventh consecutive home cover.
Writer’s Prediction
The Cardinals (+8) cover at home, but the Seahawks gain the big road win at Arizona. Create a betting account now and get wagering on this winner-take-all NFC West showdown.
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