Seahawks Rams Betting – Seattle “D” Gives ‘Hawks The Edge In St. Louis

Online betting players shouldn’t expect a shootout in St. Louis, where the Rams host Seattle this weekend in an NFC West encounter as neither team has an explosive offense, or much of an offense, period. Defense will be the story as the Seahawks steals a win on the road.

What: NFL Betting
When: Sunday, November 20th, 4:05 PM ET
Where: Edward Jones Dome, St. Louis, MO
Pick: Seattle Seahawks +1

Why Bet On Seattle Seahawks (3-6 SU, 5-3-1 ATS)

The Seahawks snapped a three-game skid with a 22-17 upset of Baltimore at home, and it was a total team effort. Tarvaris Jackson fought through pain to go 17-of-27 for 217 yards and he didn’t make any major mistakes, which is all you can really ask of him. Marshawn Lynch grinded out 109 tough yards and a score on the ground to help the Seahawks control the clock, and they held the ball for over 35 minutes. The defense forced three turnovers, and by jumping out to a big lead, the Ravens couldn’t afford to run the ball much, even though they averaged 6.3 yards on 12 carries. Kicker Steven Hauschka may have been the player of the game kicking five field goals, so even if the Seahawks were 1-of-5 in the red zone, at least they got something out of it on a day where their defense was playing well. Seattle isn’t great, but they’re a tough team to beat at home, where their “12th Man” can make a huge difference; ask New Orleans, who felt it in last year’s playoffs.

Jackson (pectoral) is still battling through his injury, while receiver Sidney Rice (concussion) and Doug Baldwin (concussion) still have to be cleared. Guard John Moffitt (knee) is gone for the season, while tackle James Carpenter (knee) is awaiting word on an MRI. The Seahawks can give any team a tough NFL betting matchup on the right day, especially at home, and even on the road, they’re 2-2-1 ATS away from home. They need their entire team in on it, though, as the Seahawks don’t do a single thing well.

Why Bet On St. Louis Rams (2-7 SU, 2-7 ATS)

St. Louis managed the game’s only touchdown in a 13-12 win in Cleveland, as Sam Bradford found Brandon Lloyd in the second quarter, while Josh Brown added a pair of field goals. Bradford was 15-of-25 for 155 yards, a touchdown and a pick, while Steven Jackson ran for 128 yards for the Rams, who managed just 281 yards, which was below their average, but they were fortunate to run into a team who were as anemic offensively as they were. The defense allowed 335 yards, but they held the Browns out of the end zone on all four of their trips inside the 20-yard line. James Laurinaitis had 10 tackles and a sack, and would likely get more attention on a better team, but on this day the Rams made plays when they had to. They’re basically playing for 2012 after a season with high expectations went south quickly. Now, the Rams can play more freely because no one expects anything of them.

Tight end Michael Hoomanawanui (knee) is out for the season, which would mean more reps for Lance Kendricks (foot), if he wasn’t a doubt. Receivers Brandon Gibson (groin) and Danario Alexander (hamstring) probably won’t play either, which is tough as Bradford (ankle) is finally back to practicing fully. The Rams have back-to-back games at home with Seattle and Arizona, two games that they can definitely win, and they’ll need it with a tricky closing stretch. But as we said, there is no pressure on the Rams anymore as they’re not making the playoffs, so now they can just work on some things for next year. Their No.1 priority: more receivers. The acquisition of Lloyd was a great start, but they need to build on it.

How It Will Play Out

The Rams are a 1-point NFL betting favorite at home in this NFC West clash, but Seattle is 4-1 SU and 3-2 ATS in their last five on the road in St. Louis, with two games going under the posted total, although they were thumped 20-3 at the Edward Jones Dome last year. Seattle is 1-4 SU on the road, while St. Louis is 1-3 SU at home, so something has to give.

This will come down to defense and the Seahawks have the edge as the Rams are the worst team in the league against the run, which means they’ll be able to control the clock with Lynch. Seattle’s defense can stop the run, and if they can turn the Rams into a pass-first team, that plays into their hands. In what should be a low-scoring affair, take Seattle against the sports betting spread.