One of the most intriguing matchups in week 10 of the NFL season is the NFC West matchup between the Arizona Cardinals and Seattle Seahawks. The game will take place at CenturyLink Field, and is scheduled to begin at 8:30 PM. ET.
The Cardinals are 6-2 and currently on top of the NFC West, which has been dominated by the Seahawks in recent years. They will be trying to extend their division lead, and inch closer to getting one of the top playoff seeds in the NFC.
Palmer will have to be at his best to put up points against this Seahawks D.
The Seahawks overcame a rough start to the season and have won four of their last six games to climb back to 4-4. Even though the Cardinals have the division lead, a win by the Seahawks will move them a game closer to the Cardinals, and with half a season left to play, they have plenty of time to regain control of the division.
The Cardinals are one of the most complete teams in the NFL this season, offensively, they are averaging 32.9 points per game, which is the second-highest average in the league. Defensively, they are holding opponents to 19.1 points per game, which is 7th in the league.
One of the reasons Arizona is having so much success this season is Carson Palmer, who recovered from a season-ending injury last season, and is one of the front-runners for the MVP award. Chris Johnson, who was a late pickup in the offseason, has also been instrumental to Arizona’s success, despite having been written off by most of the NFL.
So far this season, the Seahawks haven’t resembled the same team that made it to two consecutive Super Bowls. Offensively, they haven’t been as explosive as most people expected them to be after trading for Jimmy Graham.
The Seahawks have also gone away from what made them successful over the last few years, with Marshawn Lynch on pace to finish the season with less than 1,000 yards for the first time since the 2010 season.
Defensively, Seattle is still one of the best teams in the NFL, and the unit has been much improved since the return of Kam Chancellor, who didn’t play in the first two games of the season due to a contract dispute.
Both teams are coming off a bye week, which means that they have had a lot of time to watch game tape and make necessary adjustments.
For Arizona, a win gives them some breathing room in the division, and keeps them on pace with the Green Bay Packers and Minnesota Vikings for the second-best record in the NFC, so this is a game they can’t afford to lose.
For Seattle, a win against the Cardinals gives them their first win over a team with a winning record, which should provide them with a confidence boost as well as move them closer to the top of the division.
Seahawks vs Cardinals Betting Lines
BetOnline.ag has the Seahawks as 3 point favorites in this game. The over/under on total points scored is 44.5. BetOnline is our top rated NFL sportsbook at the moment. You can read our full BetOnline review here.
My Pick
Both teams need to make a statement in this game, but I think the Seahawks have more at stake. This is why I’m picking Seattle to cover the spread and win the game.
Play: Seahawks -3
Arizona Cardinals • NFL Betting • Seattle Seahawks