Oct 30 NFL Picks: Seattle Seahawks Host Surging Cincinnati Bengals
Sunday, October 30, 2011
by Aengus Moorehead
Analysis:
Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll said that Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton was a player the club considered taking in the most recent draft.
A solid start by the Cincinnati Bengals rookie may have Seattle's front office second- guessing itself.
The Seattle Seahawks will get a look at what they missed out on this Sunday, when the Bengals pay a visit to CenturyLink Field, while hoping the player Carroll did decide to go with under center can suit up and get his club on track.
After winning the NFC West last season, the Seahawks selected 25th overall in the 2011 draft and were in need of a quarterback for the future with incumbent Matt Hasselbeck having reached the age of 35. Seattle instead opted to take Alabama offensive tackle James Carpenter, and Dalton went to the Bengals 10 picks later as the third overall choice of the second round.
Seattle, meanwhile, opted to not re-sign Hasselbeck and instead brought in former Viking Tarvaris Jackson.
Carroll remains committed to Jackson, saying he believes he can be the club's quarterback of the future, but did say that Dalton was a player the Seahawks looked at in the draft.
As far as Jackson goes, he was forced to sit out last weekend's 6-3 loss to the Cleveland Browns because of a pectoral injury. Backup Charlie Whitehurst struggled in his place but may get the nod again, as Jackson is questionable for this game.
The Seahawks were also without running back Marshawn Lynch after he hurt his back during pregame warmups against the Browns. Lynch could return this weekend and was limited in practice on Wednesday, as was tight end Zach Miller (sore neck) and center Max Unger (sore foot).
Without top of their top offensive players, the Seahawks dropped a close and ugly game to the Browns despite blocking two field goals. Whitehurst threw for only 97 yards in his third NFL start as Seattle failed to keep momentum out of its bye week following a big road victory over the New York Giants on Oct. 9.
At 2-4, the Seahawks are second in the NFC West but three games behind the first-place San Francisco 49ers.
Though the Bengals will have Dalton and rookie wide receiver A.J. Green this Sunday, running back Cedric Benson will sit out to serve a one-game suspension. His ban was originally set to be three games, but was since reduced, and Bernard Scott will start in his place.
The Bengals are coming off their third straight victory, a 27-17 triumph over Indianapolis on Oct. 16 that came before their bye week. Cincinnati, which is a half-game behind Pittsburgh for first place in the AFC North, is on its first three-game win streak since Oct. 25-Nov. 15, 2009 and also won four in a row from Sept. 20-Oct. 11 earlier that season.
Dalton posted one of his best games, notching career highs with a 78.1 completion percentage and 111.5 passer rating. He joins Greg Cook (1969) as the only Bengals rookie quarterbacks to win three straight starts.
The win was also a milestone for head coach Marvin Lewis, who tied Sam Wyche for the most victories as a Cincinnati head coach with 64. Lewis, though, isn't focused on passing the former coach and is keeping his eye on a bigger prize.
Lewis will need to get his club ready, as Cincinnati has lost four straight and 11 of its last 12 road games on the West Coast.
Time & Venue:
- 4:15 PM ET, Sunday, October 30, 2011. CenturyLink Field, Seattle, Washington
Last Week's results:
- Cincinnati Bengals (-7) beats visiting Indianapolis Colts 27-17 two weeks ago.
- Seattle Seahawks (+3) loses to host Cleveland Browns 6-3.
Last week's ATS:
- Favourite Cincinnati Bengals (4-2) wins and covers
- Underdog Seattle Seahawks (2-4) pushed.
NFL Football Odds: Bengals -1.5, O/U 37.5
Next up:
- Cincinnati at Tennessee, Sunday, November 6
- Seattle at Dallas, Sunday, November 6
Moving the ball against the Bengals' defense is a tough task, so the Seahawks have to take advantage when they get deep into Cincinnati territory. Getting there might be the harder part, as the Bengals have allowed opposing teams to score all 13 times they have reached the red zone, giving up seven touchdowns and six field goals.
Dalton and Green have an opportunity to put up some big numbers in this game given the injury problems the Seahawks' secondary is battling. Green has shown an ability to make big plays despite his inexperience and Dalton has been playing safe with the ball for most of the season. This could be the duo's big coming out party.
Whoever gets the start under center for the Seahawks needs to be protected. Seattle is tied for the league lead with 23 sacks allowed, while its quarterbacks have been hit 50 times, second-most in the NFL. That constant pressure has limited the team's ability to put up points.
Seattle has won the last four meetings between these unfamiliar foes. The last Bengals victory? A 20-17 road triumph on Nov. 6, 1994.
The Bengals haven't fared well in their travels to the West Coast, losing four straight and 11 of their last 12.
Cincinnati cornerback Adam "Pacman" Jones has practiced this week and may be activated on Sunday. Jones has missed the last six games while recovering from neck surgery
Seattle is 1-3-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Cincinnati
Seattle is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Cincinnati
Seattle is 1-3-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing at home against Cincinnati
Cincinnati is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Seattle
Cincinnati is 6-13 SU in its last 19 games
Cincinnati is 3-12 SU in its last 15 games on the road
Carroll may be wishing his club had indeed drafted Dalton by game's end. This contest has blowout written all over it given Cincinnati's excellent play on defense and Seattle's struggles on offense, particularly its young offensive line.
Though the overall numbers aren't great, the Bengals' offense does a good job at limiting mistakes and should have no problem racking up yardage even without Benson. Carroll's team is still trying to find its identity and should struggle again versus the rested Bengals.
Bet on NFL Football games with Bodog Sportsbook, click here!
NFL Football Pick: Take Bengals.
Related Articles
- MNF Pick: Monday Yawner Between St Louis Rams vs Seattle Seahawks
- NFL Spreads and Picks: Baltimore Ravens visit Seattle Seahawks
- Moot Matchup Between Seattle Seahawks And Arizona Cardinals
- NFL Prediction: San Francisco 49ers Meet Division Rival Seattle Seahawks
- Falling Philadelphia Eagles Crashland West To Meet Seattle Seahawks
Category
Tags
a.j. green - andy dalton - cedric benson - centurylink field - charlie whitehurst - cincinnati bengals - james carpenter - marshawn lynch - matt hasselbeck - max unger
