Washington Redskins (3-4 SU, 2-5 ATS) vs. Seattle Seahawks (5-2 SU, 3-4 ATS)
Week 9 NFL
Date/Time: Sunday, November 5, 2017 at 4:05PM EDT
Where: CenturyLink Field, Seattle, Washington
TV: Fox
By Loot, NFL Football Handicapper, Lootmeister.com
Point Spread: WAS +7/SEA -7
Over/Under Total: 45
The Washington Redskins make the long trip to CenturyLink Field on Sunday to take on the Seattle Seahawks. Washington will be trying to right the ship after suffering their second straight loss and third in 4 games with a 33-19 home loss to the Cowboys on Sunday. At 3-4, they are losing touch and need to start putting some wins together starting now in what is really a tough spot. Seattle has heated up after a 1-2 start, winning 4 straight including a 41-38 shootout over the Texans on Sunday. With 21 seconds left and down 38-34, Russell Wilson hit Jimmy Graham for the go-ahead score.
On one hand, it was bizarre seeing Houston put up over 500 yards of offense on Seattle, with Texans' rookie QB Deshaun Watson going off for over 400 yards and top receiver DeAndre Hopkins putting up 224 receiving yards. At the same time, it's impressive that Seattle can win in a number of different ways. And they have also come up with the right answers late in games this season. They've blown teams out this season, won low-scoring battles, and emerged victorious in big shootouts like they had Sunday. With the run-game in the dumps, they've gotten more out of their aerial attack. And clutch play and difference-making playmaking has made a big difference on a defense that isn't quite as stout as in years past.
Wilson was big for the Seahawks on Sunday, throwing for 452 yards and four touchdowns, along with some nice runs. When it really counted, he was big with the late TD connection to Graham. A lot of different backs have tried to get footing in this run-game and more often than not, it has not worked out. On Sunday, the Seahawks didn't need it. Receivers Tyler Lockett and Paul Richardson were both big with over 100 yards, Richardson caught two TD passes, including a long one. Graham also had two TD grabs, including the critical last one. At some point, however, it would be nice if Eddie Lacy, Thomas Rawls, or someone else could step up in the ground-game, but opening holes for running backs is not this line's specialty. Wilson and this offense are now forced to take what they can get. But help is on the way with the Seahawks trading Jeremy Lane and future picks for Houston left tackle Duane Brown. Ending a holdout and playing his first game last week, Brown should boost a Seattle front that can use the help.
Seattle's defense had been pretty stingy, coming into last Sunday having allowed just 17 combined points in their last two games. Against Houston, they were hanging on for dear life at times and it was unusual to see the Legion of Boom exploited to such a degree by a rookie quarterback. For as porous as they were aerially, some big plays were also key in preventing a total free-for-all. Michael Bennett and Frank Clark applied a nice pass-rush. Earl Thomas took a Watson pick and returned it for a touchdown, while Richard Sherman picked off two passes.
The Redskins are facing a crisis situation heading into week 9. Injuries on both sides of the ball have robbed them of some of their menace. Offensively, there appears to be a big disconnect with some of their key guys going into the tank for long periods. They have been battered on the offensive line and secondary, with other areas getting peppered with injuries, as well. Since September 24, their only win is a narrow 26-24 win over a 49ers team that still hasn't won a game.
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Kirk Cousins isn't having his best season and it's not clear whose fault it is. He certainly shares some of the blame, but so does the line and an underachieving cast of playmakers. Terrelle Pryor's transition to a number-one type of receiver has not gone well at all. Jamison Crowder was big on Sunday, but the fact that they had to wait until week eight for him to deliver a solid showing says a lot. Their top receiver is RB Chris Thompson and that says a lot about the receiving crew. Former first-rounder Josh Doctson has three touchdowns, but working him into the offense consistently has been a big struggle. TE Jordan Reed has been quiet and got hurt on Sunday. And Robert Kelley (questionable) and Thompson have barely made a dent in the run-game this season.
The Washington defense could have been decent if not hit so hard by the injury bug. Getting Josh Norman back at CB will help a secondary that has been laboring. Against the Cowboys, they gave up only 143 yards from Dak Prescott, though Ezekiel Elliott was big with 150 yards rushing with two touchdowns. But week after week, about half of their top guys have been out of action and their replacements haven't always been up-to-snuff. Still, they were decent against Dallas, forcing a lot of field goal attempts, with 7 of Dallas' points coming on a defensive score. But more often than not, they are readily-exploitable.
This has the looks of a tough road trip for the Redskins. They aren't exactly flying high mentally and are really out-of-sync on offense facing a defense that will be looking to atone for an uncharacteristically-leaky showing this past Sunday. Still, the Redskins will be feeling more urgency than a Seattle team that is on a roll. It's not clear how much that will even matter. Not that the Redskins couldn't snap into shape, as they've done it before. I just see them heading the wrong way this week.
Loot's Prediction to Cover the Point Spread: I'm betting on the Seattle Seahawks minus 7 points. Tired of your credit card not working for sportsbook deposit? End that problem today and bet the Redskins vs. Seahawks by signing up at Bovada Sportsbook where your credit card WILL work and where you'll receive a generous 50% sign-up bonus!