In a surprising battle for first place in the NFC West, the Seattle Seahawks (7-5) visit the Arizona Cardinals (6-6). Our Seahawks vs Cardinals prediction is for underdog Seattle to keep the score within the 2.5-point spread.
Seattle has won three straight to capture sole possession of first place in the division. Arizona has lost two in a row after a four-game win streak.
Head-to-head — including a Seahawks 16-6 win two weeks ago — Seattle leads with a record of 28-22-1.
Offshore Odds: Arizona Favored by Less Than a Field Goal
| Team | Spread | Money Line | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seahawks | +2.5 (-105) | +125 | O 44.5 (-110) |
| Cardinals | -2.5 (-115) | -145 | U 44.5 (-110) |
Seattle’s Divisional Hopes May Hinge on This Game
Seattle escaped the New York Metro area after barely beating the Jets in Week 13. But in the NFL, a win is a win. That victory combined with Arizona’s one-point loss to Minnesota gave Seattle a one-game advantage over Arizona and the Los Angeles Rams in the division.
For much of the game, Seattle seemed to be sleepwalking, particularly on special teams. They surrendered two long kickoff returns including a 99-yard touchdown to Kene Nwangwu giving the Jets a 21-7 lead.
Still, Seattle fought back and took the lead for good with slightly more than five minutes remaining.
Seattle’s pass defense has tightened up significantly since losing four of five. In those games, they surrendered between 389 and 483 passing yards every week. They have been under 300 yards during their three-game win streak.
In their prior game against Arizona, they sacked Kyler Murray five times and held the Cardinals to 49 yards rushing. If they repeat that, win the turnover battle, and continue the trend of controlling the vertical game, they will win.
Arizona’s Favorable Schedule Makes This Game Essential
In Week 13, Arizona amassed a 19-6 lead with just under 20 minutes remaining. But the Vikings battled back. A Chad Ryland field goal gave the Cardinals a 22-16 lead with 3:20 to go.
Sam Darnold engineered a winning drive and threw a touchdown pass to Aaron Jones. Murray was intercepted as he tried to get into field goal range.
This is how the Cardinals’ year has gone in games decided by 10 or fewer points. They have inevitably come down to a play made or a play missed.
The positive for the Cardinals is that their schedule is favorable even if they lose to Seattle again. They play New England and Carolina — games in which they’ll be expected to win. The division title might come down to their final two games against the Rams and the 49ers. Seattle plays Green Bay, Minnesota, Chicago, and the Rams.
Arizona will need to run the ball effectively to win this game.
Seahawks vs Cardinals Prediction: Seattle Covers the Small Spread
Both teams have issues to navigate. Expect them to grapple similarly to their previous game and a very tight outcome with Seattle keeping it within 2.5 points.
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