Seattle Seahawks (0-0 SU, 0-0 ATS) vs. Arizona Cardinal (0-0 SU, 0-0 ATS)
NFL Week 1
Date/Time: Sunday September 9, 2012 4:25 p.m. EST.
Where: University of Phoenix Stadium
TV: FOX
by Wilson, Football Handicapper, Predictem.com
Point Spread: Sea -2.5/Ar +2.5
Over/Under Total: 40.5
The Seattle Seahawks have shaken things up a bit leading into this Sundays season opener versus the Arizona Cardinals. A guy who was playing minor league baseball just a couple of years ago not too far from Seattle in a small Columbia River community is projected to start behind center for the Hawks in the desert Sunday afternoon. What? Wheres Flynn? Oh yeah, he got beat out for the job by Russell Wilson former minor leaguer turned college QB turned starting Pro QBthats all. The Hawks will have questions to answer in this opener and Wilson will prove to be the right guy, not only does he have a great last name but the guy is solid so far with his decision making and he can scramble too. When a QB can be a triple threat (smart, pass & run) then defensive opponents better watch out.
On the other side of the field, Arizona QB John Skelton will have his go-to guy in Larry Fitzgerald but hes not the only weapon as Michael Floyd has fans excited and should offer Skelton opportunities all over the field. Arizonas running game can be solid if Beanie Wells can stay healthy but Ryan Williams is about to break into the starting lineup as well; he will force Wells to step up his game or lose the job. But will it matter if the O-line cant open the holes? This is where Arizona will likely struggle. The Cardinals O-line is suspect and will have trouble fighting off a very tough Seahawk defense.
Seattles defense is hungry to get the regular season going. Chris Clemons will put a lot pressure up front while the Hawks have a ton of talent lurking in the secondary with Brandon Browner and Richard Sherman locking the corners while safeties Thomas and Chancellor cleanup any leftovers. But it will ultimately be Seattles defensive line that will crack the Cards early and often with Scruggs, Irvin, Howard and Jones working hard in the trenches.
Sidney Rice will be the Hawks man offensive threat down the field and Braylon Edwards will contribute as well. Golden Tate is supposed to be more involved this season but he is coming off injury, so it may be progressive. The tough part for the Cardinals will be getting protection from the O-line; without that they will suffer and the Hawks D-line is nasty good.
Russell Wilson shined in the preseason but it is the preseason after all. He probably wont be able to dissect defenses as easy as he did while earning the starting job over Flynn but Sunday should give football fans a good idea what he has to offer. The boys in Vegas have catered to the Seahawks changes and the line has shifted in Seattle favor at -2.5.
The Seahawks are better in just about every category and definitely better where it may count the mostdefensively. Arizona will be bogged down by an O-line that gets blown up by the Hawks. Russell Wilson continues to shine for the newlook Hawks offense and Pete Carroll gets props for benching the multi-million dollar Flynn.
Wilson’s Pick to Cover the Point Spread: But not so fast! Winning on the road in the NFL is no gimme. Arizona will struggle but do just enough to win this game straight up. Luck to ya.
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