Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-12) 4-9 ATS, 6-7 O/U at Seattle Seahawks (5-8) 5-8 ATS, 6-7 O/U, NFL Week 15, Sunday December 20, 2009 Qwest Field Seattle, Washington 4:05 p.m. EST
By Wilson of Predictem.com
Point Spread: Tampa Bay +6.5/Seattle -6.5
Over/Under: 39.5
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What can you say about the Seattle Seahawks? They are searching for answers and first year head coach Jim Mora is the first to admit his guys are all under the spotlight. Mora admitted that his entire offensive line was in jeopardy and he hinted that there would be some serious questions posed in the coming weeks as to who really wants to be a part of the Hawks growth progress. Mora was beside himself after the Hawks were destroyed by the Houston Texans last week. Seattle apparently has great practices but when game time rolls around they forget how to get up for the challenge. Will Tampa Bay pose a threat to the Hawks at home? No.
The only win on the season for the Bucs was on November 8 against the Green Bay Packers 38-28. Tampa Bay sits last in the NFC South at 1-12 while the Seahawks are in third place in the NFC West. Both of these teams are having a forgettable season.
Seattle has won 2 of the last 3 meetings with the most recent loss coming last season at Tampa Bay 20-10.
The Bucs are 0-6 SU, 3-3 ATS, and 3-3 O/U on the road this season. Tampa Bay is also 1-12 SU, 4-9 ATS, and 6-7 O/U as the underdog.
The Seahawks are 4-2 SU, 4-2 ATS, and 2-4 O/U at Qwest Field. Seattle is 4-0 SU, 4-0 TS, and 2-2 O/U as the favorite this season.
It will be interesting to see how the Seahawks respond to coach Moras offensive line shake down. Mora has reportedly named Max Unger as the starting center this week over veteran Chris Spencer. The O-line has one week to prepare at their new positions before the Bucs come scrounging for a win. I dont think Mora is too concerned about the outcome of this more than his concern for the future of his O-line.
The Hawks are averaging 19 points per game and 314 yards of total offense with 223 yards through the air and 91 yards on the ground. Defensively, Seattle allows 23.2 points per game and they yield 358 total offensive yards to the opposition with 254 in the air and 104 yards rushing.
Tampa Bay is averaging 14 points per contest and 278 yards of total offense. The Bucs gain 179 yards passing and 98 yards rushing per game. Defensively, the Bucs allow 27.4 points per game to their opponent. They give up 361 yards of total offense with 200 yards in passing and 161 yards to the run.
The QB Matchup will favor Hasselbeck at home but he might not have time to do much if his new O-line fails to block for him. Hasselbeck has a QB rating of 83, and he has thrown for 2400 yards, 14 TDs and 8 INTs. Hasselbeck has a 61 percent completion rate. Tampa Bays QB, Josh Freeman, has a QB rating of 55.4. Freeman has tossed 7 TDs and 13 INTs. He has a 52 percent completion rate.
This may not be the game of the week but for these two teams it could be foreshadowing for the future. Both coaches are under pressure to find ways to win. Mora is calling out his O-line while on the other sideline; Morris is trying to groom a rookie QB. The NFL is no different than working in the real world- the people at the top demand results that benefit the business. If your product is mediocre or just plain terrible, well, you wont be in business too long.
Wilsons Pick: Seattle 42, Tampa Bay 9. I think Seattle responds to Mora by blowing out the Bucs.
