For as crowded the NFC West competition is this season, oddsmakers say the division still has some unknown depth.
When lines opened for Week 4 between the Cardinals and Seahawks, Arizona was favored by 2.5 points.
But Seattle’s eruption for 75 total points over the past two weeks has swung the line three points in its direction in what’s nearly a pick’em now.
A lot of the unclarity lies with what the Seahawks really have in Sam Darnold, who is beginning to look more like his Vikings self after averaging 256.5 passing yards in those two wins — albeit against the Saints and Steelers.
Whether those wins were a viable litmus test or not, Seattle is one of the NFL‘s most efficient teams.
It has risen to the No. 2 overall team in EPA rating, which measures how much each play increases a team’s chances of scoring, based on the situation — like down, distance and field position.
Transitive property should always be taken with a grain of salt in sports.
But for what it’s worth, the Cardinals floundered against the pedestrian Saints; they were out-gained and won by a possession.
Meanwhile, the Seahawks stepped on their throats for three unanswered scores in the first quarter and posted 44 points.
Mike Macdonald has established balance on both sides of the ball through this small sample size: the Seahawks are ranked within the top 10 in both yards per play gained (5.6) and allowed (4.7).
Betting on the NFL?
With James Conner now gone, it’s an uphill climb on Seattle turf for Kyler Murray in a Cards offense where moving the chains has come at a premium.
Let’s follow the market shift and join the strong sharp and public agreement on Seattle.
THE PLAY: Seahawks -1.5 (-105, FanDuel)
Why Trust New York Post Betting
Sean Treppedi handicaps the NFL, NHL, MLB and college football for the New York Post. He primarily focuses on picks that reflect market value while tracking trends to mitigate risk.
[Notigroup Newsroom in collaboration with other media outlets, with information from the following sources]
