Denver Broncos vs Seattle Seahawks Week 1 NFL Preview and Prediction September 12, 2022
Posted 4 years ago | Betting Previews and Predictions, NFL | 5 comments
Denver vs Seattle September 12, 2022 @ Seattle WA
Opening Odds
Spread: Denver -6.5, Seattle +6.5
Moneyline: Denver -245, Seattle +210
Total:43
Preview
It’s a fantastic storyline with Russell Wilson returning to the Emerald City in Week 1 for a Monday Night Football matchup versus the Seahawks. The nine time Pro Bowler won a Super Bowl for Seattle in 2014, and he won a record 98 games with the Seahawks in his first nine seasons.
These teams are trending in opposite directions, with the Seahawks in rebuild mode while Denver fancies itself as a Super Bowl contender. These teams have played just four times since 2010, and the home teams is 3-1 straight up in those games.
The public is firmly backing the Broncos here with 76% of bettors favoring Denver. Historically it’s been a bad idea to bet against this Seattle team as home underdog. The Seahawks are 7-7 straight up as a home underdog since 2012, and they only lost twice by more than seven points during that span.
Denver Broncos
- 7-10 overall in 2021
- 1-5 in the AFC West in 2021
- 8-9 against the spread in 2021
There is plenty of optimism in Denver heading into the 2022 season. Denver’s odds to win the Super Bowl went from +2500 to +1200 immediately after the news broke that they had acquired Russell Wilson.
They are still underdogs to win the AFC West, with both Kansas City and the LA Chargers getting shorter odds to win the division. Wilson steps in to an offense that had a solid running game a year ago, Javonte Williams and Melvin Gordon ran for a combined 1,821 yards and 17 touchdowns.
The receiving corps underachieved, but the coaching staff is hopeful that this will be remedied by an upgrade at quarterback. The offensive line remains average, and the status of right tackle Billy Turner is in question for Week 1.
The Broncos had the 3rd best scoring defense in the NFL in 2021, but that may have been a little misleading. They ranked 21st in takeaways and really didn’t pressure opposing quarterbacks.
Seattle Seahawks
- 7-10 overall in 2021
- 3-3 in the NFC West in 2021
- 9-8 against the spread in 2021
The biggest question mark heading into the 2022 season for Seattle is who will start at quarterback. To say that this question was answered in the pre-season wouldn’t be very accurate.
Geno Smith played in all three games, throwing for a combined 256 yards with no touchdowns and no interceptions on 59 percent passing. Drew Lock tested positive for Covid, and didn’t play in the first game. He finished with 273 yards with three touchdowns and three interceptions on 62 percent passing.
Whoever is under center for the Seahawks will have no shortage of talent to work with. DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett combined for over 2,000 receiving yards and 20 touchdowns last season.
The “Legion of Boom” was once the most feared defense in the NFL, but in recent seasons this Seahawks secondary hasn’t stopped anybody. Only the Baltimore Ravens allowed more passing yards per game than Seattle in 2021.
Relevant Trends
- The Broncos are 1-5 ATS in their last six road games.
- The Broncos are 1-4-1 ATS in their last six games on Monday Night Football.
- The Seahawks are 16-7 ATS in their last 23 games as an underdog.
- The under is 8-3 in the Broncos last 11 games overall.
- The under is 10-4 in the Seahawks last 14 game on Monday Night Football.
Prediction: Denver 24 – Seattle 20
We saw Geno Smith play in four games for the Seahawks last year, and sure he didn’t look all that great. The fact is that Seattle went 1-3 straight up in those games but went 3-1 against the spread as a 6+ point underdog. This line appears to be a little inflated for a Week 1 matchup in a notoriously hostile environment. We have the Broncos winning, but it might be closer than some might expect.
Before you make a move on any Week 1 games, be sure to check our leaderboards featuring the biggest winners in the pre-season, as well as last year’s NFL leaderboard. If you are looking for the top rated NFL handicapper of all time, check out Scott “The Bulldog” Rickenbach on his handicapper page.
5 comments on Denver Broncos vs Seattle Seahawks Week 1 NFL Preview and Prediction September 12, 2022
The Seattle Seahawks getting almost a touchdown at home? These people betting on Denver must be crazy. This preview and prediction looks about right. I can see Seattle going up 20-17 in the final two minutes, and then Russell Wilson with a game winning drive to walk it off! That’s my prediction.
Watching a lot of previews and predictions on Youtube. It seems like every professional handicapper on the Internet likes the Seattle Seahawks plus the points here in Week 1 versus Denver on Monday night. Hard to see Denver not winning this, but I guess it is a lot of points for a road favorite to cover.
Denver Broncos gonna be good with Russell Wilson. Week 1 at Seattle he gonna go off! I take Russ in all my fan duel. prediction Denver 31 – Seattle 9
Who in their right mind is betting on a road favorite -6.5 points in Week 1. These teams both won seven games last year, the Broncos aren’t 7-points better than the Seahawks. My week 1 prediction for this game is that Seattle stuns Denver with a 23-20 win in overtime. The 12th man strikes again! Underdogs are money in Week 1 … you heard it here first! Take it to the bank!
We don’t need a preview and prediction for this game! Monday Night Football, Week 1 Broncos vs Seahawks? The return of Russell Wilson! This isn’t a game we should be worried about betting on, this is the one game in Week 1 that we should just sit back and watch and enjoy. Thank you to the schedule makers for gifting us this epic matchup for the first Monday Night Football game of the season. My prediction is that it’s gonna be a good game!