Note: We at The Seahawk not only understand but support the nation’s undying love affair with the NFL. In an effort to do our part, we’ve decided to install a weekly series of NFL discussions. Picks and analysis from Mcleod Brown, Cam Ellis, Evan Edwards and John Levering. This week, Cam Ellis and John Levering take a look at the games. Agree? Disagree? Let us know what you think @TheSeahawk

Buffalo at (-11) New Orleans

Levering: New Orleans enters this week’s matchup coming off their Bye Week, and I think they will improve on their 5-1 record. Buffalo is 3-4 and is coming off a victory in Miami last week.

The Saints are balanced on both sides of the ball, but I think the biggest reason they will win this week is their passing. Drew Brees is having another fantastic season. He ranks fifth in passing TDs and passing yards, but that is slightly deceiving.

Brees is the only QB in the top 5 to have had a Bye Week, so his numbers are based on six games as opposed to seven. He’s been helped by his favorite target, TE Jimmy Graham, who ranks first in receiving yards for TEs. Graham’s 37 receptions are a team best, but Brees has a number of viable options to throw to, especially out of the backfield.

RBs Pierre Thomas and Darren Sproles have both made an impact in the receiving categories. Thomas has 29 receptions for 195 yards and 2 TDs. Sproles has 32 receptions for 366 yards and a TD. Sproles ranks second in both receptions and receiving yards for the Saints.

The only weakness for the Saints is their running game. They rank 22^nd in total rushing yards, but this week is a great chance to turn that around. Buffalo ranks 28^th in rushing yards allowed, and in five out of their seven games they have allowed 120 yards rushing or more.

It’s a shame that E.J. Manuel hurt his knee earlier in the season, because the Bills are a more intriguing team with him in the lineup. QB Thad Lewis has done a decent job filling in for Manuel, but he certainly doesn’t have the same appeal that Manuel does.

The Bills’ defense has been an enigma so far this season. They rank 22^nd in points allowed and 24^th in yards allowed, but they have been able to force a ridiculous amount of turnovers. Buffalo ranks 7^th in turnover differential, including first in INTs forced. The old, beat-to-death adage that football analysts and coaches always refer to is something along the lines of, “if you win the turnover battle, you have a great chance at winning the game.” However, that’s not the case with Buffalo, but that shouldn’t be much of a surprise.

Buffalo has a lot of talent on both sides of the ball, but they aren’t a complete team yet. A comparison would be the 2012 Chiefs, who went 2-14, but had 5 Pro Bowlers on their roster.

The Bills have a chance at making this game close (or at least covering the spread), and it revolves around their running game. Buffalo ranks first in rushing attempts, fifth in rushing yards, and sixth in rushing TDs. On the flip side, the Saints rank 22^nd in rushing yards allowed. I don’t think the RB tandem of C.J. Spiller and Fred Jackson is enough for Buffalo to beat New Orleans, but it’s their best chance at doing so. New Orleans over Buffalo. 

 

Miami at (-6) New England

Levering: New England and Miami both look to get back in the win column after dropping games last week. The Dolphins lost a close one to Buffalo, and New England lost a controversial game to the Jets. A quick recap of the NE-Jets game: there was a flag thrown on the Patriots during an OT field goal attempt, which allowed the Jets another chance to kick. The Jets capitalized on the second attempt, but the controversy was in whether or not the flag should’ve been called (it shouldn’t have), and the fact that Jets’ coach Rex Ryan told the officials to look for NE pushing players into the offensive line. Bottom line: New England got robbed, and they will win this week.

QB Tom Brady does not have Tom Brady-like numbers this year, but he hasn’t had the same level of talent around this season. That being said, he’s still Tom Brady and is still more than capable of leading game-winning drives (the latest example was against New Orleans two weeks ago).

WRs Danny Amendola (concussion), Julian Edelman (thigh), and TE Rob Gronkowski (back) all had limited participation in practice this week. Gronkowski is listed as probable, which is great news for New England. Last week, Gronkowski has 8 receptions for 114 yards in his first game of the season. Edelman leads the Pats in receptions and receiving yards.

Once New England is fully healthy again, they will be a much tougher team to play, but, for the time being, they have their weaknesses. For now, the Pats have to rely on their defense and hope that the offense can put enough points on the board to win.

The Dolphins are 3-3 and all of their statistics solidify their status as an average football team. They are ranked 17^th in points scored and 20^th in points allowed. Unfortunately for Miami, their pass defense is worse than their run defense. The Dolphins rank 25^th in passing yards allowed, while ranking 15^th in rushing yards allowed. That doesn’t bode well for a team facing Tom Brady.

The only hesitation in picking New England is the uncertainty surrounding which of their players will be healthy enough to play. Despite that, the Pats have too many advantages over the Dolphins for it to be a serious concern. New England over Miami.

Ellis: This wasn’t my game to cover, but I felt compelled to officially complain about last week’s Pats-Jets game. That’s all.

New York Jets at (-6) Cincinnati

Levering: Is anyone else surprised the Jets have a winning record? In the off-season, the Jets traded away the best CB in football, and drafted a “franchise” QB, who might not have between out Mark Sanchez if it weren’t for Sanchez getting injured in the preseason. The reason why the Jets having a winning record is surprising is because of the fact that none of their stats indicate they would be a competitive team.

On offense, the Jets rank 24^th in points scored, but they rank 4^th in turnovers. The Jets have a 16.5 percent turnover rate, which means that 16.5 percent of their offensive drives end in turnovers (For perspective, the Titans have a 6.3 percent turnover rate and the Colts have a 6.4 percent turnover rate). The Jets have a -28 point differential, which is baffling for a team with a winning record, and they rank 29^th in turnover differential.

What does all this mean? The Jets do almost everything a football team shouldn’t do, but they’ve been fortunate enough to win games in spite of this. But the Jets’ offense might be a tad too weak to move the ball against Cincinnati.

The Bengals’ defense ranks seventh in points allowed and ninth in yards allowed. Their run defense is stronger than their pass defense, which is beneficial because the Jets are more of a running team (The Jets are sixth in running attempts and 28^th in passing attempts). The Bengals’ defense will be the reason why they win this game.

On offense, Cincinnati has struggled to score, but they have been able to move the ball relatively well. The Bengals rank 12^th in yards gained and 22^nd in points scored. This week they have a chance to improve on finishing drives. The Jets defense doesn’t give up many yards, ranking fourth in yards allowed, but they give up a considerable amount of points, ranking 18^th in points allowed. QB Andy Dalton should be able to take advantage of the Jets’ secondary, which has only 2 INTs on the year.

This game will be fairly close, but the Bengals have too many things going for them to pick the Jets. Unless this game goes to OT, and the Jets gets a fortunate second attempt at kicking a field goal, the Bengals will improve to 6-2 and drop the Jets to 4-4. Bengals over Jets.

Pittsburgh (-2.5) at Oakland

Levering: This is the battle of 2-4 teams with terrible offenses and slightly above average defenses. That feels weird to write, considering that the Steelers are two years removed from a 12-4 record and three years removed from a Super Bowl appearance. The Raiders are coming off a Bye Week, and the Steelers are coming off a 19-16 win over the Ravens.

Oakland hasn’t put 28 points on the board once this season, and has scored 20-plus points only twice. That won’t improve this week against Pittsburgh, who ranks sixth in yards allowed and 13^th in points allowed. The Raiders’ best chance at winning revolves around their ability to run the football. Oakland is ranked eighth in rushing yards, due in large part to RB Darren McFadden and QB Terrelle Pryor. McFadden leads the team in carries and is second in rushing yards, behind Pryor.

The Raiders have stuck to a very balanced game plan this season, running the ball 165 times and passing it 173 times, but that will have to change a little this week if Oakland wants to win.

The Steelers have one of the best pass defenses in the NFL. Pittsburgh has given up the fewest amount of passing TDs this year and ranks fourth in passing yards allowed. In a season marked by struggles, the Steelers’ pass defense is the lone bright spot.

Overall, the Steelers’ defense is good, but is a far cry from the intimidating defenses they’ve been known for in years past. One glaring difference this year for Pittsburgh is their inability to force turnovers. So far, they have only two takeaways on the season. When they last went to the Super Bowl, Pittsburgh had 35 takeaways on the year.

On offense, the Steelers’ woes have been numerous. They’ve struggled immensely to put points on the board, ranking 28^th in points scored. Pittsburgh’s running game is almost non-existent this season. So far, the Steelers rank 27^th in rushing yards, which has not helped in their 2-4 campaign. The most glaring problem for the Steelers is their turnovers. Pittsburgh has turned the ball over 12 times (5 INTs and 7 fumbles lost). For those keeping track at home, Pittsburgh’s -10 turnover differential puts them 31^st in the league.

If Oakland can run the ball, this game will likely end in their favor. Pittsburgh has struggled so much this year that it’s hard to pick them. The Steelers’ best chance is being able to force Oakland into turning the ball over. That seems a little too much to ask of Pittsburgh this year, though. Oakland over Pittsburgh. 

San Francisco (-15.5) at Jacksonville

Ellis: As someone who has been to EverBank Field, I can tell you that the 49’ers actually are lucky that they’re playing this game in London. What’s there to say about the Jaguars? Their historically poor play has all the feelings of an 0-16 season, but I don’t think it happens. After San Francisco, the Jaguars don’t play another team over .500 until the last week of the season, when they play a Colts team that will, in all likelihood, be resting some starters for a presumed playoff run.

They still have two games against the Texans (2-5), two games against the Titans (3-4), as well as match-ups with the Cardinals (3-4), Bills (3-4), and Browns (3-4). Cheers to the NFL scheduling committee. I thought that Jags fans threw QB Blaine Gabbert under the bus a bit early, but getting benched for Chad Henne isn’t helping my cause. Between the two of them, they have three passing TD’s on the year. If there’s a silver lining, Jags fans should take some comfort knowing the name Mariota looks nice on funky green jerseys.

With that said, NFL games played overseas tend to be a bit sloppy, for all the obvious reasons. If the Jaguars were to catch the 49’ers sleeping, it would be the week where San Francisco had to travel 5,371 miles to play for 60 minutes. But go ahead Goodell, throw a team in London. San Fran is rolling right now, winners of their previous 4 games. Getting Crabtree back in a month will do wonders for an offense whose play has been mediocre through the first half of the season. San Francisco over Jacksonville. 

Dallas (+3) at Detroit

Ellis: I’ll take the over on the points total, regardless of what it’s set at. (It’s 51.) These two teams are shockingly similar on paper. They both share the same record, (4-3) have prolific offenses, (Cowboys third in points and 13^th in yards, Lions eighth in points and seventh in yards) and woeful defenses. (Cowboys 15^th in points allowed and 29^th in yards allowed, Lions 21^st in points allowed and 31^st in yards allowed) Matt Stafford and Tony Romo may be blood relatives– let’s not rule it out. In 2013:

Romo: 181-265, (68.3%) 2010 yds, 15 TD’s, 5 INT’s, 64.15 QBR

Stafford: 178-290, (61.4%) 2129 yds, 15 TD’s, 4 INT’s, 63.85 OBR

Not bad for two franchises whose fan bases seem to constantly doubt their quarterback. The consistent criticism of Romo is particularly confusing to me. Yes, he dropped the PAT against the Seahawks. Yes, he looked lost in the 28-18 season-ending/soul-crushing loss to rival Washington last year.

But a decade into his career, Romo has the 6^th best passing completion of all time, (65%) has been to 3 pro-bowls, and is on pace to throw close to 60,000 career passing yards. Speculation is only worth so much, but I think Dallas fans will miss Romo more than they think once he’s gone. This feels like a turning point game for both teams, especially with Dallas playing in the abysmal NFC East. It’s a coin flip, but Detroit over Dallas. 

NY Giants (+5) at Philadelphia

Ellis: Speaking of the NFC East! Doesn’t it seem like these teams are playing each other every week? This game offers casual psychology fans quite the unstoppable force paradox. The Giants have yet to win on the road during their thrilling 1-7 season and Philly hasn’t won a home game in nine tries. What’s going to happen? Why isn’t this the Sunday night game? The NFC East just doesn’t get the attention it deserves.

Eli’s been bad, but being the scapegoat for throwing a high number of interceptions is unfair; he’s always been prone to turn the ball over. The problem with New York is it’s complete abandonment of the run this season. A look at their rushing totals through 8 games:

9/8: 14 rushes for 50 yds, 36-31 loss to Dallas

9/15: 19 rushes for 23 yds, 41-23 loss to Denver

9/22: 16 rushes for 60 yds, 38-0 loss to Carolina

9/29: 21 rushes for 98 yds, 31-7 loss to Kansas City

10/6: 17 rushes for 53 yds, 36-21 loss to Philadelphia

10/10: 26 rushes for 123 yds, 27-21 loss to Chicago

10/21: 32 rushes for 64 yds, 23-7 win against Minnesota

To be fair, what can you really expect from the David Wilson-Brandon Jacobs tandem? This one has some serious clunker potential.  The points total is set at 50, which seems high to me. Philly’s offense might be more efficient with Foles under center, but it certainly isn’t as enjoyable to watch. This game feels like a field goal fiesta waiting to happen: Philadelphia over NY Giants. 

Cleveland (+7.5) at Kansas City

Ellis: Is Kansas City for real? There’s no question that the Andy Reid makeover is impressive, but I’m not ready to pencil in a Denver-KC AFC Championship just yet. Let us not all forget that the 2011 Packers, who went 15-1 during the regular season, only to get embarrassed at home by the Giants in the divisional round. What about the 2010 Patriots, who went 14-2 and got upended by the 6-seed Jets in Foxboro. There’s just something about this Kansa City team that seems phony.

Do Chiefs fans really believe Alex Smith can win 3 playoff games? Andy Reid is going to have to manage the late game clock at some point, and Eagles fans would be happy to let you know what that experience is like. I will say, it’s Week 8 and the Andy Reid-Kool Aid Man comparisons have yet to get old. I’m starting to think they never will and am 150% on board with it.

My interest in the Chiefs will remain dormant until after their bye, when in a span of four weeks they get to play Peyton Manning twice, Phillip Rivers and RGIII. November should be a telling month for anxious Kansas City fans/Kool Aid enthusiasts. I think any chance for a team to sneak up on the Chiefs comes next week as KC plays Buffalo heading into their bye. Chiefs over Browns.

Washington at (-11) Denver

Levering: Disclaimer: I’m a Redskins fan. Last week, Peyton Manning had a tough game against Indianapolis, who was able to stunt the Broncos ability to move the ball. As a Redskins fan, all I could think was how perfect it was for Manning to lose his first game, before coming home to play Washington.

If he needed a little extra motivation, he has it. Last week, Washington won their second game of the year in a 45-41 victory over Chicago. However, that was against a Chicago team that lost QB Jay Cutler to an injury in the second quarter.

Up until last week, the Broncos’ offense looked unstoppable. This season, they’ve averaged 42.6 points per game and have a 101 points differential (they are scoring, on average, 14.4 points a game), which ranks them first in the NFL in both categories. Denver also ranks first in yards gained. Despite last week’s speed bump against the Colts, Denver will be able to take advantage of an injured Redskins’ secondary.

Safety Brandon Merriweather is serving a one-game suspension for illegal hits. The suspension was originally two games, but was reduced to one, after Merriweather’s appeal. Washington’s other starting Safety, Reed Doughty, is questionable to play Sunday. Doughty has a concussion and if he can’t play, Washington’s secondary will be a mix-bag of CBs and Safeties that are inexperienced. I never thought I’d say this (especially during the Joe Gibbs or Jim Zorn years), but Reed Doughty is one of the few chances Washington has at keeping this game close.

This season, Washington’s defense has struggled mightily. They rank 25^th in yards allowed and 30^th in points allowed. Peyton Manning will be able to exploit the Redskins’ defense, baring some sort of miracle.

Last week, I said that one of the ways the Redskins could beat the Bears would be to finish drives with TDs as opposed to FGs. That’s exactly what happened, and the outcome was positive. While that remains true this week, I’m not sure how much of a difference that will make. The Redskins had trouble containing 2nd-string QB, Josh McCown, which is why I think Denver will win handedly.

Denver has way too much offensive firepower to seriously consider picking the Redskins this week. I wish that one week I could say nice things about my favorite team, and pick them to win, but it hasn’t happened yet this season. Denver over Washington. 

Ellis: This is the best game of the week in an otherwise fairly unexciting slate of match-ups. I love all the potential this game has. As a football fan, I’m obliged to appreciate great defensive match-ups, but I will happily choose to watch a 50-45 game 10 out of 10 times. It’s the same thing with pitchers duels. Yeah, a Steven Strasburg-Matt Harvey duel is great to watch, but who wouldn’t—secretly or not—want to watch a 10-9 game.

As our resident Redskins fan, I’m impressed and disappointed that Mr. Levering got through 600 words on the Redskins without discussing the naming fiasco taking place in our nation’s capital, Landover, Maryland. For those who missed it: This week, Aris Mardirossian, a “wealthy patent investor” and friend/next door neighbor of Redskins owner Dan Snyder registered the name WASHINGTON BRAVEHEARTS as well as purchasing the domain name www.washingtonbravehearts.com. So many questions:

– What does ‘Bravehearts’ have to do with anything?

– Although the Skins have denied it, what else could this possibly be for?

– Will 2% or 3% of Skins fans be happy with that name change?

– Is it easy to become a wealthy patent investor?

I feel an upset here! Yes I’m well aware that Denver is at home and they’re coming off a loss and Peyton Manning is on pace to throw 300 touchdowns and the Redskins are on pace to allow 300 touchdowns, but I still like the upset here. RGIII is finally starting to look like RGII again, (all in for week 8?) and I think any game that has no defensive edge is more of a toss up than people expect. As RGIII gets healthier, I expect Kyle Shanahan and Co. to start calling more runs for the duel-threat QB. Whoever has the ball last is going to win this game. Washington over Denver.

Atlanta at (-2.5) Arizona

Ellis: What strange times we live in. The Chiefs are great, the Jets are the better New York team, and Arizona is favored over Atlanta. What’s next, an NFL team in London? One has to feel for Matt Ryan after losing both Roddy White and Julio Jones. Tony Gonzalez works great in that offense when he’s the second or third option for the first 80 yards. The WR tandem helped space the field beautifully for Gonzalez in the red zone. With no WR’s and an absent running game, what does Atlanta have? (Answer: a 2-4 record!)

Arizona, it’s time to let Larry Fitzgerald leave. If you love something, learn to let it go. One of this generation’s great talents, Fitzgerald has spent his career catching passes from a list of QB’s that include: Josh McCown, Shaun King, John Navarre, Matt Leinart, Kurt Warner, (and not the ‘greatest show on turf’ Warner) Derek Anderson, John Skelton and Kevin Kolb, to name a few.

The remarkable thing is that in an age where WR’s like Terrell Owens, Chad Johnson and Randy Moss can complain their way into better situations, Fitzgerald has said nothing. He’ll be on the wrong side of 30 at the start of next season and who deserves a 2004 Karl Malone situation more than Fitzgerald? What would be more fitting than to see Fitzgerald team up with an aging Tom Brady and a less invested Bill Belichick to give it a couple more whirls in New England? A boy can dream. Atlanta over Arizona.

Levering: Who thought the Cardinals would not only be favorites in this game, but also have a better record than Atlanta? I didn’t, and I’m hard-pressed to think a majority of people would’ve predicted that. The Cardinals are on a two-game losing streak, and the Falcons are coming off their second win of the year, following an ugly win over the Buccaneers (the 0-7 Buccaneers).

Atlanta’s record is slightly deceiving. They have lost their four games by an average of 3.25 points. I know a loss is still a loss, but there are certainly worse ways to lose. The Falcons’ biggest strength is their offense, which ranks ninth in both points scored and yards gained. QB Matt Ryan is having a phenomenal year, ranking third in both QB rating (105.5) and passing yards per game (320). That being said, he is without his two favorite WRs, Roddy White and Julio Jones. White is listed as doubtful with a thigh injury and Jones is on the IR with a foot injury.

The Falcons have failed to establish anything that resembles a running game. Atlanta ranks 30^th in rushing yards and 32^nd in rushing attempts. That likely won’t improve this week, since Arizona has a great run defense, ranking seventh in rushing yards allowed.

Arizona’s 3-4 record is very indicative of their abilities as a football team. The Cardinals have been able to win three games, despite their -28 point differential. Arizona’s defense is their strength, but by league standards it’s relatively average. The Cardinals rank 16^th in yards allowed and 17^th in points allowed.

This week the Cardinals are helped by the fact that Atlanta is without Roddy White and Julio Jones, which will allow Arizona to focus more on TE Tony Gonzalez. So far this season, Arizona has six players on defense with an INT, and CB Patrick Peterson leads the team with 3 INTs. It will be interesting to see how Matt Ryan is able to throw the ball without his favorite targets. Arizona will benefit from Atlanta’s injuries, but I’m not sure if it’ll be enough to win.

The Cardinals’ offense is anemic, and QB Carson Palmer has taken a liking to throwing INTs. Arizona ranks 25^th in points scored and 29^th in yards gained. This week will be a great opportunity for Atlanta’s defense to force turnovers, and help their injured offense out. It’s hard to pick a team that is missing two of its best players, but it’s harder to pick a team with Carson Palmer as its QB. Atlanta over Arizona.

Green Bay (-9.5) at Minnesota

Levering: One of the headlines this week was “Who should trade for Adrian Peterson?” I’m serious. That was one of the topics discussed this week. It’s hard to imagine the Vikings trading their star player, but stranger things have happened. The Vikings and Peterson have both underperformed this season, and they are coming off a loss to the NY Giants (the 1-6 NY Giants). Green Bay has fared better this season, and currently sits atop the NFC North.

The Vikings have used three starting QBs this year, and only Matt Cassel has a win. Matt Cassel. Newly acquired QB, Josh Freeman, is doubtful with a concussion, which means the Vikings are turning to Christian Ponder; the same Christian Ponder who led Minnesota to a 10-6 record last season. Green Bay’s defense must be salivating at the thought of Ponder lining up under center.

As at team, Minnesota ranks 19^th in points scored and 25^th in yards gained. Adrian Peterson has had good numbers this season, but they haven’t been Adrian Peterson-like numbers. Last week, Peterson had 28 yards on 13 carries against the Giants’ run defense, which is ranked 21^st in rushing yards allowed. Granted, Adrian Peterson is capable of having a 200-yard performance at any given time, but this week it’ll be much more difficult.

Green Bay’s run defense ranks third in rushing yards allowed, and is one the Packers’ strengths. While the Packers have a poor pass defense, it likely won’t make a difference this week. The Packers rank 24^th in passing yards allowed, but they are facing Christian Ponder, who hasn’t played since Week 3. Green Bay’s defense only has three INTs this year, but that has the potential to double this week.

On offense, the Packers have the clear advantage. Green Bay ranks second in yards gained and fourth in points scored. Minnesota doesn’t pose much of a threat on defense, ranking 27^th in yards allowed and 29^th in points allowed. There are too many question marks surrounding Minnesota to pick them this week. Green Bay over Minnesota.

Ellis: I’ll listen to these trade rumors, if only because speculation makes professional sports more enjoyable. As long as it’s not speculation over Brett Favre, Tim Tebow or Alex Rodriguez, I’m down with it. The team everyone seemed to be gravitating towards in regards to a trading partner was the Dallas Cowboys. Out of all teams. Usually you can throw these trade rumors aside, but Jerry Jones has made a point to continually remind anyone listening that he hates the status quo. Our generation’s Herschel Walker trade, perhaps?

I don’t see this happening during the season, but I think Minnesota GM Rick Speilman will take a nice long look at this in the offseason. Minnesota is 3 years away from hitting the redo button, and by the time that happens Peterson won’t be worth nearly as much. The running back position isn’t the organizational cornerstone that it used to be, either. The physical wear of a stronger, faster league coupled with its ideological shift towards passing offenses have made running backs a commodity, but not a necessity.

If Speilman could get the Cowboys—any organization, really—to give up the farm for 3 years of declining Peterson production, why not pull the trigger? Green Bay over Minnesota.

Seattle (-11) at St. Louis

Levering: St. Louis is in dire straits after losing QB Sam Bradford to an ACL tear. How bad is the Rams’ situation? They reached out to Brett Favre this week, and then head coach Jeff Fischer refused to comment on it. Favre was never a realistic option to fill in for the Rams, but it highlights how bad things are about to get in St. Louis. This week, they face the   6-1 Seahawks, who are coming off a 34-22 win over the Cardinals.

The Seahawks have one of the strongest teams in the NFL. They are incredibly talented on both sides of the ball, and they don’t make many mistakes. QB Russell Wilson is a large reason for the offensive success that Seattle has had. Wilson is not flashy as a passer, but he doesn’t make many errors and he is great as a leader. His main strength is his ability to scramble and run the ball. Wilson has 323 yards rushing on 58 carries, which ranks him second on the team in both categories.

Seattle’s running attack ranks second in the league in both rushing attempts and rushing yards. A big part of their success is RB Marshawn Lynch and his ability to run the ball consistently. St. Louis’ defense ranks 30^th in rushing yards allowed, which bodes well for Seattle.

Seattle’s defense is hard to beat. The Seahawks rank first in takeaways, second in yards allowed, and third in points scored. Their secondary, led by CB Richard Sherman and FS Earl Thomas, wouldn’t have been worried facing Sam Bradford, and now they are especially not worried. The Rams are starting QB Kellen Clemens, who will have to face the most intimidating secondary in the league in his first start of the season.

Seattle will run away with this game pretty easily, because of Kellen Clemens’ inexperience. The spread might be a little bit too big, but I don’t see the Seahawks dropping this one. Seattle over St. Louis. 

Ellis: When it’s 2013 and you’re calling up Brett Favre to see if he has any left in the tank, you deserve to lose. Seattle over St. Louis.