NFL Betting Picks: Seattle Seahawks at San Francisco 49ers

Added on Dec 10, 2010 by Jack Thurman in

NFL

The disappointing San Francisco 49ers host the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday in a key NFC West contest. Despite a 6-6 SU record, the Seahawks are currently tied with the St. Louis Rams for the lead in the NFL’s weakest division. San Francisco–expected to dominate the NFC West before the season started–still have a legitimate look at a division title despite their 4-8 record.

Seattle Seahawks at San Francisco 49ers
December 12, 2010 1:05 PM Pacific

Niners will get Alex Smith back in the lineup here and will be without running back Frank Gore, but this is strictly a play against Seattle. Similar concept to the play we had on Kansas City against the Seahawks a couple weeks ago. Traditonally, the Seahawks have been a good home team that stinks it up when they play on the road. Last year, for example, Seattle was 4-4 at home and 1-7 on the road. This year they’re 4-1 at home and 2-5 on the road. We’ve not sold on this team in the least–they’re fortunate that they play in the worst division in football and 3 of their wins have been against NFC West ‘rivals’. The Seahawks have been awful against good teams for several years now and Pete Carroll’s coaching hasn’t changed that. Since 2008 Seattle is 3-16 SU/5-13 ATS against teams with winning records. And its not like they’ve shown a tendency to improve as the season wears on–in the last three years they’re 1-10 SU/2-8-1 ATS against winning teams in the second half of the season.

Seattle’s dubious status as a division leader is underscored by their awful statistical profile–they’re #28 in total offense, #17 in passing offense, #30 in rushing offense and #24 in scoring offense. Same story on defense–#30 in total defense, #30 in passing defense, #23 in scoring defense and #22 in rushing defense. The Seahawks have only covered 3 of their last 15 games away from the Jet City and this is a bad tactical matchup for Seattle against a physical Niners team that will look to dominate the line of scrimmage and pound away with their power rushing attack. They did this a couple of weeks ago in Arizona, rolling up 261 rushing yards in 21 point road victory. They’re at home now and with a team that will make implementing their gameplan even easier.

Bet San Francisco 49ers -5′ over Seattle Seahawks