Can Seattle Keep Its Playoff Hopes Alive in Week 18?
The Seahawks vs Cardinals Betting Trends Prove Seattle's Just Average
The Seattle Seahawks can clinch a playoff berth in Week 18 with a win against the four-win Arizona Cardinals.
However, the Seahawks will need to root against the Green Bay Packers and hope the Packers lose to the Bears as 3-point favorites.
If the Seahawks win and the Packers lose or tie, the Seahawks will make the playoffs. They’ll also make the playoffs with a tie and losses from Green Bay or one of Tampa Bay/New Orleans.
Seattle’s game will be played while the Packers game will be played. So, neither team will know what the other team is doing until after their game ends.
The Seahawks put themselves in a bad position over the last five games. They went 2-3 and just lost to the Steelers at home last week, 30-23. Now they’ll face a Cardinals team that just upset the Eagles, 35-31 on the road.
Arizona has committed to Kyler Murray as quarterback in the future. He and James Conner have been massive for Arizona since those two came back from injury. Arizona’s got a lot of gaps to fill in the offseason. But the most critical position will be occupied by Murray.
Murray and Arizona have impressed recently despite just having four wins this season. That’s why the Cardinals are +3 (-110) at home, with the total at 47.5. You can buy the Seahawks at -132 in a must-win game.
But not every must-win game plays out where the team must win wins.
Let’s check out the Seahawks vs Cardinals betting trends for this NFC West matchup.
Seahawks vs Cardinals 
Location: State Farm Stadium, Glendale, AZ
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Seahawks vs Cardinals Betting Trends
The Seattle Seahawks are a .500 team in every way.
Seattle has gone 8-8 straight up and has gone 7-7-2 against the spread this season. The Over-Under has been close, too, with the Under hitting nine of 16 games this year.
The Seahawks are 3-5 on the road and haven’t covered a game in their last two matchups.
On the other hand, the Cardinals might be 4-12 straight up, but they’ve gone 8-7-1 against the spread this year. The Over has also hit in nine of 16 games this year.
The Cardinals are just 2-5 at home.
The Seahawks and Cardinals met in October. The Seahawks were 10-point favorites and earned a 20-10 victory to push against the spread. That was Arizona’s only void of the year.
Is It Time To Move On From Pete Carroll?
There was a time when Seahawks fans wanted Pete Carroll to coach the team for life.
But the fans and media have turned on the Super Bowl champion.
With Carroll as head coach, the Seahawks have consistently been in the playoffs. He’s one of the best coaches in this era. However, fans are ready to move on from Carroll after a loss to the Steelers at home last weekend.
Maybe a new voice is necessary in Seattle.
The Seahawks failed in big moments and allowed over 450 yards of total offense, including over 200 yards of rushing yards against a usually inept Pittsburgh offense.
While this wasn’t a great year for the Seahawks, Carroll still has a chance to get Seattle into the playoffs. It’s unlikely that he’ll be let go. The grass isn’t always greener after all.
Kyler Murray Is The Franchise Quarterback
The Arizona Cardinals have seen enough this season.
Kyler Murray will be the quarterback for the Cardinals moving forward.
Despite adding just four wins this season, the Cardinals are satisfied with Murray’s growth. He came into the season rehabbing a torn ACL. When he returned, the Cardinals only had one win and barely competed in games.
However, Murray helped add three more wins and made Arizona more competitive in the second half of the season.
With Murray slotted into the QB1 spot, the Cardinals can now use the NFL Draft to add other assets that could help Murray continue his growth.
Can Arizona Go Back-to-Back?
The Arizona Cardinals have been competing recently. They were booted out of playoff contention weeks ago. But they’ll gladly take any momentum heading into next year.
The Cardinals scored 35 points on the road against the Eagles and have added at least 24 points in three of their last five games. However, the defense has also allowed at least 27 points in four of their previous five games.
The Cardinals have a reliable offense with no real No. 1 receivers. Arizona’s No. 1 guy is Greg Dortch. They’re also playing with Michael Wilson, Rondale Moore, and tight end Trey McBride.
The Cardinals will likely target a wide receiver in this year’s draft in the first round.
On the other hand, Seattle’s offense has scored no more than 23 points in their last three games. Geno Smith hasn’t lived up to expectations this season and continues to be inconsistent with his receivers. For example, Tyler Lockett had just one catch last week. Other weeks, DK Metcalf is nowhere to be found.
Even the running game has been weak, adding only 90.27 yards per game this season. However, Arizona has allowed 147 yards per game rushing this year. Kenneth Walker and Zach Charbonnet have good matchups against the Cardinals. Those two should set the tone and help Seattle find its offense.
We want to do some over under betting in this game. The NFL Playoff picture has the Seahawks on the outside looking in. But not every must-win game is won. The NFL lines have the total sitting at 47.5, and after looking at the Seahawks vs Cardinals betting trends, we like the Over 47.5.
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