With Time In The Pocket, Will Geno Smith Finally Put Up Quality Numbers?
Read our Commanders vs Seahawks Preview for this Cross Country Matchup
The Washington Commanders will take a long trip to Seattle to take on the Seahawks in Lumen Field.
While Seattle’s offense has struggled recently, the Seahawks are still 5-3 on the season and in prime position for a playoff spot. Meanwhile, the Commanders earned a win against the Patriots last week to push themselves just one game away from .500.
The Commanders have played in many close games over the last month.
However, the Seahawks are 6.5-point favorites at home, priced at -115. With Washington sticking around its opponents lately, that line could be a bit high for the Seahawks.
The total is currently sitting at 44.5, with the Over at -115.
Does Seattle deserve all of this respect?
Here’s our Commanders vs Seahawks preview for the Week 10 NFC matchup on Sunday.
Washington Commanders vs Seattle Seahawks 
Day/Time: Sunday, November 12, 4:25 p.m. ET, 1:25 p.m. PT
Location: Lumen Field
Streaming: FOX
Commanders vs Seahawks Preview
The Commanders earned their first cover against the spread since October 15, with a 20-17 win against the Patriots on the road, 20-17. The Commanders were three-point underdogs but won the game outright by three points.
Washington is now 4-4-1 against the spread this year. Meanwhile, Washington’s Under has hit in five of nine games this NFL season.
On the other hand, the Seahawks haven’t covered against the spread since October 2. They’ve lost three and pushed one in their last four games. The most embarrassing loss against the spread came the previous weekend against the Ravens. Seattle was a 6.5-point underdog but lost 37-3. They’re now 3-4-1 against the spread this season.
Regarding totals, the Seahawks have hit the Under in five of eight games this season. Seattle is still 3-1 at home this year.
The last time these two teams played was back on November 29, 2021. Washington won, 17-15, as 1.5-point underdogs. The Commanders have won against the spread in three straight against Seattle.
Is Sam Howell Improving?
It hasn’t been the prettiest of seasons. However, Sam Howell is just 29 passing yards away from 2,500 yards in the air. He’s also thrown 14 touchdowns but has 19 interceptions on the year.
However, in the last two weeks, he’s thrown for 722 yards, with five touchdowns and two interceptions against the Eagles and Patriots. He’s also added eight carries for another 38 yards.
When the media asked Howell about the offense, Howell believed that the offense was getting better each week.
With all due respect, Howell has been sacked 44 times and has thrown the most interceptions in the NFL. Therefore, it’s impressive enough that Howell has even given the Commanders a fighting chance every week. Once the offensive line improves, the sky is the limit for Howell.
Geno Smith’s Offensive Struggles
Geno Smith was one of the most impressive quarterbacks last season. He threw for a career-best 4,282 yards while completing about 70% of passes in 17 games played. Smith also added 30 touchdowns and only 11 interceptions.
However, this season, Smith has thrown for 1,802 yards in eight games, with a lower completion percentage and seven interceptions with nine touchdowns. That stat line looks nothing like it did last year.
While Smith’s numbers haven’t been good, head coach Pete Carroll acknowledged that the entire offense has struggled across the board. Carroll suggested that the offensive must help Smith. The protection needs to be better, and the communication needs to improve, among many other things.
We’ll see if the Seahawks’ offense is on the same page this weekend.
Another Tight Game For Washington
The Commanders earned a three-point win against the Patriots last weekend. Before that game, the Commanders lost by seven to the Eagles and Giants.
If we take it another step back, the Commanders earned an eight-point win against the Commanders.
Washington is used to playing in tight games. The defensive line lost some players during the NFL Trade Deadline. But the pass rush was never very good for the Commanders anyway. They were best known for their tackling and solid secondary play.
While the Commanders have been inconsistent on defense, the team has allowed 27.22 points per game while only scoring 21.22 points. Washington has held three of their last four teams to 20 or fewer points. They’re playing better than earlier in the season.
On the other hand, Geno Smith has helped the Seahawks add 21.38 points per game. If the Commanders do not rush him, Smith should hang in there and make some big plays to top receivers like Tyler Lockett and D.K. Metcalf.
Meanwhile, Seattle’s defense has played better, allowing only 21.88 points per game. The Seahawks have a reliable pass rush and a secondary that can play well. But the run defense has been bad, and the missed tackles are not good.
Washington has added 90.11 yards per game on the ground this season. But they’ll want to commit to the run game early and set the tone against Seattle.
There are no NFL trade odds for the starting quarterbacks. Neither are in the top ten in NFL best quarterbacks rankings this season. However, both could push their teams into the upper portion of the NFL standings and make a playoff bid.
After reviewing the Commanders vs Seahawks preview, we like the Over 44.5 (-115) for Sunday’s tilt.
For NFL betting news, NFL point spreads, and more, visit Point Spreads Sports Magazine.
