The Seattle Seahawks travel to play the Los Angeles Chargers in NFL Week 7 on Sunday.
The Seahawks are coming off a 19-9 win against the Arizona Cardinals, and the Chargers come in on a short week after a 19-16 win against the Denver Broncos on Monday Night Football.
Los Angeles opened as a 7-point favorite before the spread was bet down to 6, which is where the line currently sits. As of Wednesday evening, 73% of the bets and 82% of the handle were on the Chargers.
Here is our Seahawks-Chargers prediction, odds and pick.
NFL Odds: Seahawks-Chargers Odds
Seattle Offense Primed for Big Performance
Though many people wrote off the Seahawks and quarterback Geno Smith before the season, they did not write back. The biggest surprise for everyone has been the excellent play of Smith, who ranks fourth in the NFL in QBR, ninth in passing yards, eighth in passing touchdowns, and first in completion percentage.
Due to his strong play, Seattle ranks eighth in the NFL in points per game. After scoring at least three touchdowns in two of its past three weeks, Los Angeles should be a good opponent to keep it going against.
The Seahawks have developed a pass-heavy offense because of the weapons they possess, which makes Smith’s job easier. With wide receivers DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett not missing a beat despite the departure of QB Russell Wilson (who with the Broncos is clearly not the Wilson of old), Smith has routinely fed the big targets all over the field.
On the other hand, the Seahawks defense has been awful. Entering Week 7, they rank 31st in total yards allowed, 22nd in passing yards allowed, 31st in rushing yards allowed, and 30th in points surrendered (all rankings on a per-game basis).
Los Angeles’ Playstyle Suggests Shootout Looming
The Chargers typically go all-out in the passing game, which leads to high-scoring games. QB Justin Herbert threw 57 passes last week and has thrown north of 44 in three of the past five.
Though Monday Night was a low-scoring game, that matchup is much different considering the Broncos have a top-tier defense and a bottom-tier offense. Prior to that game, the Chargers were involved in games with at least 43 points scored in each of the first five weeks.
The first reason for this trend is their pass-heavy offense that slows down the game. The other reason is their below-average defense, which has been a victim of injuries.
Entering this week, Los Angeles ranks 19th in total yards allowed, 18th in passing yards allowed, 23rd in rushing yards allowed, and 26th in points surrendered. Opposing teams have scored at least three touchdowns in four of the first six weeks.
Final Seahawks-Chargers Prediction and Pick
In a game that should go over the total of 51, there is a better angle to attack because of that high number. The Seahawks to score over 2.5 touchdowns is the best bet.
There is going to be a ton of passing between two strong offenses against two weak defenses, which is an obvious recipe for points. This game is a great opportunity to buy low on two teams that have been high-scoring all season after each of them played lower-scoring games in Week 6.
As 6-point favorites, the Chargers are likely to lead for a decent portion of this game, which opens the door for a garbage touchdown from the Seahawks if they trail by a lot and are airing it out.
Final Seahawks-Chargers Pick: Seattle Over 2.5 Touchdowns Scored (-105, DraftKings)
