Account
Seattle Seahawks vs. Los Angeles Rams Betting Odds, Analysis, NFL Pick
September 14, 2016
The Los Angeles Rams were the only team in Week 1 that did not score a point, and they may find it tough to end that drought Sunday when they host the Seattle Seahawks as home underdogs. The Rams lost to the San Francisco 49ers 28-0 as 2.5-point road favorites on Monday night, and they will take on a Seattle team hoping quarterback Russell Wilson can play after injuring his ankle.
Point spread: The Seahawks opened as 3.5-point favorites, according to sportsbooks monitored by Odds Shark. (Line updates and matchup report)
NFL pick, per the Odds Shark computer: 21.2-18.8 Rams (NFL picks on every game)
Why the Seahawks can cover the spread
The Seahawks are a better defensive team than the 49ers, and they used that unit to shut down the Miami Dolphins in a hard-fought 12-10 home victory last week in their season opener. Wilson, playing hurt after Miami's Ndamukong Suh sacked him in the third quarter, led the game-winning drive that ended with a two-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Doug Baldwin with 31 seconds remaining.
Seattle is 8-3 against the spread in its last 11 divisional games, according to the Odds Shark NFL Database, and has won 17 of the past 22 meetings straight up with Los Angeles.
Why the Rams can cover the spread
The Rams are 6-2 against the spread in their last eight games against the Seahawks and surprisingly won both meetings a year ago, including the season opener. As bad as they looked offensively at San Francisco, the team's defense can play a lot better than that.
Los Angeles kept a majority of the matchups low-scoring when based in St. Louis, with nine of the previous 12 head-to-head meetings finishing under the posted total. Turning this game into a defensive battle is the best chance for the Rams to cover the spread.
Smart pick
In addition to that previously stated series trend, the total has gone under in six of Seattle's last seven overall as well, so expect the Rams to focus on defense in an effort to stay close.
Whether they will be able to cover will likely hinge on Wilson's status and the betting line. But the best bet here is for another low-scoring affair to take place at the Coliseum, with the under cashing again.
Betting trends
The Seahawks are 17-5 SU in their last 22 games against the Rams.
The Seahawks are 2-6 ATS in their last eight games against the Rams.
The Rams are 2-8 SU in their last 10 games in Week 2.
All NFL betting lines and point spreads data courtesy of Bleacher Report’s official odds partner, Odds Shark. All quotes gathered firsthand unless otherwise noted. Check out Twitter for injury and line movement updates and Odds Shark YouTube for picks and analysis, or download the free odds tracker app.