NFL Predictions Week 8: Seattle Seahawks Will Be Held Under 10 Points Again

When we last checked in with the Seattle Seahawks, they weren't doing much.

That would be fine, but it's a little disconcerting seeing as how we last checked in with them during Sunday's contest against the Cleveland Browns. Thanks in large part to Charlie Whitehurst's struggles, the Seahawks gained a grand total of 137 yards and scored just three points. The Browns weren't much better, but they were able to hang on for a 6-3 win.

The Seahawks will be looking to bounce back on Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals, but bouncing back is going to be easier said than done. The Bengals are one of the best defensive teams in the NFL, as they are allowing under 19 points and fewer than 280 totals yards per game.

The Bengals are not particularly weak in any one area on defense. That much can be seen in the fact that they are fifth in the NFL against both the run and the pass.

It just so happens that the Seahawks do neither of these things well. They rank 28th in the league in passing offense, and 31st in the league in rushing offense. Combined, they're averaging barely better than 260 yards per game, and are scoring just over 16 points per game.

Things get even worse when you look beyond the stats, as the Seahawks are dealing with some key injuries. Tarvaris Jackson has a strained pectoral and Marshawn Lynch missed Sunday's game against Cleveland with back spasms.

According to Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com, the status of both players is up in the air:

The Seahawks are going to be hard-pressed to generate offense against the Bengals even if Jackson and Lynch are able to play. If either or both of them are unable to play, things could very well be as ugly as they were in Week 7 against Cleveland.

By the way, the Bengals have had an extra week to prepare for this game. After their Week 7 bye, they should be rested and ready to dominate.

They will do just that.

Bengals 24, Seahawks 9