Lions vs. Seahawks NFL Week 17 Odds, Preview and Pick (Archive)
The Detroit Lions will try to salvage a disappointing season when they visit the Seahawks on Sunday. Both teams have been eliminated from the playoffs and will be playing for pride. Which team is our NFL pick?
Detroit Lions vs. Seattle Seahawks
Sunday, January 02, 2022 – 04:25 PM EST at Lumen Field
Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions are embroiled in an embittered season of disappointment with a record of 2-12-1. The Lions have fought hard this year but have not been able to get wins that are representative of the effort they put forth the season. Lions head coach Dan Campbell has the team playing hard, but the team does not have the talent to compete with the elite level of NFL play.
Jared Goff is questionable for this game Sunday after missing last week's game, a 20-16 loss in Atlanta to the Falcons. Tim Boyle started for the Lions and he was 24-34 for 187 yards with one TD and one interception. The interception was especially costly. It came on a last-minute drive when Boyle tried to lead the team down the field to grab victory. Lions star running back D'Andre Swift missed the game. Jamaal Williams filled in rushing for 77 yards on 19 attempts. Amon-Ra St. Brown was the leading receiver for the Lions with 9 receptions for 91 yards and a touchdown.
The Lions have the 27th ranked defense in the league giving up an average of 372.1 yards per game. The Lions have the 23rd ranked offense averaging 314.9 yards per game. The Lions are 29th in the league in points averaging 17.3 points per game.
Seattle Seahawks
While the Lions expected a tough season, the Seattle Seahawks have definitely not lived up to lofty expectations. This will be only the second year that the Seahawks have missed the playoffs since 2012. With the addition of Jamal Adams last season, costing Seahawks two first-round draft picks, it was expected that Seattle would be able to compete now. This season's disappointment has led people to speculate on the future of Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll and their quarterback Russell Wilson.
Wilson has had one of the worst years of his career this season. Wilson has thrown for 2639 yards with 18 touchdowns and only five interceptions. The five interceptions show that Wilson is still great at taking care of the ball. Unfortunately for Wilson, the Seahawks’ weak offensive line has him scrambling for his life quite often. Also, they have not been able to run the ball in order to complement Wilson's passing attack.
Wilson does have two of the best wideouts in the game to aid him when he drops back to pass. Wide receiver Tyler Lockett leads the team with 65 receptions, 1053 yards, and 5 touchdowns. Lockett is an excellent route runner with the speed to break the big play. DK Metcalf is an elite athlete. Metcalf is strong and tough to tackle but yet has game-breaking speed. Metcalf’s 9 touchdowns lead the team and he is the most potent offensive option the Seahawks have.
The Seahawks are disappointed and not used to playing meaningless games. It will be interesting to see how they respond to having to play in an irrelevant contest. Last week they looked flat when giving up the game-winning drive and falling to the Chicago Bears. After years of success, the Seahawks might not have the strength to muster up a good performance in the face of a failed season.
Key Matchup
Detroit Lions Secondary vs. Seattle Seahawks Wide Receivers
With Detroit having a weak defense, this could be an opportunity for Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf to have a big game before the season ends. Opposing teams have had great success attacking the Lions’ secondary. With Lockett and Metcalf, the Seahawks are definitely in a great position to do the same. If Lockett and Metcalf are able to have a big game, the Seahawks will have an advantage in a shootout. If the Lions are able to shut down the Seahawks’ passing attack, they could imitate the Bears and steal a hard-fought victory in Seattle.
Best Bet
The Seahawks' high-powered passing attack should be too much for one of the weakest secondaries in the league. The Seahawks have all the weapons to attack the Lions at their biggest weakness. Although complacency is a worry, I still expect the Seahawks to come out and fight to win by a margin. I expect a big game from Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf. Take the Seahawks to cover the spread at top betting sites.
NFL Pick: Seattle Seahawks -7 at (-110) at BetOnline (visit our BetOnline Review)
*The line and/or odds on picks in this article might have moved since the content was commissioned. For updated line movements, visit BMR’s free betting odds product.