The Arizona Cardinals are coming off of a big win against the Dallas Cowboys, solidifying their chance to win the NFC West. The Seattle Seahawks haven’t performed as well this season, sitting last in the division. This could be the final game for Russell Wilson in a Seattle jersey, and they may be playing on emotion. Below, you’ll find the NFL odds along with our pick and prediction for the Seahawks vs. Cardinals game.
Seattle Seahawks vs. Arizona Cardinals pick, prediction | Week 18
- Spread: Cardinals -7 (Odds provided by DraftKings Sportsbook)
- Moneyline: Seahawks +225, Cardinals -280
- Over/Under: 48
Russell Wilson’s last game for Seattle?
There was quite a bit of speculation that Wilson was going to be traded last offseason. There were reports that he wasn’t getting along with Seattle’s management, that they’d prefer draft compensation during a rebuild, and that Wilson agreed to waive his no-trade clause to multiple teams.
It ultimately never came to fruition, and Wilson and the Seahawks struggled to produce throughout the year. The star quarterback is under contract until 2024, but he could waive his no-trade clause to play for a team better suited at making a playoff run.
[bet-promo id=”174860″ ]The Seahawks lack elite talent and depth throughout their roster. They also lack the draft picks to embark on a full rebuild.
This could be a rare instance where a split between a franchise and their quarterback works out for both parties, resulting in an emotional Week 18 game against a division rival. With that said, it isn’t guaranteed at this point.
Seahawks vs. Cardinals betting trends
The Seahawks have been a neutral team in terms of the spread. They enter this game with an 8-8 against the spread (ATS) record through 16 games.
Seattle continues to be inconsistent in recent games. They covered the spread last week against the Detroit Lions, and they own a 3-2 ATS record over their last five games. Yet, they’ve failed to cover in two of their last three contests.
The Cardinals have been one of the better teams in the league ATS. They own a 10-6 ATS record, beating the spread by an average of 2.4 points per game. Arizona’s been sputtering a bit in recent weeks, though. They covered the spread in seven consecutive games to start the season, but they’re only 1-3 over their last four games.
Both of these teams lean toward the under in their games. The Seahawks have found the under in 66.7% of their contests, while the Cardinals have hit it in 56.3% of theirs.
Seahawks vs. Cardinals prediction
There isn’t much of a question as to who wins this game outright. Arizona is playing for a potential home playoff game, while Seattle has been eliminated for weeks.
Still, there are several odd factors in this game that make a large spread more difficult to predict. The Seahawks could be playing more emotionally for Wilson. It’s also a division game, meaning both teams know each other better than others in the NFL.
Ultimately, I expect the Cardinals to grab another win prior to the playoffs. They may not be able to cover a full touchdown spread, though. I do prefer the under more than Seattle’s side of the spread at this point.
Seahawks vs. Cardinals Prediction: Cardinals 24, Seahawks 20