The Seattle Seahawks are 3.5-point favorites in Carolina to start the season and the posted total is 45. Our first NFL Best Bet looks at the Over/Under
Expectations are high for a Seattle Seahawks team who finished just a few points shy of a Conference Championship berth in the 2012 playoffs. They are top contenders to win one of the toughest divisions in football this year and most of the online sportsbook odds in Week 1 rank Seattle as one of the top five teams for Super Bowl futures as well.
Carolina had what most considered a letdown year in 2012 but given their eight combined wins the previous two seasons, perhaps 7-9 SU was a step forward. The Panthers finished the campaign with five wins in their last six games, cashing tickets for bettors all five times ATS and its fueled new hope for the year ahead. Cam Newton is working with a new co-ordinator after Rob Chudzinski’s departure (Browns) and Mike Shula is supposed to make things easier for the third-year QB but simpler doesn’t necessarily mean “better” against this Seahawks D.
Seattle was 10th against the rush, sixth against the pass and allowed the fewest overall points in 2012, despite logging more than 6,500 travel miles ahead of the next highest team (Oakland). The Hawks started the season with a string of five-straight unders including a 16-12 win in Carolina Week 5 where the Panthers managed just 190 total yards on offense.
The Seahawks only allowed more than 20 points in two of eight regular season road games last season and one was against the potent passing attack of the Lions (Week 8). Seattle was playing its second of back-to-back road games in that 28-24 loss and playing its third road game in four weeks. It’s also worth noting that their Week 7 game was in San Francisco; a bruising division rival whose defenders know just how to finish every play.
Since 2001 the Panthers are just 6-18-1 O/U in non-division play with a total of 44 or greater and when they are not gearing up for NFC South rival that mark sinks to 3 overs and 11 unders. On the road in September the Hawks are 2-6-1 O/U when the total is higher than 40 and they’ve never played over when listed as the favorite (0-5-1 O/U).
Pinnacle Sports offers this line at 45 as of Friday and you can check all the latest NFL odds here. They are also running a $50 match promo this week for EveryEdge members and you can get more details in our sports betting forum. As our first Best Bet, take the Seahawks and Panthers Under 45.