The most interesting matchup of Week 8 in this writer’s opinion is a potential Super Bowl matchup – not likely but possible – between Houston and Seattle. It’s also a great QB duel between rookie Deshaun Watson and Russell Wilson. The Seahawks are favored by -5.5 in the NFL Week 8 lines.
The Seahawks hope they boosted their pass rush this week with the addition of Dwight Freeney, a likely future Hall of Famer. Seattle’s got interested in signing Freeney when Cliff Avril went down in Week 4 with a neck injury that could sideline him for the rest of the season. The Seahawks brought Freeney in for a workout on Tuesday and agreed to terms on a one-year deal that became official on Wednesday.
Freeney said one reason why the Seahawks appealed to him was the similarities between their defense and that of the Atlanta Falcons, where he played last year. Freeney averaged roughly 23 snaps per game in 2015 with the Arizona Cardinals and 28 last season with Atlanta. He has 122.5 career sacks.
NFL Week 8 Lines & Expert Pick: Houston at Seattle
When: Sunday, 4:05 PM ET Where: CenturyLink Field, Seattle TV: CBS Radio: KILT 610AM (Houston) / 710 ESPN (Seattle) Stream Option: NFL Live Opening NFL Week 8 Lines: Seahawks -5.5 (46)UPDATE: Get the latest injury report for the #Texans and @Seahawks following today’s practice. ➡ https://t.co/EDla9rYa0s pic.twitter.com/dv9Nd7PFNm
— Houston Texans (@HoustonTexans) October 26, 2017
Weather Forecast
- Clear: 16°C/61°F
- Humidity: 67%
- Precipitation: 3%
- Wind: 7 mph N
- Cloud Cover: 12%
- Type of Stadium: Open
Last Meeting
In 2013, Seattle visited Houston and won 23-20 in overtime – Watson wasn’t even starting at Clemson yet. Richard Sherman stepped in front of Owen Daniels for an interception and returned it 58 yards for a touchdown to force overtime. Steven Hauschka kicked a 45-yard field goal in the extra period. Houston, which led 20-3 at the half, failed to score on two possessions in overtime. Matt Schaub was the Texans’ QB that day. Wilson finished with 123 yards passing and a touchdown.Are the Bengals a Safe NFL Betting Pick vs. the Colts in Week 8?
Series History
- Total Meetings: 3
- First Meeting: October 16th, 2005. Qwest Field. Seattle, Washington
- Last Meeting: September 9th, 2013. Reliant Stadium. Houston, Texas
- All-Time Series: Seattle Seahawks 2-1-0
- Largest Margin of Victory: Seattle 42-10 (2005)
- Longest Win Streak: Tied at 1
- Current Win Streak: Seattle 1 (2015)
Why Bet On Houston?
The Texans had a bye last week following a 33-17 win over Cleveland in Week 6. Houston has scored at least 30 points in four consecutive games and since Week 3, the Texans are averaging an NFL-best 39.3 points per game. Watson is tied for the AFC lead with 15 touchdown passes, the most ever by a rookie in his team’s first six games of a season. He has thrown at least three touchdown passes in three consecutive games and is the first rookie in NFL history to accomplish the feat. Watson has 12 passing touchdowns in the past three games, the most ever by a rookie in any three-game span. If there is one reason to be skeptical of the Texans quarterback, it’s this: 24.7 percent of his passes have been off target. The only other qualified quarterback with a higher percentage of his passes off target is Cleveland’s DeShone Kizer. This will be a particularly difficult matchup, as the Seahawks have the fourth-lowest opponent Total QBR this season. Left tackle Duane Brown, who ended his holdout on Monday, practiced on Wednesday. He still needs to be added to the active roster to play Sunday, and that could happen as late as Saturday. Brown is optimistic about playing because he has maintained his usual conditioning levels. The NFL trade deadline is Oct. 31, but Brown appears poised to resume his usual role at left tackle with Chris Clark sidelined with a strained calf.Team Statistics
Offense:- Average Score For: 29.50
- Total Yards: 343.84
- Pass Yards: 206.17
- Rush Yards: 137.67
- Average Score Against: 24.50
- Total Yards: 310.50
- Pass Yards: 203.33
- Rush Yards: 107.17
Why Bet On Seattle?
Seattle has won three consecutive games, including last week’s 24-7 win at the New York Giants. Wilson passed for 334 yards and three touchdowns in the victory as he completed a pass to 11 different receivers. Wide receiver Doug Baldwin led the way with nine catches for 92 yards and a touchdown. Wilson has 30 career games with multiple touchdown passes and no interceptions, the most such performances by a quarterback in his first six seasons. Since being drafted by the Seahawks in 2012, Wilson has gone 11-0 against AFC teams in games played at CenturyLink Field. That undefeated record includes a win over Tom Brady in 2012, a win over Peyton Manning’s Broncos in 2014 and a win over Ben Roethlisberger’s Steelers in 2015. If Wilson and the Seahawk beat the Texans on Sunday, then Wilson’s streak will carry over into the 2018 season. After the Texans, the only remaining AFC team on the Seahawks’ schedule is the Jaguars, who’ll they play in Jacksonville.
The Seahawks hope they boosted their pass rush this week with the addition of Dwight Freeney, a likely future Hall of Famer. Seattle’s got interested in signing Freeney when Cliff Avril went down in Week 4 with a neck injury that could sideline him for the rest of the season. The Seahawks brought Freeney in for a workout on Tuesday and agreed to terms on a one-year deal that became official on Wednesday.
Freeney said one reason why the Seahawks appealed to him was the similarities between their defense and that of the Atlanta Falcons, where he played last year. Freeney averaged roughly 23 snaps per game in 2015 with the Arizona Cardinals and 28 last season with Atlanta. He has 122.5 career sacks.
Team Statistics
Offense:- Average Score For: 22.33
- Total Yards: 352.16
- Pass Yards: 243.83
- Rush Yards: 108.33
- Average Score Against: 15.67
- Total Yards: 304.50
- Pass Yards: 190.83
- Rush Yards: 113.67
Latest NFL Week 8 Lines Trends
- Houston is 4-1 ATS in the last 5 games
- Houston is 3-8 SU in the last 11 games on the road
- The total went OVER in 4 of Houston’s last 5 games
- Seattle is 5-2 ATS in the last 7 games at home
- Seattle is 4-1 SU in the last 5 games
- The total went UNDER in 4 of Seattle’s last 6 games
