For the first time in three years there is a double-digit underdog at the NFL betting website for a Wild Card playoff game.
The Seattle Seahawks are 10.5 point underdogs at home on Saturday against the New Orleans Saints. You can make an NFL bet on this game at Sbg global.com.
NBC has the television coverage of the two Wild Card games on Saturday with the Saints and Seahawks being the first game. The last time an NFL team was a double-digit underdog in the Wild Card round was three years ago when Tennessee was getting 10.5 points on the road. In this case the Seahawks are getting 10.5 points at home. The Seahawks are the first NFL team to win a division with a losing record so it is not too surprising to see them getting big points especially when they are facing the defending Super Bowl champion Saints.
Seattle Quarterback Question
The oddsmakers might adjust this line a little bit if Matt Hasselbeck gets the start for Seattle instead of Charlie Whitehurst. Whether that is wise or not is another story as Hasselbeck is no better than Whitehurst. There is no way that bettors are going to take Seattle no matter who is at quarterback. That doesn’t mean Seattle can’t cover though as anything is possible in the NFL. The Seahawks played at New Orleans earlier this season and the Saints won 34-19 in a game that was actually pretty competitive. Hasselbeck threw for 366 yards in that game. The one advantage that Whitehurst has is mobility and that could be a factor as to who starts on Saturday.
New Orleans Injuries
The Saints come into this game with some definite injury questions. Top wide receiver Marques Colston had his knee scoped and his status is unknown. Colston had 113 yards and two touchdowns in the first meeting against Seattle. Running back Chris Ivory who rushed for almost 100 yards against the Seahawks is also banged up. Running back Pierre Thomas has been hurt for most of the season and he missed last week.
Mismatch or Not?
On paper this would seem to be a mismatch at the NFL betting website with the 7-9 Seahawks against the 11-5 Saints. The Saints should roll in this game but New Orleans is not playing like they did a year ago when they won the Super Bowl and stranger things have happened.