Rams vs Seahawks Week 1 Picks and Predictions: Misery In Store For Rams

The Seattle Seahawks kick off the 2023 season at home vs. the Los Angeles Rams and the NFL odds have tabbed them as a -5 point favorite with a total of 46.5 and despite some injuries in the secondary, are not being discounted vs. a Cooper Kupp-less Rams team.

With LA dealing with the aftermath of selling everything for Super Bowl aspirations, it’s going to be a long season for Sean McVay who is lacking the personnel to beat the Hawks on the road in Week 1.

Here are my free NFL picks and predictions for Rams vs. Seahawks. 

Rams vs Seahawks odds

Rams vs Seahawks predictions

Sean McVay is left coaching a skeleton of a team after the organization sold the farm in pursuits of a championship and now they’ll be without Cooper Kupp in the opener vs. the Seattle Seahawks who are without safety Jamal Adams and fist-round rookie corner Devon Witherspoon is questionable.

All things considered, the Hawks can still handle this Los Angeles Rams passing game that will feature Tutu Atwell and Van Jefferson. It’s anchored behind an O-line that started 14 different combinations a season ago and allowed Matthew Stafford to be sacked 29 times and hit 63 more times. Even without the DBs, Seattle is a sneaky good defense. 

There is also talk that the Rams are changing their entire running scheme to a more or a power gap scheme compared to the zone game they’ve run unsuccessfully. McVay wants them to be more physical but it could take some time to perfect this and I’m not sure the personnel is there as the only addition to the O-line was rookie Steve Avila who they took in the second round this year. 

Last year, the Seattle defense ranked ninth in success rate while Adams missed all but one game and Witherspoon was in college. They also added Bobby Wagner who was graded as the No.1 linebacker, per Pro Football Focus.

The same nice things can not be said about the LA defense that lost six starters and is relying on young or low-drafted players to fill the holes. This could be the worst defense in football.

That’s great news for a Seattle offense that has been getting healthier as rookie receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba was a full participant at practice Wednesday. Running back Kenneth Walker was limited on Thursday but 6-foot-1 220-pound rookie Zach Charbonnet could fill the role if Walker were to miss the game.

There is a chance of rain but with the edge Seattle has in O-line vs. D-line, that could only benefit the home team. This could be the start of a disastrous season for the Rams who could be without Matthew Stafford by November and be in tank mode come the new year. Seattle wins handily here.

My best bet: Seattle -5 (-110 at bet365)

Rams vs Seahawks same-game parlay

Seattle -4.5

Smith-Njigba Over 30.5 receiving yards

Stafford Over 219.5 passing yards

+600 at bet365

There are no flat numbers at bet365 so that is why I'm taking the 4.5 at -120. JSN is projecting 45.95, per THE BLITZ, and coud flash his early draft skillset vs. a broken secondary. Matt Stafford might not have Cooper Kupp but McVay is aggressive when trailing and Stafford is still a Top-10 QB. There are a lot of outs for this +600 and both props are very modest totals.

Learn how to bet a same-game parlay with these helpful tips and strategies.

Rams vs Seahawks spread and Over/Under analysis

The Seahawks were -6 favorites in August, hit a low of -4.5, and have moved as long as -5.5. The loss of Cooper Kupp coupled with a bandaid of a defense has many backing the favorites Sunday. 

Some will point to the injuries in the secondary with Seattle but Witherspoon can still draw in and Adams missed basically the entire season last year. Having JSN healthy to form one of the best pass-catching trios in football is nice to pair with a quarterback in Geno Smith who led the league in completion percentage over expected (CPOE) a season ago. 

Kenneth Walker is dealing with a groin issue but no running back has ever had an issue jumping into Pete Carroll’s running game. Seattle used a fifth-round pick on rookie runner Zach Charbonnet who averaged 7.0 yards per carry in college last year. 

The total is enticing here as there is some love on both sides from the sharp community. The reasoning behind the Over is that McVay is an aggressive and fast-paced play-caller when trailing. This number was 47.5 in the summer but has fallen to 46.5 as it ping-pongs between the key number of 47 which is the fourth-most frequent final game total. 

There is a low chance of rain with light winds and mid-70 temperatures.

The Rams project to be one of the worst teams in football this year and if the Seahawks additions on defense can turn it into a Top-7 unit, Carroll’s group could be a real threat in the NFC. The Seattle offense could have a game Sunday.

Rams vs Seahawks betting trend to know

The Los Angeles Rams have only hit the team total Over in four of their last 20 games (-13.50 Units / -58% ROI). Find more NFL betting trends for Rams vs. Seahawks.

Rams vs Seahawks game info

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Rams vs Seahawks weather

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