Seattle Seahawks vs Detroit Lions Picks and Predictions Week 17

Seattle Seahawks vs Detroit Lions Betting Preview

WagerTalk NFL handicapper Tony Mejia offers his Seattle Seahawks vs Detroit Lions Week 17 betting preview for Sunday, January 2. At the time of posting, the Seahawks are holding steady as an 8.5-point home favorite over the visiting Lions, with the total sitting at 41 points.

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NFL Week 17	Betting Notes
Point Spread:	Seattle Seahawks -8.5 vs Detroit Lions
Total:	41 Points
Game Time:	4:25pm ET / 1:25pm PT on Sunday, January 2
Stadium:	Lumen Field in Seattle
TV:	FOX

Seattle Seahawks vs Detroit Lions Analysis

Seattle is hosting this game with absolutely nothing on the line. At 5-10, the Seahawks have now dropped five of the last seven games after a demoralizing 25-24 setback against the Bears highlighted by a fourth-quarter collapse.

Eliminated from playoff contention for the first time since 2017, Seattle will close against the Lions and Cardinals and can’t even avoid the cellar in the NFC West by winning out.

Russell Wilson returned from his absence rusty and the team that tried to pick him up found out that they can’t do what they’re capable of around him if he’s not performing up to expectations. DK Metcalf has really slumped in part because Wilson hasn’t been able to get him the ball accurately. Tyler Lockett had a debilitating battle with COVID that he says affected him so much he could barely move. We’ll see how much motivation there is from Pete Carroll’s group as they play out the string facing a franchise that has lots of experience playing meaningless games late in the season.

For the Lions, QB Jared Goff is aiming to make it back from his own battle with COVID-19 in order to run the offense but that’s looking less likely. Detroit was able to hang around for the duration with the Falcons in Atlanta last weekend, losing 20-16 with backup Tim Boyle at the controls. It now looks like a knee injury will prevent Goff from returning, so Boyle will look to continue his connection with Amon-Ra St. Brown, who has caught 17 balls for 181 yards and two balls over the past two weeks from both of Detroit’s quarterbacks.

DeAndre Swift is also returning after a lengthy absence and has looked fresh in practices all week, so even with Goff likely to sit, the Lions might very well be a live dog on the road given that Seattle is in the unusual position of not playing for anything. Inclement weather may also be a concern since it’s almost certain to be raining in Seattle. The forecast is calling for manageable winds but a wet ball might be an issue and it remains to be seen whether that ends up favoring a team that’s more used to it in the Seahawks than it does the Lions, who play the majority of their games indoors.

Wilson has said all the right things about going out and performing the right way, and there’s definitely a possibility that it will wind up being his final game in a Seahawks uniform. The perennial Pro Bowl QB has had a down season due to a finger injury and still hasn’t looked like his sharp self over the past month, so we’ll see if he’s able to rally for old times sake if this is indeed his final performance in Seattle.

Carroll’s future as head coach is also being debated since there’s talk that his “rah-rah” approach has worn out its usefulness. That’s harsh considering he’s put together eight seasons with double-digit wins in his decade-long stint in Seattle and is coaching through his first losing season, but that’s the nature of business in the NFL being “not for long” and all of that.

Ironically, Carroll’s counterpart in this matchup is drawing praise for rolling with the punches in a 2-12-1 season. Despite inheriting a talent gap and not having Goff for stretches, the Lions haven’t quit and continue to fight. They’ve lost six one-score games and have tough breaks with injuries up front and to Swift in addition to Goff.

Losing Kenny Golladay in free agency took a top receiver out of the mix and St. Brown’s emergence has only recently given the team a reliable top target outside of tight end TJ Hockenson, whose season is ending on injured reserve after 61 catches through 12 games.

At the end of the day, this game is going to be ugly. The weather is going to make it a pain to be out there and the fact both teams are eliminated from playoff contention makes this one to stay away from. If you can get 7.5 points with the Lions, that may be the way to go if you’re not interested in avoiding a wager on this matchup altogether.

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Seattle Seahawks vs Detroit Lions Preview from GoldSheet

NFL Week 17 Stat Sheet

NFL handicappers Ralph Michaels and JM Sports put together a weekly NFL stat sheet that features game logs and key statistical notes for each team. Don’t place a bet on Sunday’s Seattle Seahawks vs Detroit Lions clash before diving into this FREE download.

Bet On It | NFL Week 17 Preview

The barking dogs, sandwiches, teasers, and steam plays are back! Join Kelly, Marco, Gianni and Ralph every Wednesday for Bet On It as we discuss the NFL and college football betting slate from a variety of betting angles.

WagerTalk Live Odds Screen

WagerTalk’s live odds screen features up-to-the-minute lines from a variety of offshore and domestic sports books. Track the moneylines, point spreads, first half lines and betting percentages for all of the NFL Week 17 games, including this Seattle Seahawks vs Detroit Lions showdown, from your desktop or phone.

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