|   | NFL Betting Preview - Titans vs. Seahawks |
| January 03, 2010 |
NFL Betting Preview and Pick - Tennessee Titans at Seattle Seahawks (Sunday 4:15 ET)
By Matt Fargo
Seattle played one of the worst games of the season this past Sunday at Green Bay and I don't just mean one of their worst games. It was one of the worst by any team in the NFL this season.
The Seahawks were outgained by only 126 total yards but that numbers was shrink due to the Packers clearing the bench and Seattle putting together a garbage time drive. Watching the game saw players not trying, missing easy tackles and basically tossing it in before they got onto the field.
Heading home for the season finale could bring back some more energy but I don't see this team all of a sudden slipping a switch and playing well. The Seahawks packed it in three games back at Houston and they have been outscored 106-24 in those games.
Tennessee was playing for its playoff lives last week at home against the Chargers, but it ran into the hottest team in the league and early turnovers put the Titans down from the start and they just could not recover. The ending to the season has been a good one and just because the playoffs are now gone, I don't see Tennessee tossing it in like Seattle has already done.
The Titans are 7-2 in their last nine games and they are playing for next year and want to end the season on a high note. After last season, an upset loss in the playoffs, that negative momentum carried into this year and they want to avoid that for next season.
There are two players for the Titans who are not going to lie down. Quarterback Vince Young has been solid since taking over the starting position and he wants to finish strong to be able to bring that positive into next season. Running back Chris Johnson has 1,872 yards and while he is guaranteed the NFL rushing title, he will be after 2,000 yards and he needs just 234 yards to surpass Eric Dickerson's NFL-record 2,105 yards rushing in 1984. He also needs just 75 yards from scrimmage to top Marshall Faulk's NFL record 2,429 yards in 1999.
This is big on both sides of the ball as the defense will be playing hard to get the offense the ball to allow Johnson to get the needed touches. Cornerback Cortland Finnegan said his motivation is beating Seattle and "get Chris Johnson 2,000 rushing yards."
The Seahawks do not want to be the team that gives up those final yards, but they may not have a choice. Seattle's defense allowed 153 rushing yards and five touchdowns against the Packers last Sunday.
Tennessee also falls into a solid situation based on last week's results. Play on road teams that are coming off a loss by 10 points or more as a favorite going up against an opponent that is coming off a road loss. This situation is 48-19 ATS (71.6 percent) over the last 10 seasons.
Pick: Tennessee Titans -4 (-110) available at 5Dimes.com.
Visit the NFL football betting forum for more picks, predictions and trends for week 17. |
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