By DaVince “Dino” Wright
The NFC
The NFC conference is wide open right now. It seems like all of the preseason favorites in the conference are struggling to find their way right now. The Seahawks are undefeated while the Lions are 2-1. This game will come down to who wants it the most! Over the past 3 seasons both of these teams have improved greatly through free agency and the draft. At one time, these organizations were the destination where declining veterans went to finish out their careers (the graveyard of the NFL). Now, they are great teams with quality coaches and players that make them the spot that free agents and draft picks want to be a part of in their NFL career.
Injury Report
The injury report plays a huge difference in the outcome of the game. Seattle has 5 key players listed with 4 listed as out. DT Byron Murphy II, DE Leonard Williams, LB Uchenna Nwosu and LB Boye Mafe are all listed as out with LB Jerome Baker listed as questionable. The Seahawks has 5 listed with 3 on the IR, 1 out and 1 questionable. S Ifeatu Melifonwu, DE Marcus Davenport and LB Derrick Barnes are listed as on the IR. Center Frank Ragnow is listed as out while CB Ennis Rakestraw Jr. Is questionable.
Game Info
Seattle Seahawks vs Detroit Lions
Monday – September 30 – 7:15 p.m.
TV: ABC/ESPN+
Ford Field – Detroit, MI
Seattle Seahawks (3-0, 1-0 Away)
In their first 3 games, the Seahawks have some nice wins over Denver, New England (overtime) and Miami. The Seahawks were picked to be 1-2 when the schedule came out and no one saw this coming. The leader of the pack is quarterback Geno Smith. The offense has allowed him to flourish and take control of a wide opened system that allows Smith to excel. Right now, he has 787 passing yards with 3 touchdowns and 3 interceptions. He will be the x-factor for the offense. Wide receiver DK Metcalf is averaging 15.4 yards a catch with 2 touchdown catches as of late. The defense will have their hands full with the Lions offense they will need to play big on Monday night.
Detroit Lions (2-1, 1-1 Home)
The Lions will have a fight on their hands. Last year the Lions were the Cinderella team of the NFL. They were on the cusp of making it to their first ever Super Bowl. They have all-pro weapons on offense and defense. They can’t sneak up on teams anymore. They are competing with the best teams in the league. The Lions are led by quarterback Jared Goff. He has 723 passing yards with 3 touchdowns and 4 interceptions. The Lions have two of the best receivers in the game with Amon-Ra St. Brown and Allen Robinson. These two guys will move the chains and can score from anywhere on the field. The defense is giving up 13 points per game to opposition this season. Keep an eye on the defense and special teams.
Prediction
ESPN has the Lions with a 61.8% chance of winning at home. The Seahawks are a far better team than anyone thinks, and this game will be closer at the end than what anyone thinks. The over/under is 46.5 and the line is Detroit -3.5. I’m taking Detroit by 6!
Final Score
Lions – 33
Seahawks – 27
