If Las Vegas oddsmakers know anything, then it could be a long season for the Seahawks in 2024.
Shortly after the unveiling of the full NFL schedule last week came the release of early betting lines for every regular-season game.
And via the posted lines from VegasInsider.com, the Seahawks are the favorite in only five games this season.
Granted, the new 17-game schedule skews things, but the Seahawks have lost 12 or more games only four times in 48 seasons — including the expectation-free expansion year in 1976 (2-12).
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The good news, of course, is that the lines don’t impact what happens on the field. It’s worth remembering Vegas sets odds based in large part on what it feels is the public perception of the teams involved.
So consider the lines as an interesting initial starting point for the narrative of the season to come.
Let’s look at the line for each game.
Week 1, Sept. 8: vs. Denver
Spread: Seahawks by 5.
Comment: The opening game features the largest opening line in favor of the Seahawks for the 2024 season. Denver’s uncertain quarterback situation (rookie Bo Nix potentially getting his first NFL start) is obviously a big reason why.
Week 2, Sept. 15: at New England
Spread: Seahawks by 2.5.
Comment: The long trip east is the only road game in which the Seahawks are favored. The uncertainty of New England’s QB situation (will it be veteran Jacoby Brissett or rookie Drake Maye?) is heavily influencing the line.
Week 3, Sept. 22: vs. Miami
Spread: Dolphins by 2.
Comment: This will be Miami’s first road game of the year and comes a week after an early showdown against Buffalo. So maybe the Seahawks can benefit from a letdown.
Week 4, Sept. 30: at Detroit
Spread: Lions by 6.
Comment: This Monday night game is the third home game out of four to start the season for Detroit, which has its bye in Week 5. Detroit is 13-5 at home the past two seasons, including playoffs, but 0-2 against the Seahawks.
Week 5, Oct. 5: vs. New York Giants
Spread: Seahawks by 3.
Comment: The Giants will come to Seattle benefiting from some extra rest, playing a Thursday night home game the previous week against Dallas.
Week 6, Oct. 10: vs. San Francisco
Spread: 49ers by 5.
Comment: This is the third straight year the 49ers come to Seattle for a Thursday night game. As is typically the case for teams traveling on a short week, they play at home the previous week against Arizona. This is the only road game in a stretch of four of five at home for San Francisco — but the week before what will be a highly ballyhooed rematch against the Chiefs.
Week 7, Oct. 20: at Atlanta
Spread: Falcons by 3.5.
Comment: This game caps a favorable opening stretch of 5 of 7 at home for the Faclons, so they could be coming into this one feeling good about themselves. How the Kirk Cousins/Michael Penix Jr. quarterback situation develops will tell all about how Atlanta’s season goes.
Week 8, Oct. 27: vs. Buffalo
Spread: Bills by 2.5.
Comment: This game caps a weird stretch of 4 of 5 on the road for Buffalo — including three straight road games, a home contest against Tennessee and then the long trip to Seattle.
Week 9, Nov. 3: vs. Los Angeles Rams
Spread: Rams by 1.5.
Comment: The Rams routed the Seahawks in Seattle 30-13 to open last season. This game is an example of stretches that are becoming more common in the NFL because of the uneven schedule as the Rams will have been at home for the previous four weeks — three games sandwiched around their bye in Week 6.
Week 10, Nov. 10: bye
Comment: Hard to complain much about a bye right smack in the middle of the season.
Week 11, Nov. 17: at San Francisco
Spread: 49ers by 9.5.
Comment: The Seahawks will at least be well rested for a game that features the biggest spread against them. The 49ers play at Tampa Bay the week before.
Week 12, Nov. 24: vs. Arizona
Spread: Seahawks by 3.
Comment: The Cardinals will be coming off their bye and after playing four of their previous five at home. The Seahawks have won six in a row against Arizona and seven of the past eight.
Week 13, Dec. 1: at New York Jets
Spread: Jets by 4.5.
Comment: For the second straight week the Seahawks will face a team coming off its bye — and this time making the long trip to New York to do so. The Jets loom as one of the most mysterious teams in the NFL, because it’s hard to know what to expect out of Aaron Rodgers coming off his Achilles injury and turning 41 the day after this game.
Week 14, Dec. 8: at Arizona
Spread: Cardinals by 1.
Comment: This game caps an unusual stretch of playing the same team two times in the span of three weeks. The Seahawks did this last year against the 49ers.
Week 15, Dec. 15: vs. Green Bay Packers
Spread; Packers by 1.
Comment: The Packers will have some extra rest for this Sunday night game, playing at Detroit on Thursday the previous week, while the Seahawks will have been on the road the previous two weeks.
Week 16, Dec. 22: vs. Minnesota
Spread: Seahawks by 2.5.
Comment: After being underdogs in eight of the previous nine games, the Seahawks are favored for the last time for a visit from a hard-to-read Vikings team. This will be the Seahawks’ last home game of the season, barring playoffs.
Week 17, Dec. 26: at Chicago
Spread: Bears by 3.5.
Comment: All things considered, this may be the Seahawks’ toughest turnaround for a road game all season, traveling to play the Bears in a night game the day after Christmas — when who knows what kind of weather could be whipping in the winds off Lake Michigan. Chicago plays at home against Detroit the previous Sunday.
Week 18, Jan. 4/5: at Los Angeles Rams
Spread: Rams by 5.5.
Comment: This game could be on a Saturday or Sunday. With the Seahawks playing the previous week on a Thursday that won’t matter much. What will is whether either teams have anything on the line.
