The Seattle Seahawks (1-0) travel to Foxborough in Week 2 of the 2024-25 NFL season for a showdown with the New England Patriots (1-0). Kickoff is set for 1:00 PM EST on September 15th at Gillette Stadium.
It was a fast start to the regular season for both of these teams in Week 1, as Seattle pulled off a come from behind victory in the second half to defeat Denver 26-20 at home. New England shocked Cincinnati 16-10 on the road after an incredible defensive performance against a Bengals team with a ton of offensive firepower.
The running game will be a critical focus on offense for both teams in this matchup, as both coordinators tend to focus on establishing the run early and often. This will be especially important for the Pats, as they have one of the worst receiving corps in the entire NFL. RB Rhamondre Stevenson will certainly need to be at his best yet again this weekend if New England hopes to pull off a second consecutive upset.
Matchup Details, Betting Market Information and Where to Watch
Oddsmakers opened this game up with the Seahawks listed as four-point road favorites. The spread has come down a little bit after early betting, as Seattle is currently available at -3 on most sportsbooks. The total for this matchup is 38 points, the second-lowest on the board here in Week 2. Viewers hoping to watch the game should note that it will be televised exclusively on the FOX Sports Network. In Canada, the game will also be available on DAZN.
Seattle Seahawks Ride Kenneth Walker III to Comeback Week One Victory
There was certainly a lot of anxiety amongst the home crowd in Seattle last Sunday, as the Seahawks trailed to open the third quarter against a feisty Denver team despite coming into the game as almost touchdown favorites. QB Geno Smith wasn’t at his best, throwing for just one touchdown and giving up a costly interception.
The strong play of RB Kenneth Walker III was the story of the game on offense for Seattle, as the veteran churned out 103 yards and a touchdown on the ground. Walker really turned it on when it mattered most, making the best of his team-high 20 carries. His counterpart in the backfield Zach Charbonnet also chipped in, finding the end zone on one of his two receptions for 29 yards.
Veteran receiver Tyler Lockett was Smith’s most reliable option against a stingy Broncos secondary, hauling in six catches for 77 yards. It was an opening day to forget for DK Metcalf, as he managed to make just three receptions for 29 yards.
On the other side of the ball, Seattle did a great job making life uncomfortable for Denver rookie quarterback Bo Nix, as they gave up just 138 yards through the air despite an eye-popping 42 throwing attempts. The Seahawks also recorded two interceptions and didn’t allow any Broncos rusher to gain more than 35 total yards on the ground.
New England Patriots Spoil Bengals Home Opener in Mayo’s Debut
It was a coaching debut to remember for Jerod Mayo in Week 1, as the Pats shocked Cincinnati and came away with a hard-fought 16-10 road victory. The Bengals were one of the biggest favorites on the board heading into the first game of the regular season, but a tough, defense-first strategy ensured New England pulled off an impressive upset and moved to 1-0 on the year.
Veteran QB Jacoby Brissett did his part as a game manager, going 15-24 for 121 yards through the air. More importantly, Brissett committed no turnovers and consistently made smart, lower risk passing attempts. RB Rhamondre Stevenson was a monster on the ground, leading the way with 120 yards and a touchdown on a team-high 25 carries.
New England really committed to a run-first approach all afternoon long, as Brissett also chipped in with almost 40 yards on the ground. The leading receiver for the Patriots was newly acquired TE Austin Hooper, who made two catches for 31 yards. Six other players also made at least one reception in the victory, so it truly was a team effort on offense for the Pats.
It was nothing short of an incredible effort from the Patriots defense in Week 1, as New England held the Bengals to under 250 total yards of total offense and just a single touchdown. They were especially effective defending against the pass, limiting star QB Joe Burrow to only 164 yards through the air while also holding Ja’Marr Chase to just six catches for 66 yards.
Our Seahawks vs Vikings NFL Betting Prediction and Pick
Oddsmakers are expecting a defensive struggle on Sunday afternoon between these two teams, as neither offense was all that flashy in Week 1. Despite both teams finding a way to escape with a victory, they still combined for just 42 total points.
While New England was certainly one of the feel good stories from the opening weeknd, it’s tough to imagine a scenario where they can pull off a second consecutive upset without finding a way to move the ball downfield in the passing game. Seattle just held the Broncos ground attack to a total of just 99 yards all game, so it seems unlikely that New England will be able to just hand the ball off to Rhamondre Stevenson for four straight quarters and escape with another win.
Against the Spread Betting Market Tip: Seahawks -3
As long as this spread stays within a field goal or lower, I think that taking Seattle on the road offers some decent value in this particular spot. It’s simply asking too much of the New England defense to expect them to win games basically single handedly week in and week out. While there is no doubt that Rhamondre Stevenson will continue to be a force out of the backfield, the Seahawks are unquestionably the deeper team on offense – especially in the passing game.
I fully expect Geno Smith to have a bounce back performance after a below average outing in Week 1. Additionally, the precedence of Metcalf, Lockett, and Smith-Njigba will ensure that Walker III continues to have room to run on the ground. While this game likely will stay pretty tightly contested throughout, I much prefer laying the field goal and taking a shot with Seattle on the road here.
