NFL Week 7 Picks: Seattle Seahawks vs. Arizona Cardinals

Seattle Seahawks vs. Arizona Cardinals
Thursday, 10/17/13, 8:25 PM EST
Opening Point Spread: Seattle -6
Current Betting Line: Seattle -4.5
Opening Total: 40
Current Total: 41
Odds Courtesy of Bookmaker

Cardinals Rams NFL Preview — Arizona Cardinals WR Larry Fitzgerald has been hampered by hamstring injuries for most of the season

Seattle hits the road for the third time in four weeks, as it comes off a 20-13 victory over the Tennessee Titans as 11-point home favorites Sunday, while going UNDER the betting total for the first time in four contests. The Seahawks lead the NFC West division by a game, but they’ve dropped six of their seven trips to Glendale when playing inside University of Phoenix Stadium. Seattle is 6-0 SUATS as favorites of 3.5 to 9.5 points the last two-plus seasons, with the OVER going 5-1 in that situation.

The Seahawks held the Titans to 223 yards, including 66 on the ground en route to their 11th consecutive home victory. Seattle ranks second in the NFL with 290.2 yards allowed per game and third in terms of allowing 15.7 points a contest. Second-year quarterback Russell Wilson has been a much better quarterback at home than on the road, which is important to consider when making your NFL expert picks Thursday night.

Arizona had its two-game winning streak snapped in Week 6, as it suffered a 32-30 setback to the San Francisco 49ers as 10-point road underdogs last Sunday—despite winning the statistical battle by 16 yards. The Cardinals are 2-0 at home, which is something to consider when looking over the pro football odds page, with quarterback Carson Palmer and wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald performing at a higher level in front of their own fans. Arizona is 1-9 SU and 2-8 ATS in October since 2011, with the UNDER going 6-4 in those 10 opportunities.

The Cardinals need Palmer to take care of the football, as he’s thrown nine of his 11 interceptions in the last four games. Fitzgerald was targeted 22 times in two games against Seattle during the 2012 campaign, but came away with just five catches for 65 yards and no touchdowns. First-year head coach Bruce Arians has acknowledged that his star wide receiver’s hamstring problems and limited time on the practice field has made it difficult for his two offensive stars to develop chemistry.