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St. Louis Rams at Seattle Seahawks NFL Predictions & Lines

Written by Jimmy Boyd

rams seahawks 91009 The St. Louis Rams open up their 2009 NFL campaign at Qwest Field in Seattle, Washington this Sunday afternoon at 4:15 p.m. EST against the Seahawks in an NFC West Division matchup. The Rams are coming off an awful 2-14 season and are just 5-27 the last two seasons. The Seahawks have been the class of the NFC West with four division titles in the last five years, but 2008 saw them slip to a 4-12 mark. Both teams put an emphasis on the preseason and we saw the Rams go 3-1 and the Seahawks finish 4-0. The last time these teams faced off it was a battle. Seahawks kicker Olindo Mare hit a 27-yard field goal as time expired to give the Seahawks a three-point win in Week 15 last season. The all-time series looks pretty even with the Seattle leading it 12-9, but it’s been all Seahawks lately with eight straight wins over the Rams. NFL odds makers have listed the Seattle Seahawks as 8.5-point favorites with the total set at 41.5.

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This matchup is shaping up to be a battle of former Pro Bowl quarterbacks who were banged up in 2008. Rams QB Marc Bulger has been hit by the injury bug the past couple seasons and it comes as no surprise with the suspect offensive line he has been playing behind. Bulger has already been banged up in the preseason with a finger injury on his throwing hand, but the Rams report that he’ll be ready to go for the opener. The Rams are going to need Bulger to stay healthy and play well if they hope to make any major strides this season.

They also need running back Stephen Jackson to stay healthy as he is clearly one of the best in the game when he is at full strength. Getting him carries has to be a priority when you consider that the Rams are 7-3 when he gets at least 25 totes. The only problem with that is the more carries he gets the more prone he will be to re-injury. And that’s definitely something teams think about.

Defensively, it’s time for Chris Long to shine. The Rams took him with the second overall pick in last year’s draft, but he struggled against the NFL’s massive tackles and finished with only four sacks. The kid does have a great motor and I expect him to make progress in year two. If you think the books are spotting St. Louis too many, bet the Rams at +8.5 at BetUS.

The quarterback on the other side, Matt Hasselbeck, is equally important to the success of the Seahawks if not more so. Hasselbeck missed nine games last season with a bulging disc in his back, and probably could have missed a few more, and the team experienced a seven-win drop off. Now Hasselbeck is healthy and he has looked good in the preseason. I’m expecting a big bounce back season from him, and it’s not going to hurt that he has a new proven playmaker aboard in T.J. Houshmandzadeh. It is also worth noting that the Seahawks are 7-2 against the spread in their last nine games as a home favorite. If you like Seattle to win its ninth straight against St. Louis and cover the number in the process, bet the Seahawks at -8.5 at BetUS.

*Note: Jimmy Boyd’s NFL expert picks are locked and loaded and ready to help you win with your NFL betting this week. Don’t miss his 5* Week 1 NFL Best Bet Blowout of his Bears/Packers Sunday Night Football Smash.

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