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Seahawks @ New England
Patriots -8
OverUnder 50
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Game Script
Seahawks
One of the league's worst rushing offenses (3rd fewest rushing yards) is visiting Foxborough tonight. This team is built to run a read-option, but the combination of their questionable O-line and injuries in Thomas Rawls and Russell Wilson have limited this team's offensive upside all season long. At least they are claiming that Wilson's health has been improving, but as always in football, we shouldn't trust anything unless we see the result first (Wilson did score a rushing TD last week, the first of the season, but he only managed 10 yards in 3 carries). At this point, it's smart for us (and for Bill Belichick) to assume that Wilson will try to stay as a pocket passer for another week, and the Patriots defense will feast on him. While the Patriots' defense doesn't flash any gaudy numbers (18th in passing, and 15th in rushing), no one in the business is better than Bill Belichick in exploiting the opponent's weakness. The Seahawks offense is too one-dimensional to trick anybody (except Rex Ryan), and they will struggle to score tonight. The good part about this offense is that they never involve too many bodies in moving the chain, which is always good for a Fantasy purpose. Expect Jimmy Graham and Doug Baldwin to have a major role as they play catch-up.
Patriots
The Seahawks defense is still one of the better ones in the league, but the Legion of Boom no longer shuts down their opponent nightly basis (10th in passing, and 12th in rushing). Now they are facing Tom Brady, who has scored 12 TDs in his last four games. They just had a week of rest, and with healthier Rob Gronkowski and possible return of Dion Lewis, this team is teeming with short yardage options. Brady will continuously drop the passes in the middle zone to confuse the defense, and despite facing the Seahawks, there will be enough share of passing offense to go around the team. Don't be scared by their name, and fire up all your Patriots.
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Good Plays
Tom Brady: 300 passing yards, 2 TD
His suspension didn't slow him down at all, and he is still one of the best QBs in the league at age 39. He has so many weapons to play with tonight, and the Seahawks won't be able to stop him at Foxborough.
Rob Gronkowski: 5 rec, 80 yards, 1 TD
Gronk is a match-up proof player, and the Pats will utilize him a lot as they don't have any legitimate long-range weapon outside of the monster TE.
Jimmy Graham: 6 rec, 70 yards, 1 TD
Jimmy has been the focal point of the struggling Seahawks offense, and they have to rely on him one more night to find any room against the Pats.
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Average Plays
Julian Edelman: 6 rec, 70 yards
Edelman isn't 100%, but his speed and rapport with Brady can easily turn into solid line as the Pats will look to pass in the middle to avoid matchups against the Seahawks' elite corners.
Christine Michaels: 70 yards
Rawls isn't ready yet, and he is still the only RB in this (supposedly) run-first offense. He isn't going to be efficient, but the volume will be there, and he won't put up another 1-yard dud.
Doug Baldwin: 5 rec, 60 yards
He is pretty much the only receiver gets consistent target from Wilson, and the Seahawks probably need to pass tonight.
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Bad Plays
James White/Dion Lewis: 5 rec, 80 yards
These two will be heavily involved to move the chain against a tough defense, but we just don't know how much snap each will play tonight. We can never win the Belichick-guessing game.
Russell Wilson: 200 yards, 1 TD, 1 TO
Until he can move around like his old self, he needs to live in his fragile pocket.
LeGarrette Blount: 40 yards
The Seahawks is very good at stopping runs, and Blount needs to share the football with two other RBs.