Revenge game weekend comes to an end Monday night. And I'll admit I'm not sure exactly what to make of this one.
The Broncos have a better roster and they'll win this game, but they have a rookie head coach and an offense we have never seen before against a team in Seattle that has enjoyed one of the best home-field advantages in the league for a long, long time. Oh, and they also downgraded from Russell Wilson to Geno Smith. Yeah, that happened.
I'm an upfront guy. And I'll readily admit that this point spread (Broncos -6.5) makes me uneasy. Something doesn't feel quite right to me. There's going to be so much emotion involved. Wilson's first ever game as a non-Seahawk is happening in Seattle. Awkward. It should be great theatre, but I don't love it from a handicapping standpoint.
However, if I was going to play it, I would lean into my long-held respect for Wilson and what he is able to accomplish. This moment is in no way too big for him, and my hunch is this brings out the best in him against a franchise that is clearly rebuilding in the wake of his trade to the Broncos.
Yeah, it's a lot of a points for a road team, and a road team that has been anything but special since Peyton Manning was at the helm. But Wilson is so much better than the quarterback on the other sideline – a journeyman who was his understudy a year ago – and Denver should be able to mount a balanced offensive attack. There are blue chip pieces on the Broncos' defense as well. Vic Fangio being gone is addition by subtraction from a communication and player-relation standpoint, with rookie HC Nathaniel Hackett the perfect antidote (similar to Kevin O'Connell replacing Mike Zimmer in Minnesota). So I will roll with the Broncos.
I'd take this down to 27.5 at your local shop, but I do expect a strong offensive performance from the Broncos. Wilson knows Seattle's defense and all of its zone tendencies from a decade spent there, and I will take him getting the best of Pete Carroll in this matchup. Yeah, Seattle added some new interesting pieces to that defensive unit, but I suspect Russ gets some short fields from turnovers and blunders by the Seahawks offense.
Russell Wilson Over 22.5 completions
Russell Wilson Over 253.5 passing yards
Russell Wilson Over 1.5 TD passes
Let's be real – this is all about Russ. So I'm riding that wave. Wilson Over 22.5 completions, Wilson Over 1.5 TD passes, Wilson Over 253.5 passing yards. That's why we are all watching more than anything else. That's the only reason this game is in the Monday Night window in the first place. And I am Team Russ.
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