The Seattle Seahawks can still obtain the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs. Job number one is securing a win over NFC West rival San Francisco. The Seahawks would then need Green Bay and New Orleans to both lose in Week 17.

Either way, Seattle is going to the playoffs. Bettors should take note of the Seahawks recent scoring trends and the fact that Seattle has covered the spread in just two of the team’s last five games.

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Game: Seattle Seahawks (11-4, 8-7 ATS) at San Francisco 49ers (6-9, 6-9 ATS)

When: 4:25 PM ET, Sunday, January 3, 2020

Where: State Farm Stadium, Glendale, Arizona

Current Line: SEA -5.5          Total: 46.5

TV Coverage: FOX

Offensive Philosophy

Seattle started the 2020 season with five straight wins averaging 33.8 points per game in the process. The first three of those games had an average combined total score of 65.7 points. For the month of September, the Seahawks were a solid Over pick.

Must Read > Smart Bettors Use Multiple Sportsbooks

The rise in scoring in Seattle had something to do with a change in offensive philosophy. The Seahawks were throwing the ball on first and second down 59.1 percent of the time. If you know anything about Pete Carroll’s Seattle Seahawks, you know that he’s a big believer in running the football.

Beginning with a 23-16 loss to the Los Angeles Rams, Seattle’s scoring started to drop. Other than a 40-point outburst against the lowly New York Jets, the Seahawks haven’t scored more than 28 points in a single game.

Our last pick was a winner when we took the OVER in our Browns @ Jaguars free pick. Take a look at what we thought going in.

Need to Turn it Back Around

Since Week 10 of the season, Seattle has thrown on first and second down just 52.5 percent of the time. Right around that time, the Seahawks acquired DE Carlos Dunlap and welcomed back a healthy Jamal Adams to the secondary. 

The result has been a complete reversal of the first month of the season. Since Week 10, Seattle is 5-1 SU winning by an average score of 22.7 to 15. For all the mathematicians in the house, that equals a total of 37.7 points per game.

Seattle’s Week 17 opponent is no offensive juggernaut either. The 49ers average a mediocre 23.5 points per game, but the offense this week will be a shell of its former self. Third-string quarterback C.J. Beathard will start again.

Did you miss any of last week’s action? No worries, we have your back. Go check out NFL Week 16 by the numbers.

Seahawks @ 49ers Free Pick

Bettors and sports handicappers alike know that wide receiver Deebo Samuel remains out of the lineup and Brandon Aiyuk will miss Sunday’s game as well. Trent Williams, arguably the best LT in the NFL, is also out with an elbow injury. The lone bright spot for San Francisco is that TE George Kittle will play, but he likely will be limited. He only played 60 percent of the Niners snaps last week.

For all the math people again, this is really simple. Seattle’s defense - which is allowing 13.7 points per game since Week 11 plus a depleted San Francisco offense equals bet the Under. The Total has gone Under in the last seven straight Seahawks games and four the 49ers last six.

NFL Free Pick: UNDER 46.5