91% of Bettors Picking Seahawks Over Falcons in Week 8 – Odds & Preview

• Seattle (5-2) is on track for a playoff spot while Atlanta (1-6) has been disastrous
• The Falcons traded away Mohamed Sanu to New England on Tuesday
• Get the odds, our pick, and all the info you need to bet the game below

Sunday’s matchup between the Seattle Seahawks and the Atlanta Falcons pits two teams against each other that are on vastly different trajectories. In Seattle, playoff hopes are alive and well despite a two-touchdown home loss to Baltimore last week. In Atlanta, all hope is lost, thanks to five-straight defeats.

Bettors are leaning heavily toward Seattle to cover the spread in this one. According to one online betting site, 91% of the bets and 93% of the money is on the Seahawks, as well as 80% of the sharp money.

Odds taken 10/26/19.

Sounds good, right? Let’s look a little closer to consider the factors in play and see why Seattle is such a popular pick.

A Trade is Worth a Thousand Words

Not that it was a surprise, but Atlanta’s trade this past week that shipped out receiver Mohamed Sanu and brought back a second round draft pick sent a clear message about how the 1-6 team views its present versus its future.

🚨 TRADE ALERT! 🚨

Falcons trading WR Mohamed Sanu to Patriots for second-round pick. (via @RapSheet) pic.twitter.com/p8iWZ9NxNq

— NFL (@NFL) October 22, 2019

Sanu (33 catches for 313 yards and a touchdown) hasn’t been as impactful as he was last season, but he’s still a viable offensive threat that had the ability to take some attention off Julio Jones and Calvin Ridley.

On the flip side, Seattle upgraded its defense this week by trading for corner back Quandre Diggs. These moves — the Sanu trade and the Diggs trade — should help Seattle’s substandard pass defense, which enters the game ranked 19th in passing yards allowed (250 yards a game).

Coming 🔜 to a backfield near you. 😈#GoHawks x @qdiggs6 pic.twitter.com/NAljb47k1g

— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) October 23, 2019

Someone’s Gotta Win (Against The Spread)

As good as the Seahawks have been, rising into playoff position with a 5-2 record, they haven’t been a bettor’s best friend against the spread. Seattle enters Week 8 with a 3-4 record ATS, having flip-flopped losses and wins each week. They lost big as three-point favorites against Baltimore last week, so they’re due, right?

Lamar = MVP?

The tape should tell you all you need to know. (via @BaldyNFL) @lj_era8 #RavensFlock pic.twitter.com/cVIjW837UB

— NFL (@NFL) October 23, 2019

With Atlanta, covering the spread has been just as challenging as winning football games. The Falcons are just 1-6 ATS in 2019, including five-straight losses.

The Matt Ryan Situation

Falcons starting quarterback Matt Ryan was limited in practice Friday after missing practice earlier in the week. His status is questionable, but the Falcons are reportedly making a move that suggests Ryan won’t play.

Falcons reportedly will promote QB Danny Etling from the practice squad, which suggests that Matt Ryan (ankle) may not be playing on Sunday https://t.co/IDdyhB67qr

— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) October 26, 2019

It makes sense to rest the 34-year-old Ryan, given that the team is struggling mightily and has a bye next week. Backup Matt Schaub hasn’t made a start since 2015.

Decision Time

It’s often quite easy to side with the majority (particularly the sharp money majority) and that’s what is happening here. The Falcons have been a disaster this year, and after trading an offensive weapon and appearing to rest their starting quarterback, there’s no easy argument to make that this is the week things turn around.

Pick: Seattle -7.0 (-124)