Seattle Seahawks vs Los Angeles Chargers Preview (10/23/22): Betting Odds, Prediction, Depth Chart

The 3-3 Seattle Seahawks head to Sofi Stadium this week to take on the 4-2 Los Angeles Chargers in a Week 7 matchup. Both teams are coming off divisional wins at home and are fighting to remain relevant in two of the toughest divisions in the league, though they’ve both been down some crucial players in the last few weeks.

The Chargers will look to leave this game on a four-game winning streak heading into their Week 8 bye, while the Seahawks try to keep their head above water and hop the .500 bump. A win for the Hawks here and a 49ers loss to the Chiefs would bring Seattle to the top of the NFC West.

Seattle Seahawks Vs. Los Angeles Chargers Betting Odds

The Chargers are favored by a touchdown in this Week 7 matchup at home. They are -275 moneyline favorites while the Seahawks are +230 moneyline road underdogs. The over/under is 51 points which is the highest projected total of all Week 7 games.

The Seahawks covered a 6-point spread in Week 1 when they took down the Denver Broncos in primetime. They’re 2-3 ATS since then, covering, and winning two games as the underdog.

The Chargers are on a three-game winning streak after their win over Denver on Monday, but are 1-2 ATS this year as the home favorite.

Seattle Seahawks Vs. Los Angeles Chargers Analysis and Prediction

The Seahawks continue to surprise people (myself included). They topped Arizona last week as home underdogs with Seattle’s rookie class leading the way. Running back Kenneth Walker rushed for 97 yards and a crucial fourth quarter touchdown while cornerback Tariq Woolen recorded his fourth interception and Coby Bryant forced a crucial fumble. What was poised for a rebuilding year has turned into, dare I say, a competitive football team.

Geno Smith was quieter than he’s been in recent weeks but continues to take good care of the football and manage the game well. He hasn’t thrown an interception since Week 3 and still has the highest completion rate of all quarterbacks in the league (73.4%) through Week 6. This offense’s total DVOA is ranked fourth behind Buffalo, Kansas City, and Baltimore.

The real star of last week’s win in Seattle was the defense. For a defense that’s been one of the worst through the first six weeks, they played out of their minds. The Hawks entered Week 6 allowing the most yards per game (430), the second-most points per game (30.8) and ranking near-last in several pass and rush defense metrics. Against the Cardinals, they allowed zero touchdowns, 315 yards of total offense, held them to 4-of-16 on third down and 1-of-5 on fourth down, recovered a forced fumble, picked Kyler Murray off, and topped it off with six sacks against a veteran offensive line. This defense ranks 22nd in total defensive DVOA this week, up from 31st last week.

Even so, you can’t get carried away with this team, especially heading into this week. Herbert is one of the most gifted passers in the league and he and his offense are averaging roughly 375 yards of total offense per game, 280 of which come in the air. They can wreak absolute havoc on this Seattle secondary if Seattle comes out on their heels.

Looking back on Week 6, this team should have beaten up the Broncos a lot worse than they did on Monday. Dustin Hopkins came in clutch, but at a cost. He’s now out for 2-4 weeks with a hamstring strain and the Seahawks will play a team that’s down their starting kicker, for the second week in a row.

Austin Ekeler carried the load in Monday’s win, leading the team in receptions (10) and notching a rushing touchdown. Herbert controlled the game well but couldn’t find a receiver for a touchdown, effectively snapping his 26-game passing touchdown streak. Mike Williams has emerged as the clear WR1 in the absence of Keenan Allen, but the production has been inconsistent. If Williams doesn’t put up more than 110 receiving yards, he’s putting up less than 20.

Allen would be a big boost to this offense this week if he’s healthy. Between Allen, Williams, and Ekeler, they could terrorize this Seattle defense. Allen’s status will be an important one to monitor heading into this game.

Defensively, they’ve got arguably the best safety in the league on their side and a solid front seven to balance the secondary. But they sit in the bottom 10 in the league in rushing yards allowed (125) and points allowed (25.3). They are also tied for last in yards per rush attempt (5.6) but have allowed the fewest rushing first downs (27).

All that being said, the Chargers are the better team here, especially at home. Keenan Allen or not, they’ll find their way around this Seattle defense, as good as they looked last week. Maybe it’s wishful thinking, but Seattle can keep this a game. Their offense is averaging more points per game than the Chargers are, as surprising as that may sound, and their defense has shown improvement game-over-game.

My predictions: Chargers win 28-20, Chargers cover, under 51 points

Betting Trends

• Under is 11-5 in Seahawks last 16 road games.
• Over is 5-2 in Chargers last 7 home games.
• Underdog is 6-0 ATS in their last 6 meetings.
• Chargers are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games overall.
• Seahawks are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.

Key Injuries

Los Angeles Chargers Injuries: Keenan Allen (Q), Dustin Hopkins (O)

Seattle Seahawks Injuries: Al Woods (Q)

Key Matchups

Check out the key matchups and mismatches for Seattle Seahawks vs Los Angeles Chargers below.

Kenneth Walker vs Chargers run defense

Rookie running back Kenneth Walker stepped up in a big way last week, filling the shoes of RB1 Rashaad Penny, pretty seamlessly. He rushed for 97 yards on 21 carries and notched the offense’s sole touchdown. Walker also had the highest rate of missed tackles across all running backs in Week 6 (50%).  He provides balance for the offense when things aren’t working and makes Geno Smith’s job a lot easier. While Walker is still working through the growing pains of being an RB1, the Chargers run defense, which allows the most rush yards per attempt, will have to be on their game to contain him.

Mike Williams vs Tariq Woolen

Seattle’s other star rookie, cornerback Tariq Woolen, has also stepped up on the other side of the ball. He is tied for the most interceptions in the league right now (4) next to near-10 year veteran Jordan Poyer. Woolen is on track for a long, successful career. But this week is a big test – can Woolen survive the 6’4, 218-pound, first-round-pick Mike Williams? We’ll find out.

Los Angeles Chargers Depth Chart

QB: Justin Herbert
RB1: Austin Ekeler
RB2: Joshua Kelley
LWR: Mike Williams
RWR: Joshua Palmer
SWR: Keenan Allen
TE1: Gerald Everett

Seattle Seahawks Depth Chart

QB: Geno Smith
RB1: Kenneth Walker
RB2: DeeJay Dallas
LWR: DK Metcalf
RWR: Dee Eskridge
SWR: Tyler Lockett
TE1: Will Dissly