Reeling Washington Redskins Travel West To Meet Seattle Seahawks
Sunday, November 27, 2011
by Aengus Moorehead
Analysis:
The Washington Redskins' current six-game losing streak is the club's longest since the 1998 season, an 0-7 start that included a road loss to the Seattle Seahawks.
Seattle hasn't beaten Washington since.
Looking to win three in a row for the first time since 2007, the Seahawks hope to snap a five-game slide to the Redskins this Sunday at CenturyLink Field.
The defending NFC West champions despite a 7-9 record a season ago, Seattle is on the same win pace in 2011 with a 4-6 mark through its first 10 games. Things aren't as mediocre at the top of the division this year and the Seahawks are second, five games behind the first-place San Francisco 49ers.
Seattle has run off two straight wins since a three-game slide, breaking the skid with a solid victory over Baltimore on Nov. 13 prior to routing St. Louis by a 24-7 score last weekend. The Seahawks yielded the game's first points on a first-quarter touchdown, but kept the Rams in check the rest of the way and broke the game open on second-half touchdown runs by Marshawn Lynch and Justin Forsett.
Quarterback Tarvaris Jackson overcame interceptions on Seattle's first two drives to put his team in position to win three in a row for the first time since a five-game win streak from Nov. 12-Dec. 9, 2007.
Seattle is 2-2 at home this year and will play three in a row as the host for the first time since 2004, though they went just 1-2 on that residency. This homestand could get off to a rough start given that the Seahawks haven't bested the Redskins since Sept. 20, 1998.
Washington, though, is involved in its own rut and has lost six in a row after starting the season 3-1. Two of those victories came against NFC West opponents, but the Redskins still sit last in the NFC East.
The Redskins nearly broke through with a victory last weekend versus the visiting Dallas Cowboys after Rex Grossman threw a game-tying touchdown pass to Donte Stallworth in the final minute of regulation. Kicker Graham Gano missed a 52-yard field goal in overtime however, and Dallas' Dan Bailey hit a 39- yarder of his own to hand Washington a 27-24 defeat.
Washington hasn't won since Oct. 2 at St. Louis and is 1-4 as the road team this season.
The Redskins could also have wide receiver Santana Moss on the field for the first time since he broke his hand on Oct. 23 in Carolina. He has 25 receptions and two touchdowns on the season.
The Redskins are 10-4 all-time against the Seahawks in regular-season play and have bested Seattle five straight times in a non-playoff setting, with the most recent victory a 20-17 verdict at CenturyLink Field in 2008. Washington has also prevailed in five of six regular-season stops in Seattle, with the Seahawks' lone home win over that span a 24-14 decision at the Kingdome on Sept. 20, 1998. The Redskins also topped Seattle on the road by a 14-3 count during the 2002 campaign.
Seattle has taken both postseason matchups between the clubs, both of which were held at CenturyLink Field. The Seahawks handed Washington a 20-10 loss in a 2005 NFC Divisional Playoff and also posted a 35-14 triumph over the Redskins in a 2007 First-Round clash.
Redskins head coach Mike Shanahan has a sizeable history against Sunday's opponent, having faced the Seahawks a total of 20 times and most of those games coming as divisional matchups, as Seattle had been a member of the AFC West during much of Shanahan's tenure with both Oakland and Denver. He's gone 11-9 in those contests, producing an 11-5 mark with the Broncos and going 0-4 during his two-year stint with the Raiders from 1988-89.
Pete Carroll has never previously opposed the Redskins as a head coach, but did go head-to-head three times with Shanahan during his tenure with New England from 1997-99. Shanahan's Broncos downed Carroll's Patriots in both 1997 and 1998, with New England beating Denver the following year.
Time & Venue:
- 4:05 PM ET, Sunday, November 27, 2011. CenturyLink Field, Seattle, Washington
Last Week's results:
- Washington Redskins (+7.5) loses to visiting Dallas Cowboys 27-24.
- Seattle Seahawks (+1) beats host St-Louis Rams 24-7.
Last week's ATS:
- Underdog Washington Redskins (3-7) loses but covers
- Underdog Seattle Seahawks (4-6) wins outright.
NFL Football Odds: Seahawks -3, O/U 37.5
Next up:
- Washington home to NY Jets, Sunday, December 4
- Seattle home to Philadelphia, Thursday, December 1
Receiver Santana Moss is expected back in the lineup Sunday after missing the club's previous four games with a fractured hand. "I’m anxious, just from the standpoint of being on the field and playing ball,” he said. "After playing for so long, you hate to see somebody playing for you, and then you hate to see us (struggling) right now, not having success. So anything I can do to help, and just be a presence, I’m looking forward to it." Safety LaRon Landry also could be in uniform after sitting out last week's loss to Dallas with a sore Achilles’ tendon.
Running back Marshawn Lynch looks to extend his streak of games with a touchdown to seven. He is the first Seahawk to have recorded a TD in six consecutive contests since Shaun Alexander in 2005. Don Andersen, Seattle's original director of public relations, passed away last week at the age of 71 from complications related to diabetes and kidney failure. Andersen was with the Seahawks for seven seasons beginning in 1976.
Lynch is in full beast mode and Washington will need linebackers Ryan Kerrigan, London Fletcher and Brian Orakpo to try and contain the streaking back. The talent is certainly there for the Redskins, but Lynch appears to be getting stronger as the season goes on.
The Redskins are one of the best in the league at getting to the quarterback, which may result in Jackson tucking the ball and running quite a few times. Carroll, though, needs to make sure his quarterback doesn't get happy feet and still takes his shots down the field.
Grossman has put together some solid efforts over the past two weeks and has had past success versus the Seahawks. He has won two of this three starts against them, including a 2006 Divisional playoff meeting that vaulted his Chicago Bears into the Super Bowl.
Washington's Roy Helu leads all NFL rookie running backs with 31 receptions.
Seattle receiver Doug Baldwin tops all NFC rookies with 32 catches and 544 yards receiving.
The Seahawks have allowed a combined 24 points in their last two wins after yielding 63 over their previous three games – all losses.
Seattle is 2-4-1 ATS in its last 7 games when playing Washington
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Seattle's last 7 games when playing at home against Washington
Seattle is 6-1-1 ATS in its last 8 games
Washington is 1-3-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Seattle
Washington is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Washington is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games
The Redskins are in the midst of a miserable stretch and last week's close miss had to be a heartbreaker. Points are at a premium for both Washington and Seattle this year, which could give the edge to Seattle's better defense. Expect a lot of Lynch to keep the pressure off of Jackson, while the Seahawks' run defense will put Washington's chances squarely in Grossman. A returning Moss could help, but likely won't be enough to get a victory.
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NFL Football Pick: Take Seahawks.
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brian orakpo - centurylink field - dallas cowboys - dallas cowboys - dan bailey - donte stallworth - doug baldwin - graham gano - justin forsett - laron landry
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