The Cam Newton era started on a high note as the Patriots picked up a 21-11 Week 1 win against the Dolphins. Their next test will be a road game against the ever-tough Seahawks in primetime on Sunday Night Football (8:20 PM EDT kickoff). Without fans, Seattle’s “12th Man” advantage will take a bit of a hit, but will still be a challenging road test. The spread for this contest favors the Seahawks by four points. The over/under is set at 45.
Pats Looking to Go 2-0
Following an injury, Newton had a year off to recover, and we’re seeing the Patriots reaping the benefits. He seems to be in great shape, running the ball as effectively as we saw during his prime days in Carolina. While expectations were lowered for the Patriots after the offseason departure of Tom Brady, Newton’s performance indicates those expectations will be met or exceeded.
It is already weird watching someone other than Brady under center for the Patriots, but Newton looked more than ready to take over in his first start. The Patriots offense was run-heavy, with Newton running for 75 yards and two touchdowns on 15 carries. He also completed 15 of 19 passes for 155 yards.
We’ll likely see New England throw the ball more against Seattle, looking to get Julian Edelman and N’Keal Harry more involved in the offense.
The Patriots had eight players opt out of playing due to COVID-19 concerns, but the roster still looks excellent.
Seahawks Looking to Stymie Newton
Seattle got the job done against the Atlanta Falcons in their first game, winning 38-25, but will have a tougher test against New England. The Seahawks are a fearsome bunch, who once again have Super Bowl aspirations. Their last appearance was in Super Bowl XLIX, but as long as they have Russell Wilson under center, they will be contenders.
The Seahawks should have a solid blueprint for stopping run-first QB’s, considering that they have one of their own in Russell Wilson. The last time Seattle saw Newton was in the 2018 season, where he ran for 63 yards, but also threw for 256 yards and two touchdowns.
Most importantly for Seattle is the return of Chris Carson, who missed Week 17 and both of the Seahawks’ playoff games. Carson rushed for 21 yards on six carries, but six catches for 45 yards and two touchdowns.
Everything was running smoothly for Seattle’s offense in Week 1, and they hope it remains the case. Russell Wilson completed 31-35 passes for 322 yards and four touchdowns. The Seahawks also ran the ball effectively to open up the passing game for Wilson. Greg Olsen caught a touchdown in his Seahawks debut, and DK Metcalf beat the Falcon secondary for a 38-yard score.
The Seahawks are in an airtight division race. Arizona and the Los Angeles Rams also won their Week 1 matchups, and the 49er’s return most of a roster that made the Super Bowl a year ago.
Seahawks Get It Done
The Patriots will take their first loss of the season, as Seattle will dominate the second half to clinch victory.
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