Monday, November 6, 2006

Oakland Raiders at Seattle Seahawks – Qwest Field (Artificial)

* The weather forecast is calling for rain at game time.

The Seattle Seahawks are feeling the hangover of being NFC champs and the fact that they’ve been bitten hard by the injury bug doesn’t help matters either.

Mind you it’s quality, rather than quantity that is currently missing from the ‘Hawks’ lineup. Two key players who contributed to last year’s magical run won’t take the field in Seattle’s Monday night tilt with former division rival Oakland. QB Matt Hasselbeck and reigning league MVP, offensive cog and star RB Shaun Alexander will be replaced by QB Seneca Wallace and RB Maurice Morris.

After looking like locks for the top pick in next April’s draft, the Oakland Raiders have rattled off two wins in a row—22-9 over the Cards and 20-13 over Pittsburgh—and hope to go for the hat trick in the Pacific Northwest.

Line: ‘Hawks -7 (Opening: ‘Hawks -6½)

Over/Under: 37 (Opening: 38)

Key Points: The Raiders are having some problems of their own in the injury department that mirror that of the Seahawks. QB Aaron Brooks has been out since very early in the season with a strained pec muscle and RB Lamont Jordan is listed as questionable with a back injury.

Fortunately for the Raider nation, Jordan practiced all week and despite his questionable listing, should play. Brooks started practicing again too, but QB Andrew Walter will probably lineup behind center, for another week at least.

Though Jordan should see action, there could be little depth in the Oakland backfield as head coach Art Shell says RBs Zack Crockett (knee) and Justin Fargas (shoulder and hip) will be game time decisions.

Besides the injuries to Alexander and Hasselbeck, Seattle could most likely be missing the services of LB D.D. Lewis and DT Marcus Tubbs. Both didn’t practice all week and are listed as doubtful.

A thyroid problem will probably keep WR Bobby Engram (questionable) out of the lineup. Engram says he wants to regain some weight before taking the field again.

There is a 75 percent chance that WR Darrell Jackson (foot) and DT Rocky Bernard (toe) will play.

Monday Night Numbers and Trends

Despite the atrocious start, the Oakland Raiders have a solid defense, statistically speaking, ranking eighth overall in the NFL. The Raiders’ ‘D’ allows an average of 285.4 yards a game.

Their offense, on the other hand, stinks, ranking dead last in the league with an average output of 234 yards a game.

The Hasselbeck and Alexander-less ‘Hawks average 294.6 yards a game on offense, while allowing 343.6 yards a game on defense.

The trends are pointing to a yawner at Qwest.

The Seahawks have only covered 13 times out of 40 when battling sub .500 teams on home turf.

The Raiders have failed to cash in on their last five appearances under the Monday night lights.

Dating back to his days in Green Bay, Mike Holmgren teams have a home record of 9-4 ATS on Monday nights.

When the total is listed between 35½ and 42, Seattle has gone over 10 times out of 12.

Winneronline Opinion: The Raiders may have avoided imitating the 1976 Tampa Bay Bucs with the other kind of “perfect” season but are still a pretty bad team. Take the Seahawks in this one, even though they’re missing their stud RB.