NFL Week 1 Monday Night Football: Broncos vs Seahawks Predictions and Odds

Broncos vs Seahawks Predictions

• Broncos -6.5, -110 at Caesars Sportsbook
• Under 44.5, -110 at FanDuel

Highly Anticipated Seattle Showdown

NFL fans won’t have to wait long for Russell Wilson to make his highly anticipated return to Seattle. The centerpiece of a blockbuster offseason trade that sent the star quarterback to Denver, Wilson will lead the Broncos into action against his former Seattle Seahawks teammates when he hits the gridiron for 2022’s Monday Night Football opener. It makes for some interesting considerations when thinking about Broncos vs Seahawks Predictions. 

Wilson, a Transformational Force in Denver

After missing the playoffs in each of the six seasons since claiming victory in Super Bowl 50, the Broncos hope the addition of Wilson will return this team to championship contention. After opening last season amid considerable optimism, the Broncos quickly fell out of the playoff picture, finishing their campaign with a disappointing 7-10-0 SU record. 

A feeble offense dramatically contributed to Denver’s woes. The team mustered 14 or fewer points on five occasions during a season-ending 2-6-0 run and ranked 24th in the league in points scored for the season. The revolving door under center has not helped Denver’s cause. But after using seven different starting signal callers over the past three seasons, the Broncos are hoping for a level of certainty at quarterback that they’ve not enjoyed since Peyton Manning.

Wilson was one of the bright spots for a rapidly fading Seahawks squad last season, passing for 3,113 yards and 25 scores (while throwing just six picks) in 14 games. His arrival should give a considerable boost to a Broncos receiving corps led by Courtland Sutton and Jerry Jeudy. Sutton led Denver with 776 receiving yards in 2021, while Jeudy aims to rebound from a mediocre rookie campaign marred by injury and live up to his massive potential. 

In addition, Wilson’s mobility adds a new dimension to a ground attack that sputtered badly last season, particularly on the road, where the Broncos ran for just four scores all season. However, Russ’s ability to scramble should elevate a talented backfield powered by Javonte Williams and Melvin Gordon. While the addition of a superstar passer to the mix fuels support for Denver in Monday night’s Broncos vs Seahawks predictions, the Broncos have work to do to overcome a mixed track record in Seattle, where they’ve not won since 2002.

Seahawks’ Hopes Ride on Defense

With Russell Wilson now out of the picture, Seahawks fans must brace themselves for what could be a painful rebuild. The writing was on the wall as last season drew to a close with the Seahawks a disappointing 7-10-0 - their first losing season in a decade.

While adding a bevy of draft picks to Seattle’s war chest, the deal that sent Wilson to the Mile High City does little to ease the pain this year, as the established NFL players the Seahawks did receive cannot fill the massive void left in Wilson’s wake. Drew Lock was widely expected to succeed Wilson under center after arriving in Seattle as part of the deal. However, an uninspired performance in preseason (largely in line with his three previous NFL seasons) saw the starting job go to veteran journeyman Geno Smith. 

Smith last started the NFL season as a starter in 2014 as a member of the New York Jets. Forgiving members of the Seahawks faithful will point to Smith’s decent performances in relief while Wilson was injured as cause for optimism. However, his struggles to connect with any receiver not named DK Metcalf are likely to continue. The Seahawks’ passing game could struggle against a Broncos pass defense that limited opposing quarterbacks to fewer than 200 passing yards in five of their final eight games of the 2021 season and could be even better in 2021. 

If those issues were not enough of a concern, there are injuries to consider. The Seahawks receiving depth will be tested with Marquise Goodwin, and Cody Thompson sidelined. In addition, the possible absence of guards Damien Lewis and Gabe Jackson compromises an offensive line that allowed 13 sacks in Smith’s four appearances last season and another four in his limited preseason action.

The Bottom Line

Russell Wilson will be eager to begin life as a Bronco with a dominating performance against his former teammates, and he has the skills and the available weapons to do just that. The Broncos’ young receiving corps is poised to thrive with Wilson at the helm. His mobility is likely to cause fits for a Seattle run defense that’s already got to contend with the threats of Williams and Gordon.

Across the line of scrimmage, Seahawks betting fans need to temper their expectations with Smith at the helm. Smith lacks the accuracy to be a serious passing threat and the mobility to extend plays and create opportunities out of thin air. The Seahawks are likely to struggle to score against what could be an excellent Denver defense.

Our Broncos vs Seahawks prediction is a comfortable victory for the Broncos, with the total score under 44.5 points as the Seahawks offense endeavor to try and find a way to get points on the scoreboard.

Seattle Seahawks Sports Betting Promo Codes

Conclusion

Monday Night Football brings us the Broncos vs Seahawks will you be backing any of our predictions? Interested in more football content? Be sure to read our guide: How To Bet on American Football or our take on which teams in the NFC can make the cut to the playoffs. Visit our odds comparison tool to compare the latest odds.

Frequently Asked Question (FAQ)

Where can I watch the Denver Broncos vs Seattle Seahawks?

Catch the game on ABC and ESPN on September 12, 8:15 pm ET.

Written by Daniel Coyle.  

Daniel has written professionally about sports for two decades and covered the sports betting beat for the past nine years. He is an expert EPL, MLB, NBA, NFL, NHL, and UFC writer.    

His work has featured in various newspapers, magazines, and online media, including the Montreal Gazette, Globe & Mail, Faceoff.com, Sports Illustrated, Bleacher Report, NESN, Sportsnet, Featurd, SB Nation, Oilers Nation, and The Nation.