Sunday night’s game takes us back into Mile High, Denver, the place Invesco Field, home of the Denver Broncos. Invesco will be the stage for a western style shoot out. Both teams are 7-4 and look to improve to 8-4 in order to gain ground in their divisions. Controversy struck this week when Jake Plummer was replaced by rookie Jay Cutler. It was smoothed out with remarks of how Plummer took it well but still disliked being demoted.
Plummer dropped to 0-6 in six starts in Kansas City and had his second pass intercepted when tight end Stephen Alexander tipped the ball into the hands of cornerback Ty Law, leading to KC's first field goal. He was 25-for-39 for 216 yards.
Bet on the NFL at Bodog.com and receive an Immediate Cash Bonus!
Denver lost a heartbreaker to the Chiefs in Missouri on Thanksgiving. The NFL rushing leader Larry Johnson gouged Denver's fifth-ranked run defense for 157 yards and Lawrence Tynes kicked four field goals for the Chiefs (7-4), who charged into a second-place tie with the Broncos (7-4) in the AFC West.
Johnson, raising his league-leading rushing total to 1,202 yards, consistently burned the Broncos with 8- and 10-yard gains, using his usual assortment of power moves and start-and-stop elusiveness. The Broncos came in giving up just above 90 yards per game on the ground.
Bet on the Seahawks vs Broncos at Bodog and receive an Instant Cash Bonus!
Johnson scored the Chiefs' only touchdown on a 1-yard vault late in the second quarter following a crucial mistake by the Broncos' Ebenezer Ekuban, who was called for roughing the passer on a failed third-and-4 play from the 9.
Kicker Lawrence Tynes hit from 24, 34, 29 and 21 yards for the Chiefs, who have put themselves in a strong playoff position by shaking off a host of injuries and winning five of their last six. Making the night even more festive was an in-house standing-room-only crowd of 80,866, the largest since 1972, the year the Chiefs opened the facility that many call the loudest outdoor stadium in the league.
Back to Jay Cutler, Coach Shanahan must have some strong faith in this kid, to start him against the returning Pro Bowlers Matt Hasselbeck and MVP Shaun Alexander. They are now both healthy and ready to play the closing stretch of games after their win against Green Bay on Monday night.
Kicker Josh Brown kept it a close game for the Seahawks kicking three field goals after the Packers’ Ahman Green ran in a 5yard touchdown early in the first quarter. Seattle again suffered from turnovers against the Packers, committing four in the first half. But the defense held up its end, and coach Mike Holmgren stuck with the ground game throughout. Alexander worked his way into a rhythm and had success running from spread formations in particular.
Bet on the NFL at Bodog.com and receive an Immediate Cash Bonus!
The Seahawks still have to prove they can beat good teams. For now, they can take a measure of comfort knowing their offense might be coming to life with Hasselbeck and Alexander back in the lineup.
I still haven’t figured out how they consider Denver to be the home favorite at -3½. The truth is I feel this is one more of those home advantage suck in lines. I would take Seattle +3½ with Hasselbeck rested and healthy plus Alezander ready to roll over the Broncos. Total under 40, this game will be cold and defensive somehow.
