The Seattle Seahawks (1-0-1) and Green Bay Packers (1-1) wrap up their NFL preseason schedules on Saturday, Aug. 23. Kickoff is set for 4:00 p.m. ET from Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis. The game will broadcast on NFL Network.
The Packers are favored by -3 with the over/under set at 37.5 total points. Green Bay is a -170 favorite to win outright, while Seattle is +142 to pull off the upset.
If you are looking for one of the more exciting preseason games this weekend, look no further than Packers vs Seahawks on Saturday afternoon. Joint practices this week were heated so the intensity may be higher than the typical exhibition contest.
Jordan Love and Sam Darnold may not be taking the field, but two young, exciting playmakers in Jalen Milroe and Malik Willis will start, with Milroe slated to play the entire 60 minutes. I like the idea of backing the former Alabama star as a short underdog, as he’ll have ample time to settle in to play in rhythm.
Let's get into my Seahawks vs Packers prediction for Saturday.
Seahawks vs Packers Odds
| Seahawks Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+3 -108 | 37.5 -102o / -118u | +142 |
| Packers Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-3 -112 | 37.5 -102o / -118u | -170 |
Seahawks vs Packers NFL Preseason Preview
The headline in this game will be the performance of Jalen Milroe — it’s not often you see a player tabbed pre-game to get the entire game to make an impression.
Milroe has thrown just 15 passes through two games but has added 56 rushing yards on the ground, which undoubtedly will be his calling card at the NFL level.
As I dug into the film, I noticed a few things I like that suggest Milroe can succeed. When playing out of the shotgun, he isn’t being tasked to read the entire field at this point. The rookie is looking to his first read, glancing at his second, and then he’s pulling the ball down, looking to make a play. He is clearly one of the best athletes on the field and can make something out of nothing, turning what would usually be a negative play into a positive gain.
Milroe can thrive when running the zone read as we have already seen this preseason, but it’s the bootlegs from under center that will give defenses fits.
His acceleration allows him to open up ample space between himself and pursuing defensive ends, to the point that it gives him more time to throw than just about any other quarterback executing the same concept. Milroe is very good at throwing on the run when moving to his right, and, of course, if defenders in coverage have their backs to him, he’s simply going to tuck the ball and take the yards.
The Green Bay defense behind the starters has not exactly been stout this preseason. The Packers allowed 9.1 yards per pass attempt in a loss to the Jets before surrendering 267 passing yards to a foursome of Colts signal-callers that included Daniel Jones, Anthony Richardson and rookie Riley Leonard.
In fact, while the Packers won in Indianapolis last week, it was not a convincing performance. Green Bay allowed more yards per rush than its offense averaged; the Packers were outgained for the game's entirety, and they lost the turnover battle.
The Packers are installed as favorites here because Malik Willis should get the benefit of being surrounded by the rest of the starting offense to begin the game.
However, I do not expect extended playing time for the rest of the starters considering the injuries this team is already dealing with. Jordan Love is slowly being worked into practice after having surgery on his thumb, and a trio of receivers are working their way back onto the field (Jayden Reed, Dontayvion Wicks, and Christian Watson).
With No. 2 running back Marshawn Lloyd also sidelined, I do not expect Matt LaFleur to risk other key contributors on Saturday.
Seahawks vs Packers Prediction, Betting Analysis
Short road underdogs are always undervalued in the preseason betting market, which is one of the key drivers of their success against the number the last couple of preseasons.
The Seahawks are 2-0 against the spread so far this preseason, and I like their chances of completing the clean sweep behind a heavy dose of Jalen Milroe and George Holani on the ground.
My Pick: Seahawks +3 (via Draftkings)
