Will Win Over Bucs Precede Hawks Playoff Start?

Football Betting Lines

12/29/2006 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The NFC West champion Seattle Seahawks are playoff-bound, despite struggling down the stretch with three straight losses.

The Seahawks backed into a division title last week, thanks to a loss the 49ers, but still have a chance to enter the postseason on a good note when they visit the lowly Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the regular-season finale at Raymond James Stadium on New Year's Eve.

Seattle, which will host a Wild Card playoff game against the runner-up in the NFC East, has just two wins in its last six games and dropped a 20-17 contest to the San Diego Chargers last Sunday at Qwest Field. Chargers wideout Vincent Jackson burned the Seattle secondary for a 37-yard touchdown with 29 seconds to go in the fourth quarter.

Seahawks running back and reigning NFL MVP Shaun Alexander played well with 140 yards and two touchdowns on 31 carries, but quarterback Matt Hasselbeck was not as hot, ending 17-of-37 for 189 yards and a pair of interceptions. The two offensive stars need to step up this week to deliver a measure of confidence to reigning NFC Champions.

Meanwhile, the season couldn't end any sooner for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Despite stopping a four-game losing streak with a 22-7 victory at Cleveland last Sunday, the Bucs only have two wins over their last nine games.

Kicker Matt Bryant had three field goals and veteran linebacker Derrick Brooks returned an interception 21 yards for a touchdown to help end Tampa Bay's second four-game losing streak this season last week. They opened the year at 0-4.

If the Bucs, who earned their first road win of 2006, lose on Sunday it will be their worst season since the 1991 squad finished with a dismal 3-13 mark.

On a brighter note, the team signed quarterback Chris Simms to a contract extension earlier in the week. Simms, who has missed the majority of the season after rupturing his spleen in a Week 3 loss to Carolina, would have been an unrestricted free agent after the season.

SERIES HISTORY

The Seahawks have won five of the six all-time meetings with Tampa Bay, including a 10-6 road triumph when the teams last did battle, in Week 2 of the 2004 season. The Buccaneers scored their only victory in the series in the previous meeting, a 16-3 road victory in 1999. The Seahawks are 3-0 at Tampa Bay all-time.

Seattle head coach Mike Holmgren is 13-4 against Tampa Bay all-time, going 12-3 (including postseason) while with Green Bay from 1992 through 1998. A 21-7 victory in a 1997 NFC Divisional Playoff is part of the makeup of that record. The Buccaneers' Jon Gruden is 5-4 against Seattle, including 5-3 while head coach of the Oakland Raiders from 1998 to 2001. Holmgren leads the personal series with Gruden, 4-3.

SEAHAWKS OFFENSE VS. BUCCANEERS DEFENSE

Hasselbeck (2,226 yards, 17 TDs, 15 INTs) is coming off two rough games in which he has thrown four interceptions against only one touchdown pass. The righty hasn't passed for more than 243 yards in any of his past six games, and is at the head of a Seattle air attack now ranked just 20th in the NFL this season. The Seattle receiving corps has hampered of late by the absence of Darrell Jackson (63 catches, 956 yards, 10 TDs), who has missed the last two games with a hyperextended toe injury and is questionable against Tampa Bay. Deion Branch (50 catches, 687 yards, 4 TDs) has 50 or more receiving yards in each of his last three games, including a 61-yard, five-reception performance last week against San Diego. D.J. Hackett (41 catches, 547 yards, 3 TDs) has emerged over the last three weeks with 228 yards and a touchdown over that stretch. Bobby Engram (22 catches, 263 yards, TD) returned to action against San Francisco after missing nine games with a thyroid disorder, and recorded four catches for 65 yards against the Chargers last week. Tight end Jerramy Stevens (18 catches, 177 yards, 4 TDs) has three TD catches over his past seven games, and is part of an offensive line which allowed a season-high six sacks on Sunday against the Chargers and has surrendered 14 over its last five games.

Bucs defensive ends Dewayne White and Greg Spires provide the rush off the edges, and will be in hot pursuit of Hasselbeck on Sunday. Spires (46 tackles, 4 sacks) had four tackles and a pair of sacks last week, while White (36 tackles, 5 sacks) posted three stops and deflected a pass. The two will seek to pressure Hasselbeck one week after Tampa Bay's 18th-ranked passing defense allowed just 86 through the air and posted four interceptions in Cleveland. Safety Jermaine Phillips (96 tackles, sack, 2 INTs) had a great game against Cleveland with a pair of INTs and three tipped passes. Corner Phillip Buchanon logged a pick and two passes defensed last, and will assist fellow CB Ronde Barber (95 tackles, 3 INTs), who is tied for the team lead in interceptions

Had Alexander (804 yards, 6 TDs) not missed six games earlier this season due to a foot problem, he would have already posted his sixth consecutive 1,000- yard rushing season. Instead, Alexander is 196 yards shy of reaching that goal, and will be hard-pressed to meet it against a Tampa Bay team that is 17th against the rush this season. Alexander has four touchdown runs in his last four games, and ran all over San Diego's strong run-stopping defense for 140 yards and two TDs on 31 touches last week. The big back, who is one of four players in NFL history to average more than a touchdown per game, has eclipsed the 100-yard mark just twice this season. Seattle owns a 29-6 record when he hits the century mark, and has won 14 of the last 15 games during that span. In his last matchup versus Tampa Bay on September 19, 2004, Alexander was held to 45 yards on 17 carries in a 10-6 win.

Alexander will have to be willing to plow through the likes of Tampa interior linemen Chris Hovan (45 tackles, 2 sacks), Ellis Wyms (27 tackles, 5 sacks) and Jovan Haye (14 tackles) this Sunday. Hovan is the leader in the middle of a line which hasn't allowed a 100-yard rusher since Philadelphia's Brian Westbrook recorded 101 yards back in Week 7. The Bucs' linebackers will be busy on Sunday, especially future Hall of Famer Derrick Brooks. Brooks, a nine-time Pro Bowl selection and Super Bowl champ, had seven tackles, a pass defensed, and an interception he returned 21 yards for a touchdown last week. Brooks (110 tackles, 3 INTs) leads the Bucs in tackles, and was a big reason why Cleveland racked up just 187 yards of total offense. He has an interception in each of his last two meetings with Seattle. The 2002 NFL Defensive Player of the Year will be aided by MLB Shelton Quarles (96 tackles, 2 1/2 sacks) and OLB Ryan Nece (60 tackles, 1 1/2 sacks).

BUCCANEERS OFFENSE VS. SEAHAWKS DEFENSE

Tim Rattay (563 yards, 3 TDs, 2 INTs) will make his second start of the season against the Seahawks. Rattay took over for rookie Bruce Gradkowski in a Week 15 loss to Chicago, throwing for three touchdowns and an interception in that overtime defeat. He earned his first win as a Buccaneer in last Sunday's win over Cleveland, throwing for 212 yards and an interception on 16-of-26 passing in what ranked as his first-ever road win as a starter. Leading receiver Joey Galloway (54 catches, 939 yards, 6 TDs) had two catches for 34 yards against the Browns, one week after burning the Bears for 107 yards and a score on three receptions. Galloway is in search of the fifth 1,000-yard season, and second straight. Ike Hilliard (33 catches, 335 yards 2 TDs) has stepped up in the absence of injured WR Michael Clayton (knee), and led the Bucs with 67 yards on four catches in the win over Cleveland. Galloway, Hilliard and tight end Alex Smith (35 catches, 250 yards, 3 TDs) will challenge Seattle's 15th- ranked passing defense. Tampa Bay's offensive line allowed three sacks last week, and will have to give Rattay more time this week against a hungry Seattle defense.

With a new quarterback under center for the Bucs, the Seahawks will surely bring the heat. Defensive ends Grant Wistrom (36 tackles, 4 sacks) and Bryce Fisher (46 tackles, 4 sacks) will be mainly responsible for providing the rush off the edges, after the two combined for six stops against San Diego last Sunday. Wistrom had two sacks in the last meeting with Tampa Bay. The Seattle secondary was burned in the last minute against San Diego, but played well for the majority of the game and had the NFL's highest-scoring offense on the ropes until Vincent Jackson's late TD. Cornerbacks Marcus Trufant (66 tackles, INT) and Kelly Herndon (66 tackles, INT) shut down the San Diego passing attack for almost four quarters, but Trufant went down with an ankle injury and was replaced by Kelly Jennings (35 tackles, INT). Trufant is doubtful for this week, meaning Jennings will make his first NFL start. The corners, along with safeties Ken Hamlin and Jordan Babineaux, should have an easier task this Sunday against a thin receiving corps. Hamlin (93 tackles, 2 sacks, 3 INTs) is second on the team in tackles.

Bucs running back Cadillac Williams (798 yards, TD) missed the win over Cleveland with a foot injury, and is questionable against Seattle. Before going down with the problem, Williams only had two 100-yard rushing games on the year, and hasn't scored a touchdown since a Week 3 loss against Carolina. Tampa Bay is 29th in the NFL in rushing, and will have to rely on backup RB Michael Pittman again if Williams is unable to perform. Pittman (172 yards, TD) logged a solid performance against the Browns with 86 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries. Pittman, who can also hurt defenses out of the backfield, had no more than three attempts in a game until carrying the offensive load last Sunday. Bruising fullback Mike Alstott (167 yards, 3 TDs) had fallen off the radar before being injected into the scheme against Cleveland. Alstott, who is battling neck problems, posted 56 yards on 22 touches last week. The team is a perfect 7-0 when the big back reaches the century mark, though he hasn't done so since 2002.

If the Seattle front line of defense plays on Sunday the way it did against the Chargers, head coach Mike Holmgren will have something to smile about. Seattle prevented Chargers running back and probable NFL MVP LaDainian Tomlinson from scoring a touchdown for the first time in more than two months (8 games), though the perennial Pro Bowler did manage 123 yards on 22 carries. The Seahawks are 21st against the rush this season, surrendering 127.9 yards a game. Seattle DTs Rocky Bernard (33 tackles, 3 1/2 sacks) and Chartric Darby (35 tackles, 3 1/2 sacks) are the main run-stoppers up front. If either Williams or Pittman busts through the front line of defense, the Seahawks have a talented group of linebackers ready for the challenge. Leading tackler and MLB Lofa Tatupu (115 tackles, 1 1/2 sacks, INT) matched a season-high with 12 tackles against the Chargers and posted his first solo sack of the year. The Pro Bowl linebacker will join teammate and OLB Julian Peterson in Hawaii this coming February. Peterson (83 tackles, 9 sacks, INT) leads the Seahawks with a career-high nine sacks, and had four stops last Sunday. Peterson, though, has not recorded a sack in three straight games. OLB Leroy Hill (87 tackles, 2 sacks) is the third member of Seattle's trio of linebackers. Hill made four stops versus the Chargers and is third on the Seahawks in tackles.

OVERALL ANALYSIS

Though their playoff position won't change no matter what happens on Sunday, the Seahawks shouldn't be a candidate to rest their starters in preparation for the postseason. Seattle needs a win to boost its flagging confidence, which means the likes of Hasselbeck and Alexander should play deep into this contest. Look for the Hawks to come out determined to enter January with a win, and to make some big plays late against a Tampa team that has been rejuvenated with Rattay in the lineup.

Sportsbook Betting Lines Predicted Outcome: Seahawks 28, Buccaneers 24