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Many pundits had the&nbsp;Seattle Seahawks&nbsp;among their bottom two or three teams going into the 2022 season. But perhaps they had underestimated the ability of their head coach, who has been forced to improvise more than once.



After a heart-stopping 48-45 road win over the Detroit Lions, Pete Carroll has his team at the .500 mark (2-2) and, for the time being, a contender in the NFC West.



And they'll look to take another step forward on Sunday as they pay a visit to the Big Easy to play the&nbsp;New Orleans Saints, in a game that begins at 1 PM ET at the Superdome. It will be carried on a regional basis on Fox Network.



<a href="https://www.bangthebook.com/sportsbooks/betanysports/">BetAnySports </a>offers less juice on this game, which gives you more value. In the pro football odds they've posted, the Saints are favored:



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New Orleans Saints -5.5 Seattle Seahawks +5.5 Over 46 Points -110 Under 46 Points -110



One thing everybody's got to understand about this Seattle team is that Rashaad Penny is quietly developing into a tailback who can perform at an elite level much of the time, and if he can do that, he is fulfilling coach Carroll's wishes of having an offense that is highlighted by the ground game. It really was a matter of philosophies that may have led to the cold distance between Carroll and Russell Wilson, who wanted to pass the ball more and more.



Last season Penny led all running backs in yards per carry (6.3). This year, after his 151-yard, two-touchdown performance against Detroit, he is now averaging six yards a pop, with 4.57 yards a carry after contact.



As injuries have affected the Seattle backfield, Penny, who has suffered through some hurts himself as well as "mental health issues," has been a godsend.



Yet after we have said all of that, the Seahawks are still only running the ball 39% of the time.



And part of this is that QB Geno Smith is also engineering an attack that has defied expectations. He is averaging 7.9 Intended Air Yards, which means that he is throwing it a distance beyond the line of scrimmage, and this isn't one of those deals where his receivers are continually catching short dumps and running the rest of the way, as the Seahawks are averaging just 3.7 yards after the catch.



Whatever the case, with 77% completions, Smith is operating at a high level of efficiency, so much so that he is third in the NFL in quarterback rating, fifth in yards per attempt and #1 in accuracy.



Oh, and in case you were curious, Russell Wilson's quarterback rating is 16th in the league.



So he began the season as a liability, and as of now, he's a revelation.



And there is something to be said for what Pete Carroll told reporters after the opening-game win over Denver, which is that Smith is better than he's ever been and part of the reason is that he has played in the system for four years.



The Saints would like to have running back Alvin Kamara available here. And as of this writing, there is no definitive word about Jameis Winston, who has four fractures in his back and sat out the London game against Minnesota. Andy Dalton had better metrics in his place, but we know how limited he really is at this point in time. Winston had five interceptions and eleven sacks in three games. So is there any news that would get Saints backers ecstatic? Chris Olave (335 yards, 16 per catch) has been a rookie standout, but the other receivers haven't given coach Dennis Allen what he wanted. Latavius Murray, who scored a TD in the 28-25 loss to Minnesota and then went back to the practice squad, was signed by Denver.



Looking at what we have in front of us, we'd be inclined to take the points with the Seahawks.



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Pro Football Picks: Seahawks vs Saints Geno's been supremo, and Penny ain't bad either

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Making on a bet on this NCAA game featuring the Terriers versus the Vikings? Tip off is at at 12:00 ET, and you can watch it all unfold on ESPN+. The game will be played at UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena in Milwaukee, WI. Wofford is the -4.5 point favorites in this non-conference matchup against Portland State. The over/under for the game is set at 152.5 points.<h3>WOFFORD TERRIERS VS PORTLAND STATE VIKINGS BETTING PICK</h3>The Pick: Portland State Vikings +4.5This game will be played at UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena at 12:00 ET on Sunday, November 24th.<h3>WHY BET THE PORTLAND STATE VIKINGS:</h3><ul><li>We have this one finishing with a projected score of 79-67 in favor of the Vikings.</li><li>Not only will Portland State pick up the win, but look for them to cover at +4.5.</li><li>The over/under is currently sitting at 152.5 points, and we like the under with a projected 146 points.</li></ul><h3>Will the Terriers Make it Happen in Milwaukee?</h3><h3>Wofford Terriers Recent Game/Games</h3> 

Wofford dropped a close one to Milwaukee on Saturday, November 23rd, losing 76-74 on the road. The Terriers, who were +4 point underdogs, managed to cover the spread. 

After leading 30-29 at halftime, Wofford scored 44 points in the 2nd half but allowed 47. The game’s total points of 150 narrowly went over the pre-game O/U line of 148.5.Wofford's offense put up 74 points in their last game, shooting 49.2% from the field. They were efficient inside, hitting 64.9% of their two-point attempts, but struggled from beyond the arc, connecting on just 25% of their threes (6/24). Themus Fulks led the way with 24 points, shooting 61.5% overall and hitting his only three-point attempt. AJ McKee added 21 points, shooting 66.7% from the field and 50% from three (2/4), while Dillon Bailey was 8/11 from the floor, finishing with 18 points.Even with Wofford giving up 76 points, they managed to hold their opponent to 45% shooting from the field, including 29% from beyond the arc, where they hit just 5 of 17 threes. Inside the arc, Wofford's defense allowed 52% shooting, with their opponent making 21 of 40 two-point attempts. Wofford sent their opponent to the free-throw line 33 times, where they converted 19 for 57%. On the boards, Wofford gave up 15 offensive rebounds.<h3>Will Portland State Secure A Victory as Home Underdogs?</h3><h3>Portland State Vikings Recent Game/Games</h3> 

Portland State fell to St. Thomas (MN) 91-65 on Saturday, November 23rd. The Vikings, who were +2.5 point underdogs, not only lost but also failed to cover the spread. The total points for the game reached 156, surpassing the over/under line of 151.5. 

Portland State struggled early, trailing 53-21 at halftime. They improved in the 2nd half, scoring 44 points and holding St. Thomas to 38, but the early deficit was too much to overcome.Portland State struggled offensively in their last game, shooting just 32.2% from the field and 16% from beyond the arc, hitting only 4 of 25 three-point attempts. Their effective field goal percentage was 35.6%, but they managed to score 65 points, thanks in part to hitting 79.3% of their free throws, going 23 for 29 from the line. Ben Nau led the way with 18 points, shooting 70% overall and 57.1% from three-point range, connecting on 4 of 7 attempts. The Vikings also grabbed 15 offensive rebounds and dished out 10 assists in the game.Even though Portland State gave up 91 points, they held the opposing team to just 32% shooting from the field. The Vikings allowed 15 two-point field goals on 34 attempts, a 44% conversion rate. From beyond the arc, Portland State's defense limited the other team to 4 made threes on 25 attempts, just 16% shooting. The Vikings also sent their opponents to the free-throw line 29 times, where they hit 23 free throws, a 79% success rate.

Wofford Terriers vs Portland State Vikings NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 11/24/24

The Arizona Diamondbacks face off against the Philadelphia Phillies in the third contest of their four-game series at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, so here’s the best betting pick for this National League showdown set for Saturday, August 28, with the first pitch at 6:05 PM ET.&nbsp;



The Diamondbacks have owned the Phillies over the last few years, winning 15 of their previous 19 encounters. Excluding the second game of this series, Arizona is 4-0 against Phila in 2021, but the D-backs are listed as underdogs for Saturday’s clash, according to <a href="https://bangthebook.com/sportsbooks/betdsi/">BetDSI Sportsbook</a>.



<h2>Arizona upset the Phillies in the opener for its second straight W&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</h2>



The Arizona Diamondbacks improved to 44-85 on the season following an 8-7 victory at Citizens Bank Park this past Thursday. They nearly blew a six-run lead in the bottom of the ninth, as the D-backs bullpen continues to cause huge problems, though their defense is not helping a lot either.



Arizona’s relievers own the highest ERA in the majors (5.33). Over the last couple of weeks, they’ve registered a 4.26 ERA and 4.52 FIP. The D-backs have won nine of their previous 14 games mostly thanks to their offense, as Arizona’s bats have recorded a nice .279/.346/.467 triple-slash in that 14-game stretch.



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Humberto Mejia will get the starting call Saturday, his second in the big leagues. The 24-year-old righty took a no-decision on his debut last Monday, allowing a couple of earned runs on six hits and two walks while striking out seven through five innings of work in a 6-5 defeat at the Pittsburgh Pirates.



<h2>The Phillies seek revenge</h2>



The Philadelphia Phillies fell to 63-64 on the season following that disappointing defeat to the Diamondbacks last Thursday. It was a huge blow for the Phillies, who trailed the NL East-leading Atlanta Braves by five and a half games on Friday.



Philadelphia has won only four of its previous 12 contests overall, mostly due to a proper slump at the dish. The Phillies have scored just 43 runs in the process while compiling a miserable .195/.283/.356 batting line.



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Kyle Gibson will take the mound Saturday against Arizona, and the 33-year-old righty is 3-2 with a 3.77 ERA in four starts and one relief appearance since he joined the Phillies in July. Last Sunday, Gibson threw eight frames of a one-run ball in a 7-4 victory at the San Diego Padres. He’s 9-5 with a 3.06 ERA and 1.21 WHIP in 23 starts and one relief app this season (19 starts with Texas).



Trends:



Arizona:



<ul><li>3-8 in the last 11 games on the road</li></ul>



Philadelphia:



<ul><li>N/A</li></ul>



<h2 id="h-arizona-diamondbacks-vs-philadelphia-phillies-pick">Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Philadelphia Phillies Pick</h2>



The Phillies finally got things going offensively in the opening clash of this set, and I’m expecting a strong performance Saturday against the D-backs’ pitching staff. Humberto Mejia is still young and learning at this level. He’s 5-4 with a poor 5.93 ERA and 1.59 WHIP in 12 starts in the triple-A this season.



Kyle Gibson will have to give his team a chance, of course, while the Phillies bullpen has a 4.17 ERA and 3.66 FIP in the last two weeks of action. If they want to stay alive n the playoff chase, the Phillies cannot afford a loss here.



Pick: Take Philadelphia Phillies at -207&nbsp;&nbsp;



The Total:



The current Diamondbacks have a solid .273/.303/.466 slash line in 52 at-bats against Kyle Gibson, who met them once this year and gave up three earned runs on seven hits and a couple of walks through six frames.



Arizona has done a good job at the plate lately. If the D-backs continue to hit well, the Phillies will be under pressure to bring everything they have, and we’ll see a high-scoring affair. The over has hit in six of the last seven encounters between these two teams at Citizens Bank Park.



Pick: Go over 9.0 runs at +105

Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Philadelphia Phillies Odds, Pick, Prediction 8/28/21

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