Local and national media project the winner of Sunday's matchup between the Seattle Seahawks and New Orleans Saints.
Brady Henderson, ESPN.com: Seahawks 27, Saints 20
Henderson: "Teddy Bridgewater will be trying to keep the Saints' playoff hopes on track while Drew Brees recovers from thumb surgery expected to sideline him more than a month. Bridgewater's first start of the season comes against a Seahawks defense expected to have defensive end Ezekiel Ansah making his Seattle debut opposite Jadeveon Clowney."
Mike Triplett, ESPN.com: Seahawks 23, Saints 20
Triplett: "The Saints will run for 120-plus yards against Seattle's fourth-ranked run defense. Coach Sean Payton will get creative with his use of Bridgewater andTaysom Hill in Brees' absence. But he'll also lean heavily on one of the most loaded offensive lines in football. Payton was hard on his line after the Week 2 loss in L.A., chastising it for getting "whupped" up front by the Rams. He'll demand it leads the charge this time around."
Gregg Rosenthal, NFL.com: Seattle Seahawks 26, New Orleans Saints 24
Rosenthal: "Despite Russell Wilson's remarkably mature performance in Pittsburgh, this matchup sets up as a Brian Schottenheimer run-heavy spectacular. Seattle's pass protection has caught a bad case of "Oh no, not agains," while the Saints' front four of Cameron Jordan, David Onyemata, Marcus Davenport and Trey Hendrickson have been incredibly disruptive against the pass. The last three words there are the key, as the Saints enter Week 3 dead last in rush defense efficiency, same as it ever was."
Pete Prisco, CBSSports.com: Seahawks 30, Saints 17
Prisco: "This will be Teddy Bridgewater starting for the injured Drew Brees at quarterback. It won't be easy. Seattle is a tough place to play. The Saints stayed on the West Coast after losing to the Rams, but that won't matter. Without Brees, Seattle will breeze."
Mike Florio, ProFootballTalk.com: Seahawks 29, Saints 17.
Florio: Even with Drew Brees, it would have been a tall order for the Saints to win in Seattle.
Haislop: "Because the Seahawks managed to beat the Roethlisberger-less Steelers on the road, one would think they're poised to handle the Brees-less Saints at home. Chances are that's true, in part because New Orleans is allowing 27.5 points per game, and Russell Wilson is carrying the offensive load for Seattle as well as ever. The Saints could throw the Seahawks a curve ball and feature Taysom Hill in a new-look offense to keep up in the scoring column, but Wilson is too good with the game on the line."
More Picks From Around The Web
- All 10 analysts at ESPN.com side with the Seahawks.
- All CBSSports.com analysts like the Seahawks over the Saints.
- Five of seven analysts at USA Today are taking the Seahawks on Sunday.
