Thursday Night Football: Seahawks at Broncos Preview, Odds and Betting Angles
The Seattle Seahawks (3-2) travel to Empower Field at Mile High on Thursday night to face the Denver Broncos (3-2) in a Week 6 matchup between two teams fighting for position in their divisions. Kickoff is set for 8:15 PM ET on Prime Video, and the Seahawks are 2.5-point road favorites with a total of 40.
The line and last week
Seattle opened as a short favorite and the line has held steady at Seahawks -2.5, with the moneyline at Seahawks -145 and Broncos +120. The total has ticked down to 40, one of the lowest of the week. Seattle is coming off a 32-29 home loss to the 49ers in which Sam Darnold threw for 195 yards with 1 touchdown and 2 interceptions, while Jaxon Smith-Njigba topped 100 receiving yards for the fourth time in five games. Denver knocked off the Chargers 23-17 on the road last week, covering as a 3.5-point favorite while the under hit. The Seahawks won the most recent meeting 26-20 in Seattle on September 8, 2024.
Injury report: Denver’s secondary is battered
The Broncos ruled out two starting defensive backs for Thursday: All-Pro cornerback Pat Surtain II (ankle) and safety Talanoa Hufanga (ankle), with Hufanga expected to miss two to three weeks. Cornerback Riley Moss (ribs) is questionable after three limited practices, and if he sits, Jahdae Barron and Kris Abrams-Draine step in. That is a depleted secondary facing Smith-Njigba, the NFL’s leading receiver, who is expected to play despite a limited week. Seattle is not fully healthy either. Starting linebacker Drake Thomas is out with an ankle injury, with Tyrice Knight expected to start, while running back Zach Charbonnet and linebacker Chazz Surratt are also ruled out. Defensive tackle Leonard Williams is expected to play.
Where the value is
Denver’s injuries are the headline, but the Broncos are 3-2 against the spread this season and strong at home on the short week. Seattle has covered only once in five games with a set spread, and three Seahawks games have gone over the total this season, while Denver games have averaged 44.7 points. The short line at 2.5 suggests oddsmakers see this as close to a coin flip despite the secondary situation.
What It Means for Bettors
The secondary injuries push Denver toward a bend-don’t-break approach, which could favor the under if the Broncos slow the game down. For bettors looking to back Seattle, the moneyline at -145 carries less juice than the spread if the game is decided by a field goal. Shop around for the best number before kickoff at BetOnline, Bovada, and MyBookie, where Thursday night props and live lines update through kickoff.
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