Seattle Seahawks As Favorite Betting Trend

The Seahawks' struggles as favorites stem from a fundamental mismatch between their defensive identity and the expectations that come with being favored. Seattle built their championship reputation on elite defense and opportunistic offense, a formula that works exceptionally well as underdogs when they can control tempo and capitalize on opponent mistakes. However, when installed as favorites, they're expected to dictate pace and score consistently, which exposes their historical offensive limitations. Seattle's defensive-first approach creates a paradox in favorite situations. Their "Legion of Boom" era established a culture of bend-don't-break defense that keeps games close regardless of talent disparity. This style naturally leads to tight contests that often fall short of covering spreads, especially when oddsmakers inflate lines based on Seattle's reputation rather than their actual offensive capabilities. The team's reliance on defensive scores and short fields means they rarely blow out opponents, even inferior ones. The psychological component cannot be ignored either. Pete Carroll's teams have consistently performed better with a chip on their shoulder, thriving in the underdog mentality that defined their Super Bowl runs. When expected to dominate, they often play down to competition level. This trend matters most in primetime games and divisional matchups where Seattle's reputation inflates spreads beyond their true offensive ceiling.