[bigsmitty]

This line is kind of frigging with my mind. OAK is playing badly in my opinion so far but it's not as if SEA is lighting it up and the -3.5 right now feels like an easy way to miss out via that half point. However, I would say SEA has been doing a better job so far and it sounds as if being at home with Coach Carroll speaking about the necessity of playing hard (aka for the win) speaks for a SEA wager. One quote from the Seattle Times: "Seattle's starters will play on Friday night against Oakland at CenturyLink Field. Coach Pete Carroll wouldn't say how much, but he implied the first unit is going to play. In fact, he was already fairly certain of that after Saturday's loss in Denver when he watched starting quarterback Tarvaris Jackson get sacked five times.

"We still need to play," Carroll said after the game. "I'm not sure what the numbers will be, but we still need to play. We've got things we've got to get done."

The Seahawks don't have much time to do them, either. Seattle's regular season begins on Sept. 11 in San Francisco, which is frighteningly close when you consider it took the first-string offense more than six quarters on the field to reach the end zone."

However, Lynch and Rice are two players that may see limited action if any at all if they're not practising-see notes.
• Seattle re-signed receivers Chris Carter and Patrick Williams on Wednesday, releasing punter John Gold and cornerback Ron Parker to make room. Carter and Williams were added for depth because WR Sidney Rice (shoulder) and WR Ben Obomanu (head) did not practice Wednesday. Neither finished practice on Tuesday because of injuries.

• DE Dexter Davis (hip), DE Chris Clemons (ankle) and LB Aaron Curry (knee) returned to practice after watching Tuesday's workout. LT Russell Okung (ankle) took part in some team drills as part of the second-string offensive line. SS Kam Chancellor (foot) took part in individual drills, but was held out of team drills.

• Not practicing: RB Marshawn Lynch (ankle), WR Mike Williams (undisclosed), WR Isaiah Stanback (hamstring), LB David Hawthorne (knee), DE Pierre Allen (hamstring).

At any rate, I threw all this info if others find it useful. Think I'm going with SEA and giving the 3.5 although I'm curious to see other opinions. Cheers and good luck.

Full article link: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/htm...yndication=rss

[bigsmitty]

Going with SEA -3.5. Predict a pretty weak performance as the Raiders likely rest their few bright spots and are away from their home crowd so have little incentive. Unless Coach Carroll is talking total trash SEA is playing to win and give the crowd something to live for...Good luck.

[305GURU]

raiders second and third units are pretty horrible to say the least, hue jackson has been pissed this week so he may have his team at least willing to come out and compete to finish strong this preseason, but its a coin toss imo, im passing, plenty of college ball on the board. GL Bigsmitty

[bigsmitty]

Thanks 305. I hear you with the coin flip but I think it has potential and I'm not a huge college person although I like TCU tonight. But again, there's strong opinions either way with that one. Cheers

[kobstopa]

good take, i like sea at home to cover, despite 2 loss, they have played hard.

[bigsmitty]

SEA comes through and actually looked fairly decent at times but both teams looked so shaky in places. Good old Charlie Whitehurst hey, with the seventies moustache. Preseason was pretty good for me but I'm glad it's over. Like getting your psych PhD every week. Cheers