Super Bowl XLIX odds: Prop bets for the Seattle Seahawks' skill players
Lost in the shuffle leading up to Super Bowl XLIX is a full appreciation of how well Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson played in just his third NFL season. With quarterbacks taking home Super Bowl MVP in six of the past eight years, Wilson has the best odds of any Seattle player to take home the award at 7/2. New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady is the favorite at 9/5.
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Wilson had a solid yet unspectacular performance in last year’s 43-8 rout of the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XLVIII, leaving linebacker Malcolm Smith to win MVP honors. In his third season, Wilson is coming off the best year of his young career and could be the difference if he can make voters forget about the four interceptions he threw in the NFC Championship Game. Wilson came up big in the clutch as the Seahawks knocked off the Packers 28-22 in overtime to advance to Super Bowl XLIX, and he enjoyed his best game of the season at University of Phoenix Stadium in Week 16 with 339 passing yards and 88 rushing yards in a 35-6 road win over the Arizona Cardinals.
Other Super Bowl props involving Wilson include betting over/unders of 219.5 passing yards, 27.5 passing attempts, 17.5 completions, 1.5 touchdown passes, 42.5 rushing yards and 7.5 rushing attempts. During the regular season, he averaged 217.2 passing yards, 28.3 passing attempts, 17.8 completions, 1.3 TD passes, 53.1 rushing yards and 7.4 rushing attempts. As you can see, there is a method to the madness.
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However, bettors who are eyeing Seattle’s Super Bowl props have to be wondering who else besides Wilson and running back Marshawn Lynch will make an impact offensively. The Seahawks saw Wilson and Lynch combine for 23 rushing and receiving touchdowns, while the rest of the Seahawks offense combined for 17, including one score from Percy Harvin, who was traded midseason. Wide receiver Doug Baldwin led the team in receiving yards (825) and tied tight end Luke Willson for second behind Lynch with three receiving touchdowns. Three other Seattle players scored two receiving touchdowns.
Baldwin’s O/U for receiving yards is 54.5 and 4.5 for receptions. Another wide receiver to watch is Jermaine Kearse (O/U 39.5 receiving yards and 2.5 receptions), who scored the game-winning touchdown in overtime against the Packers. Willson (O/U 29.5 receiving yards and 2.5 receptions) has stepped up lately, totaling 11 catches for 250 yards and three touchdowns in the past four games. He also hauled in the critical two-point conversion from Wilson on the go-ahead touchdown against Green Bay that gave the Seahawks their first lead.
