ESPN picks Seahawks as NFL's top survivor pick for Week 3 vs. Saints

Seattle's odds against New Orleans are heavily in their favor.

Sep 14, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Seattle Seahawks wide receivers Cooper Kupp (10) and Jaxon Smith-Njigba (11) congratulate running back Kenneth Walker III (9) on his touchdown against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the fourth quarter at Acrisure Stadium. | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

The Seattle Seahawks lost their home opener against the San Francisco 49ers. While every new season is a new challenge, that loss extended the team's woeful string of bad performances at Lumen Field. Going back to last season, they have now lost seven of their last eight games at home.

Good news: this week offers a chance for a get-right game in front of their fans - those that don't resell their tickets and actually bother to show up, anyway. The New Orleans Saints are visiting on Sunday, and the Seahawks are heavy favorites - so heavy that ESPN has chosen them as this week's best survivor pick in the NFL.

ESPN on Seahawks-Saints

"The Saints on the road against any competent opponent will be a constant theme of Eliminator recommendations. They are No 31 in ESPN's FPI rankings, ahead of only the Tennessee Titans, and they have never won in eight career Spencer Rattler starts. While the betting market is higher on the Seahawks in this game than both Mike Clay and ESPN Analytics, the Seahawks don't have a single home game the rest of the season against a bottom-10 team, so they have virtually no future value."

Aug 23, 2025; Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA; General view of a Seattle Seahawks helmet prior to the game against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. | Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

The betting line favors Seattle by 7.5 points, but it would be embarrassing if they won the game by anything elss than 10 points.

Then again, that's the exact same line the oddsmakers gave the Seahawks when this string of bad games at home began. Last season when the New York Giants came to visit in Week 5 Seattle was also a 7.5-point favorite. The Giants pulled off an upset, and that game was arguably the one that cost the Seahawks a playoff spot more than any other.

As lopsided as the machup looks on paper it's still in the NFL - and taking your opponent lightly is a good way to get humiliated in a game you should win.

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