Seahawks and Broncos meet Thursday as Darnold faces Surtain-less defense

The Seattle Seahawks host the Denver Broncos on Thursday Night Football, a matchup where both teams enter with 3-2 records. The contest pits Seattle's top-ranked defense against a Denver offense that has struggled on the road, with the betting market focusing on the under 20.5 for the first half.

Seattle is 1-1 on the road this season, having lost its first away game against Washington despite Marcus Mariota starting at quarterback. The Seahawks rebounded to beat the Los Angeles Chargers before facing the San Francisco 49ers. In that Week 4 matchup, San Francisco won 32-29, snapping Seattle's previous season's playoff elimination of the 49ers. Sam Darnold, who returned from a first-game injury for the subsequent four contests, has accumulated 755 passing yards with seven touchdowns and five interceptions. Six of those touchdowns went to Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who also accounts for the majority of Darnold's passing yards.

Denver is also 3-2, with a 1-2 road record. The Broncos lost their season opener to the Kansas City Chiefs before winning two consecutive games against the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Los Angeles Rams. The victory over Los Angeles came after Denver trailed for much of the game, finishing 30-26. The Broncos then traveled to San Francisco and lost 24-14 in Week 4. Most recently, Denver defeated the Chargers 23-17 in Los Angeles, joining the Bills and other teams in contributing to the Chargers' 0-5 start. The Rams, who lost to the Bills last week, have also dropped to 2-3.

A key factor in the matchup is the injury to Denver cornerback Pat Surtain, who is currently out. Surtain's absence leaves a potential opening for Smith-Njigba, although the Broncos possess other cornerbacks capable of limiting his production. The Seahawks currently hold the best defense in football by yards allowed. If Denver cannot establish its ground game against Seattle's defensive line, its passing attack will face significant pressure.

The article notes that this matchup was nearly realized in last season's Super Bowl, but Bo Nix's injury prevented Denver from advancing past the Patriots. Seattle went on to win the championship. Both teams have shown tendencies to start games slowly. The betting analysis favors the under 20.5 for the first half, citing the defensive strength of Seattle and the offensive challenges Denver faces away from home.