Indianapolis Colts (8-5) @ Seattle Seahawks (10-3)
Sunday, December 14, 4:25 PM ET
Just a handful of weeks ago, I think you could have circled this game as a possible Super Bowl matchup, even if it was just a darkhorse matchup.
Now, the injury to Daniel Jones has put the Indianapolis Colts firmly on the outside looking in, even with eight wins to their name already. If, by some stroke of luck, the Colts can find a way to go on the road and win this game against the Seahawks?
You might just be able to hand Shane Steichen the Coach of the Year award at that point. It is going to require everything going right for the Colts and simultaneously everything going wrong for the Seahawks in order for the Colts to find a way to win this game.
Seattle has been one of the most well-rounded teams in the NFL all season. Even when Sam Darnold has had bouts with the turnover bug, the Seahawks have been able to overcome and find ways to win games. They’ve got the #2 scoring offense in the NFL this year and the #2 scoring defense.
As tough as they’ve been already, the breakout game from Nick Emmanwori this past week could add yet another layer to this Mike Macdonald defense. Emmanwori was routinely projected, thanks to his ridiculous athletic traits, in the first round of our 2025 NFL mock drafts. The Seahawks traded up in the 2nd round to get him, and it looks like a hand-in-glove fit.
This is a rough matchup for the Colts, who are going to need to force turnovers, run the ball extremely well, and play keepaway from Seattle in order to have a fighting chance. The injury to Daniel Jones has the Seahawks as 11.5-point home favorites, and I think they’re going to win rather easily.
Prediction: Seahawks win 34-16