Seahawks vs. Jets odds, prediction, betting tips for NFL Week 17

Two teams in need of a win to keep their playoff chances afloat meet in Week 17 when the 7-8 Jets travel to Lumen Field to face the 7-8 Seahawks on New Year's Day. After it looked as if both the Jets and Seahawks would be on the right side of the playoff bubble a few weeks ago, a combined 1-7 record from these two teams over the past four weeks has both fanbases sweating as the regular season comes to a close.

Seattle's attempting to snap a three-game losing skid, most recently mustering just 10 points in a 14-point road loss to the Chiefs. QB Geno Smith had a tough time getting going against an exploitable Kansas City defense and clearly missed his security blanket, Tyler Lockett (finger). Seattle struggled mightily to move the chains on third down, going just two-of-14 on the day. Lockett has an outside chance of suiting up this week, which would take pressure off Smith and fellow WR DK Metcalf against an elite Jets' pass defense.

New York suffered its fourth-straight loss in a 19-3 home defeat against the Jaguars on Thursday Night Football. Without an early strip-sack by Quinnen Williams on the first possession of the game, the Jets would have likely gotten shut out, mustering just 227 total yards on 4.1 yards per play. Zach Wilson's poor performance (nine-of-18 passing, 92 yards, one interception) resulted in a return to inactive status with Mike White (ribs) healed and ready to go.

WEEK 17 NFL BETTING: Odds, spreads

For those looking for a play, we'll give you all the information you need before placing a wager on Seahawks-Jets, including the updated odds from BetMGM, tips, and our prediction for this Week 17 matchup.

Seahawks vs. Jets odds for NFL Week 17

• Spread: Jets -1.5 (-110); Seahawks +1.5 (-110)
• Over/Under: 42.5
• Moneyline: Jets -125; Seahawks +105

In the preseason look-ahead lines, the Seahawks sat as short 1.5-point favorites, as neither team was expected to be as successful as they've been through 16 weeks. With the Seahawks amid a three-game losing streak and White returning from injury, the Jets have been bet up to two-point road favorites. The total's been bet down a couple of points since opening at 44.5, which makes sense for a game that the defensive-minded Jets are projected to win.

Seahawks vs. Jets all-time series

The Seahawks lead the all-time series over the Jets with a 12-8 record. The last time these two teams met was back in 2020 when Seattle cruised to a 40-3 home win with Russell Wilson tossing four passing TDs against the Sam Darnold-led Jets. The Jets' have lost the past four meetings against the Seahawks, with their last win coming in a 37-14 win back in December '04. 

Three trends to know

-- Betting on the Seahawks to cover the past six games has been rough, with Seattle posting an 0-6 ATS record.

- The Jets haven't been much better against the spread over their past six games either, covering just twice (+9.5 @ Bills, -8 vs. Bears).

-- According to BetQL, "Pete Carroll is still 19-6 ATS whenever the Seahawks have suffered at least two consecutive losses."

Take advantage of BetQL’s 3-day free trial and see all of our best bets across all sports, including college football, NFL, and MLB!

Three things to watch for

Kenneth Walker's effectiveness

Walker did his part in attempting to keep Seattle within striking distance last week, rushing for 107 yards after combining for just 126 rushing yards in the four games prior. If Walker can build off last week's performance with another efficient game on the ground, Seattle has a shot to better its playoff chances. Albeit a small sample size, the Seahawks are 3-1 when Walker rushes for at least 95 yards. Gaining chunk plays against a stout Jets run defense that ranks eighth in Football Outsider's rush DVOA is crucial.

The Jets' running game

Similar to Seattle, New York needs to get the run game going, and it likely will against a Seahawks defense ranking 25th in Football Outsider's rush DVOA. The Jets' inability to run has been detrimental to their chances of competing for a playoff spot, as they've averaged just 64 rushing yards per game over the past three weeks. Zach Wilson had issues beyond not having a reliable running game, but consistently being forced into obvious passing situations doesn't make things any easier. Posting a respectable rushing success rate is needed if the Jets want to snap their four-game losing skid.

Mike White on passing downs

Even if the Jets post a better rushing success rate this week, White's ability to move the chains and make plays on passing downs is imperative. In the three games White's started (Weeks 12-14), he posted a respectable enough 0.104 EPA/play (10th among 17 qualifying QBs with at least 100 snaps). Despite a positive EPA/play, he sports the third-lowest completion percentage over expected (-2.8 percent), so his completions haven't been overly difficult. Can White show out against a Seahawks' defense ranking allowing the fifth-highest EPA/drop-back (0.104) and third-down conversion rate (44 percent)?

Stat that matters

40 sacks. New York's defense has racked up the eighth-most sacks this season, with Quinnen Williams being the most dominant pass rusher on the team (12 sacks). We'll see if the Jets' defensive line can produce multiple sacks against a subpar Seahawks offensive line that's allowed 39 sacks (22nd) to go along with an 8.5-percent adjusted sack rate (24th).

Seahawks vs. Jets prediction

While the Jets are pegged as short favorites, this game has a pick 'em feel to it. Like most projected close games, whichever team can win the turnover battle puts themselves in a great spot to notch the win. Since we can't predict which team will do that, we think the Jets' offense will have more success through the air against a struggling Seahawks pass defense, resulting in New York notching the road win and cover.

PREDICTION: Jets 23, Seahawks 20. New York (-1.5) covers the spread with the game barely going OVER the total (42.5).