Tom Brady makes his first trip ever to CenturyLink Field as the New England Patriots do battle with the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday afternoon in Seattle, WA.
Event: New England Patriots (3-2) vs. Seattle Seahawks (3-2) - Week 6.
Date/Time: Sunday, October 13, 2012 - 4:05 p.m. ET.
Location: CenturyLink Field (Capacity: 67,000), Seattle, WA.
Broadcast Information: Sunday's game between the Patriots and Seahawks will be televised regionally on CBS/WBZ (Channel 4 in Boston) and on DirecTV channel 712. The game is also on 98.5 The Sports Hub and Sirius channel 91.
Odds: New England is a 3.5-point favorite over Seattle on Sunday.
Patriots 53-Man Roster: View the New England Patriots' roster here.
Seahawks 53-Man Roster: View the Seattle Seahawks' roster here.
Injuries: Below is a list of injuries for both New England and Seattle.
Last Time Out: New England, now riding a two-game winning streak, defeated rival Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos, 31-21, last weekend. Tom Brady had 223 passing yards and one touchdown, Wes Welker had 13 catches for 104 yards and the running game combined for 251 yards, led by Stevan Ridley's 151 yards on 28 carries. Seattle, winner of three of its last four games, beat the Carolina Panthers, 16-12, last weekend.
Last Meeting: The Patriots and Seahawks last met on December 7, 2008. Matt Cassel, starting in place of the injured Tom Brady, threw for 268 yards and one touchdown and Wes Welker grabbed 12 passes for 134 yards as New England edged Seattle, 24-21. Sammy Morris (36 rushing yards) scored the go-ahead one-yard touchdown with 2:44 left in the game. Current Patriot Deion Branch, then playing for the Seahawks, had 88 receiving yards and two touchdown receptions. Russell Wilson had 221 passing yards but was picked off twice and Marshawn Lynch rushed for 85 yards on 21 carries for Seattle.
Storyline: You always hear about the 12th man in Seattle. That crowd is (apparently) as good as it gets in football. Well, Tom Brady knows about the 12th man, and he's hoping to keep him silent. The recently surging Patriots are looking to put some distance between themselves and their counterparts in the AFC East with a third straight win against a Seattle team that has the same record (3-2) but is still tied for last in the NFC West. On paper, this is a game that Brady might have some trouble in, as the Seahawks boast the best defensive team in football in terms of total yards allowed. In addition, Seattle has the fourth best pass defense statistically in the league. On the flip side, New England's defense may catch a break against a Seattle squad that ranks 31st in offensive passing yards and 27th in total offensive yardage per game. This game will boil down to one big question: can the Seahawks stop Brady and the Pats' offense? Remember, this isn't the same Pats offense from last year or recent years past. It's no longer just the Brady show. The running game has been nothing short of tremendous in the past few weeks, and New England might have the most diverse offensive attack in all of football. If the Seahawks can keep them in check, this should be a close game. If not, it will be a repeat of the second half against the Bills, and there's nothing the 12th man can do about it.
Prediction: It looks like the Patriots have finally hit their stride, and you all know what happens when they do. This will be a tough test for Brady, but with the way the offense has looked recently, it's hard to pick against them. Final score: Patriots 35, Seahawks 17.
For more New England Patriots coverage, visit our team blog, Pats Pulpit.