Raiders Take on Seattle Seahawks

BetUS NFL Betting Odds: SEATTLE -3, Total 35

NOTABLE STAT: Oakland gave up 4.8 yards per rush in 2007 (32nd in league)

KEY NFL FOOTBALL BETTING TREND: Raiders have played 13 unders in last 16 in pre-season

The Oakland Raiders (4-12 SU, 6-10 ATS in 2007; 1-2 SU, 2-1 ATS in pre-season) wrap things up in their exhibition sked with a visit to the Pacific Northwest on Friday, where they wil take on the Seattle Seahawks (10-6 SU, 9-6-1 ATS in 2007 regular season; 2-1 SU, 2-0-1 ATS in pre-season) in NFL action that is set to take place at 10 PM ET at Qwest Field (artificial turf) in Seattle.

In the BetUS NFL pre-season football betting odds, the Seahawks are listed as a three-point favorite, with the total posted at 35 points.

Here are some NFL betting trends as they relate to this matchup (reflecting numbers going into the 2008 season):

* OAK has played six of its last seven games OVER the total

* OAK has lost nine of its last 11 games SU

* OAK has played its last four road games OVER the total

* OAK has covered three of its last nine games

* SEA is 7-3 ATS in its last ten games

* SEA has played five of its last seven games OVER the total

Pre-Season trends:

* OAK has won and covered nine of its last 12 pre-season games

* OAK has played 13 of its last 16 pre-season games UNDER the total

* SEA has played nine of its last 12 pre-season games OVER the total

Oakland has accomplished one of its goals in the pre-season, which was to get JaMarcus Russell, the top choice in last year's NFL draft, some playing time in games. That was especially important because Russell missed all of last year's training camp with the Raiders and fell way behind schedule. As a result, he had very limited playing time in the regular season.

Now that the objective has been accomplished, Russell will be held out of Friday night's game, and so will the rest of the first-team offense. As for the defense, there is every indication that the Raiders will have trouble stopping the run, as they did last year, when they were dead last in the league in that department (on a per-carry basis, that is). In the last two games, they have yielded 355 rushing yards.

The Seahawks went almost exclusively to the passing game toward the end of last season. And Mike Holmgren, in his final season at the helm, wanted to change that philosophy around a little. So he cut Shaun Alexander, who had been plagued by injuries and was a shadow of his former self, and brought in Julius Jones and T.J. Duckett to energize the ground game.

Between those guys and the other people they have in camp, the 'Hawks have rushed for 565 yards in their three pre-season contests, including 241 against the Chicago Bears on August 16. Justin Forsett, a rookie from California, gained 261 all-purpose yards in that game. Maybe they'll achieve the balance they were looking for after all.

Matt Hasselbeck, who has been nursing a back injury, won't play, but even if the starters get considerable rest, the depth in the backfield, which also includes Maurice Morris and Leonard Weaver, should provide Seattle with plenty of ability to move the chains here. We'll lay the points with the Seahawks, the three-point favorite in the BetUS NFL pre-season betting odds.

JAY'S PLAY: SEATTLE -3 ***

(Graded on a scale of 1-4 stars)

(Charles Jay of www.ebookies.com is a member of the NFL too - that is, "not for long" if you don't get results. He is now a regular contributor to the BetUS.com Locker Room)