Minnesota vs Seattle (MIN -3, 42.5)
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Minnesota vs Seattle
Sam Darnold and the Minnesota Vikings will travel to Lumen Field this Sunday for a heavyweight NFC matchup with the Seattle Seahawks. The Vikings, 12-2 and second in the NFC North have already clinched a playoff spot. They still have a chance to take the No.1 spot in their division from the Detroit Lions, so this game is certainly worth fighting for in regards to seeding. The Seahawks, on the other hand, do not have a playoff spot clinched and are in the hunt for first place in the NFC West. Geno Smith has led the Seahawks to an 8-6 record, tied with the Los Angeles Rams. A win for Seattle, paired with an LA loss this weekend, would put Seattle in first place and one step closer to locking in their playoff position.
The Vikings have been absolutely rolling this season and are currently riding a seven-game win streak. Quarterback Sam Darnold is having a career year, throwing for 3,530 passing yards and 29 touchdowns on the season (fifth most in the NFL), with a passer rating of 104.9. The Vikings average a mighty 26.4 points per game, eighth in the NFL, and 2.9 touchdowns per game, ninth in the NFL. They've been extremely effective passing the ball, with 8.4 yards per pass, ranking fourth in the NFL in that category. Minnesota’s star wide receiver Justin Jeffersons is putting together yet another outstanding year, ranking second in the NFL in receiving yards this season with 1,243.
The Vikings have also been successful running the ball, with Aaron Jones leading the charge with 979 yards on the ground this season, ninth in the NFL. The Vikings currently rank 15th in the NFL in rushing yards per game at 113.2 on 27.7 rushing attempts per game. Even with their offensive firepower, The Vikings' run defense has been the real showstopper this season. They allow just 89.1 rushing yards per game, second-best in the NFL, in addition to only 3.9 yards per rush, which is the third-best in the league.
Trying to stop Darnold and the Minnesota passing attack will be a tough ask for the Seattle defense, but they do allow only 213.6 passing yards per game, which is 13th best in the league. Therefore, utilizing Aaron Jones might be the best mode of attack for Minnesota, with Seattle giving up 127.5 rushing yards per game, ranking 22nd in the NFL.
While we know the Seahawks will have to try to break through that stiff run defense this Sunday, we aren't yet sure if they'll be able to do it with their star running back Kenneth Walker. Walker has been dealing with a calf injury for the last few weeks, which means we may see Zach Charbonnet take over as their number-one option out of the backfield. Charbonnet has played great over the past couple of weeks, averaging 94 yards on the ground and 1.5 rushing touchdowns per game.
There are also question marks about the availability of Geno Smith, although signs are pointing towards him playing, which is huge news for the Hawks. A win this weekend would be huge for Seattle, improving their playoff chances to an estimated 51% chance. But a loss would drop that number down to just 23%.
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Game Total Under 42.5