Minnesota Vikings (12-2) will face the Seattle Seahawks (8-6) on Sunday at 4:05 p.m. EST, with FOX covering the game. The current odds from BetMGM favor the Vikings by three points. Historically, the Seahawks hold the advantage in their series against the Vikings, leading 13-6. In terms of betting records, the Vikings are sitting at 9-4-1, while the Seahawks are at 6-7-1. Their last encounter saw the Vikings emerge victorious, beating the Seahawks 30-17 on September 26, 2021, at U.S. Bank Stadium. Last week, Minnesota triumphed over the Bears with a scoreline of 30-12, whereas Seattle suffered a loss against the Packers, finishing 30-13.
Analyzing the teams, the Vikings’ offense stands at 12th overall, ranking 8th in passing, 15th in rushing, and 8th in scoring. Defensively, they are ranked 13th overall, 29th in passing defense, but impressive at 2nd in rushing defense, and 4th in scoring defense. In comparison, the Seahawks have an overall offensive ranking of 16, with 5th place in passing, but struggle significantly in the run game, placing 28th. Their defense ranks 19th overall, 13th in passing, 22nd in rushing, and also 14th in scoring. The Vikings enjoy a turnover differential of plus-8, while the Seahawks are at minus-5.
A key player to watch for Minnesota is linebacker Jonathan Greenard. As Week 16 approaches, he ranks fifth in the NFL with 11 sacks and is tied for second with four forced fumbles, demonstrating his ability to disrupt opponents consistently in this promising season. Pro Football Focus highlights that Greenard ranks third among edge rushers for quarterback pressures with 66, including a crucial strip-sack against Caleb Williams that led to a touchdown last week against the Bears. For Seattle, wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba has stepped up as the primary receiving option, leading the team in receiving yards for the last seven games and sitting just six yards shy of reaching 1,000 yards for the season, placing him sixth in league standings.
In the matchup to watch, the running game dynamic is important as the Seahawks have shown some improvement. Player Zach Charbonnet achieved 134 rushing yards against the Cardinals two weeks ago and scored a 24-yard touchdown against the Packers. Kenneth Walker III, the injured starter, may return, but the significant challenge awaits whoever is carrying the ball: confronting a formidable Vikings run defense that allows only 89.1 yards per game — the second-best mark in the NFL.
On the injury front, the Vikings anticipate the return of cornerback Stephon Gilmore (hamstring) after missing two games. Right tackle Brian O’Neill (knee) had a limited outing against the Bears but is expected to play. Two crucial backups, cornerback Fabian Moreau (hip) and defensive lineman Jalen Redmond (concussion), also suffered injuries and will be assessed as the week progresses. For the Seahawks, quarterback Geno Smith exited the last game against the Packers with a knee issue; however, coach Mike Macdonald has indicated no structural damage and is hopeful for Smith’s availability this Sunday. Center Olu Oluwatimi is day to day due to a knee/quad injury and running back Zach Charbonnet missed practice this week due to an oblique injury.
Looking back at the series history, the first match between these teams was on November 14, 1976, where the Vikings claimed a 27-21 victory. Before the Vikings’ win in 2021, Seattle had a seven-game winning streak over Minnesota that dated back to 2012. The only playoff contest between the two sides occurred on January 10, 2016, when the Seahawks edged the Vikings 10-9 after a missed field goal attempt by Blair Walsh in the closing moments.
As for stats, the Vikings have managed to score an impressive average of 31.3 points in their last four games. Notably, Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold is experiencing a career breakout, achieving highs in wins (12), games started (14), passing yards (3,530), and touchdowns (29), with trends suggesting he will achieve additional personal bests across various measures. Running back Aaron Jones has amassed over 100 total yards from scrimmage in seven out of 14 games this season. Minnesota has uniquely held opponents scoreless in 21 of its 56 quarters, leading the NFL. In terms of turnovers, the Vikings have managed to record at least one takeaway in all their games thus far, marking a historic streak for the franchise, and they are unbeaten when holding their competitors below 30 points. On the Seattle front, wide receiver DK Metcalf is just one touchdown away from surpassing Steve Largent to become the franchise leader for the most touchdowns in a player’s first six seasons with 47. Additionally, Metcalf also leads in receptions (429) and receiving yards (6,172) in the same time frame. Receiver Tyler Lockett needs just two touchdowns to reach third place in franchise history, and Geno Smith requires one more 300-yard game to tie Russell Wilson for the most in a season with five. Smith also ranks fifth in franchise history in several significant categories, including passing yards (12,264) and touchdowns (69). Furthermore, receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba is just six yards away from becoming the 10th Seahawk to reach 1,000 receiving yards in a season and needs 16 more receptions to break the single-season franchise record of 101. The Seahawks’ loss at home against the Packers has resulted in a losing record at home, a scenario that has only occurred twice since 2009.
For fantasy football enthusiasts, Smith-Njigba’s rising form makes him an appealing option this week, especially facing a Vikings pass defense that ranks near the bottom, allowing an average of 245 passing yards per game. If looking for big numbers in the fantasy playoffs, Jaxon Smith-Njigba could be an excellent player to capitalize on this week.