MIN at SEA: Week 16
Basically no one had the Minnesota Vikings at their current spot within the NFC’s hierarchy. The 12-2 Vikings are tied for the top spot in the conference. Winning their next three games very likely means earning an opening-round bye. Again, unforeseen.
Standing in their way for Week 16 is the Seattle Seahawks, a team that has traditionally played well against Minnesota. Part of the issue is that Minnesota will need to go on the road, playing at Lumen Field and the passionate fans who call Seattle home. Can the Vikings storm out to an early lead, silencing the fans in the process, while then picking up their eighth-straight victory?
MIN at SEA: The Week 16 Challenge & Pursuing the NFC
A lot of the attention is going to be on Geno Smith.
The QB1 gives Seattle their best chance of success. He had to leave the Week 15 game, though, with an injury. The initial word, relayed by John Boyle, was one of optimism early in the week: “Mike Macdonald said on Geno Smith’s knee injury: ‘We’re fortunate, a lot of positive, optimistic signs’ from tests. Calls Smith ‘a beast’ and said he was here working out this morning. Optimistic he’ll practice this week and be able to play.”
One wonders if the Smith injury will lead to Seattle reaching into the quarterback depth for a bit of assurance at the game’s most important position. More specifically, will Seattle elevate Jaren Hall for the game against his former team?
One of the great strengths of the Seattle roster is their skill.
Tyler Lockett, D.K. Metcalf, and Jaxon Smith-Njigba are an excellent collection of pass catchers. Getting Stephon Gilmore back for the game helps, but that will only be part of the mix. The Vikings’ pass rush will need to be fearsome in order to undermine the damage these receivers can do.
Plus, Kenneth Walker III and Zach Charbonnet are strong running backs. Recent weeks have involved Minnesota’s defense struggling to slow down the run, so this is an area to monitor.
Be concerned about Leonard Williams up front. The defensive tackle is PFF’s 5th-best option at the position, so he seems likely to get the best of Minnesota’s interior o-line a time or two. Otherwise, remember that the back end of that defense boasts Devon Witherspoon and Tariq Woolen at corner, creating a fascinating matchup with Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison.
The offseason involved me insisting that Minnesota would snag the tough road win. I won’t be changing things up at this stage, not with how good Minnesota has looked recently.
Official Prediction: Vikings 30 – Seahawks 24
Prediction Record: 11-3
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference and PFF helped with this piece.
K. Joudry is the Senior Editor for Vikings Territory and PurplePTSD. He has been covering the Vikings full time since the summer of 2021. He can be found on Twitter, as a co-host for Notes from the North, and as the proprietor at The Vikings Gazette, a humble Vikings Substack.
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