Vikings (

22.75) at
Hawks (

20.25)

Game Overview ::

By mike johnson >>

• Minnesota is tied for the lead in the NFC along with the Lions and Eagles at a 12-2 record.
• The Vikings finish the season with three consecutive games (starting this week) against teams with records over .500 (Seattle, Green Bay, Detroit). 
• Seattle QB Geno Smith had an injury scare to his right knee in last Sunday night’s loss to the Packers, but practiced fully on Wednesday and should be good to go.
• Minnesota is one of the top three defenses in the league against both the run and the pass.
• The Seahawks are 1-5 in their last six home games.

How Minnesota Will Try To Win ::

Minnesota’s win on Monday night over the Bears put them in a tie with the Lions at the top of the NFC North, and while they currently lose the tiebreaker, a Week 18 showdown in Minnesota with the Lions will likely be what ultimately decides the division, and potentially the NFC’s top seed. Minnesota’s defense has been among the best in the league this season as defensive coordinator Brian Flores consistently brings pressure and confuses opponents. Meanwhile, the passing game has been efficient and explosive when necessary. Minnesota’s final three games are against teams with a combined 30-12 record so the work is far from finished.

The Vikings rank 3rd in the NFL in pass rate over expectation (PROE) and have actually increased that rate in recent weeks, throwing the ball 3.3% over expected for the season but 6.4% over expected during the last four weeks. The Vikings backfield is led by Aaron Jones and he is backed up by Cam Akers. Both have been solid in their opportunities this season, especially in stronger matchups. The Seahawks run defense is a neutral to slightly negative matchup for opposing running games so we can expect Minnesota to need success through the air to continue their recent string of strong offensive output (they have averaged over 31 points per game over the last four weeks). Seattle’s defense plays a mix of man and zone coverages, with their stronger performance coming in man coverage this season. The problem with that is all pro-WR Justin Jefferson has absolutely obliterated man coverage this year and throughout his career, averaging an astounding 0.74 fantasy points per route run against man coverage in 2024. This means that Seattle will have to decide if they want to rely on the zone coverage that they have had less success with this season or take their chances with Jefferson manned up. The return of tight end TJ Hockenson and the emergence of second year WR Jordan Addison, who is averaging 103 receiving yards per game over the last four weeks and has four touchdowns during that span, makes it much more difficult for opponents to key in on Jefferson. The Vikings trust their defense, but are likely to have enough respect for the Seahawks to stay aggressive deep into this game.

How seattle Will Try To Win ::