Seattle Seahawks vs Minnesota Vikings Picks and Predictions December 22nd 2024

Seattle Seahawks vs Minnesota Vikings December 22nd 2024

With the Vikings favored on the road, they will take on the Seahawks at 4:05 ET on Sunday, December 22nd at Lumen Field in Seattle. The Vikings’ money line odds are -174, while the Seahawks are at +146. The over/under line is set at 44 points, and Minnesota is favored by -3.5 points. The game will be televised on FOX.

Minnesota vs. Seattle Key Information

Heading into week 16, the Vikings have a 12-2 record and are riding a seven-game winning streak. They rank 6th in our NFL power rankings and have a 100% chance of making the playoffs, though their chances of winning the NFC North are just 22.2%. Minnesota is 5-1 on the road and 7-1 at home this season, and they are 3-1 in division games and 7-2 in conference games.

Against the spread, the Vikings are 9-4-1, with a +8.4 scoring margin. They have covered in two straight games, including an 18-point win over the Bears in week 15, when they were favored by 7 points. The O/U line for that game was 43.5 points, and the teams combined for 42. Minnesota’s O/U record this season is 5-9.

Heading into week 16, the Vikings rank 10th in our offensive power rankings. They are 8th in the NFL in scoring, averaging 26.4 points per game, and they also rank 8th in passing yards, with 236.6 per game, despite being 21st in passing attempts. Minnesota ranks 12th in total yards per game (349.8) and 14th in rushing yards, with 113.2 per game on 27.7 attempts. They are 11th in the league in 3rd-down conversions, with a 41.7% success rate, and they rank 23rd in red zone conversion percentage.

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Sam Darnold threw for 231 yards (24/40) with one touchdown and one interception in week 15 against the Bears. Aaron Jones led the team with 86 rushing yards on 18 carries, while Justin Jefferson had 7 catches for 73 yards and a touchdown. The Vikings scored 10 points in the 1st quarter and 10 more in the 4th, converting 7 of 14 3rd-down attempts and going 3/4 in the red zone.

In their 30-12 win over the Bears, the Vikings’ defense allowed just 171 passing yards on 19 completions. Chicago managed just 8.3% of their third down attempts and scored their only touchdown in the passing game. Minnesota defended the run well, allowing just 3.9 yards per attempt and 113 total rushing yards.

The Vikings’ defense also came away with two sacks in the game and held Chicago to 284 total yards. Despite this, Minnesota did lose the tackles for loss battle, with a differential of -6.

After three straight wins, the Seahawks couldn’t keep the momentum going in week 15, losing 30-13 at home to the Packers. This dropped their record to 8-6, leaving them 8th in the NFC and 2nd in the NFC West. Seattle has a +0.1 scoring margin this season and ranks 20th in our NFL power rankings. They have a 36.7% chance of making the playoffs and a 34.8% chance of winning the division.

Seattle is 6-7-1 against the spread, including a 5-5 record as underdogs. Their O/U record is 7-7, with their games averaging 44.9 points compared to a 45.5-point line. In week 14, the Seahawks and Cardinals combined for 48 points, going over the 45.5-point line.

Heading into week 16, the Seahawks rank 21st in our offensive power rankings. They are 12th in the NFL in scoring, averaging 22.5 points per game, and 15th in yards per game with 334.6. Seattle has leaned heavily on the passing game, ranking 6th in attempts and 5th in passing yards per game (240.4). On the ground, they rank 26th in both rushing attempts and yards per game (94.3). The Seahawks are 17th in the league in 3rd-down conversions, with a 37.5% success rate, but they have been efficient in the red zone, ranking 4th in conversion percentage.

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Geno Smith threw for 149 yards in week 15, completing 15 of 19 passes with one interception. Before that, he had a 233-yard performance in week 14 and a passer rating of 110. Jaxon Smith-Njigba led the team with 83 receiving yards on 10 catches in week 15, while Zach Charbonnet rushed for 54 yards on 8 carries. Seattle struggled to score early in week 15, putting up just 6 points through three quarters before scoring 7 in the 4th.

In their 30-13 loss to the Packers, the Seahawks’ defense struggled to generate pressure, as they failed to record a sack and lost the QB hit differential by -6. Overall, the Seahawks allowed 229 passing yards on 20 completions, with Green Bay finding success through the air, averaging 8.5 yards per attempt and completing 74.1% of their passes.

Seattle also gave up 140 rushing yards on 34 attempts, with the Packers controlling the game on the ground, averaging 4.1 yards per attempt. On third downs, the Seahawks allowed the Packers to convert 41.7% of their chances.

• Over their last three regular season games, the Seahawks have gone 1-2 straight up. This includes going 1-2 vs. the spread along with an over-under mark of 0-3.
• Through their last ten regular season contests, Seattle has a record of 4-6. In these contests, the team went just 3-7 against the spread, while going 4-6 on the over-under.

For this week 16 matchup between the Seahawks and Vikings, we have the Seahawks coming out on top by a score of 22-15. With the point spread sitting at 3.5 points in favor of the Vikings, we are going against the spread and taking the Seahawks to cover as home underdogs.

As for an over/under pick, we really like the under with the line at 44 points. Our projections have these teams combining for just 37 points, making the under a great value pick.

Playoff Energy as Vikings Head to Seattle

The Minnesota Vikings are riding high on a seven-game win streak and have clinched a playoff berth. Their next challenge comes on Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks, a team that has historically been tough to beat in their home stadium. The stakes are high for both teams, as the Vikings chase the NFC’s top seed and the Seahawks fight to stay in the playoff hunt.

Vikings Eye NFC North Title and Home-Field Advantage

The Vikings (12-2) have pulled even with the Detroit Lions atop the NFC North and are firmly focused on the division title and potentially the No. 1 seed in the NFC. A 30-12 win over the Chicago Bears on Monday highlighted their dominance, but their remaining schedule—Seattle, Green Bay, and Detroit—leaves no room for error.

Minnesota’s balanced attack has been a key factor in their success. Justin Jefferson leads the way with 1,243 receiving yards and eight touchdowns, while Jordan Addison has emerged as a reliable No. 2 target. Sam Darnold continues to guide the offense effectively, supported by a resurgent run game that saw Aaron Jones and Cam Akers combine for two rushing touchdowns against Chicago.

“Every game we’re expecting the offense to be the best on that field,” Jefferson said. “It’s great to see us stacking good games together.”

Defensively, linebacker Jonathan Greenard has been a standout, creating turnovers that have set the tone early in games. “We respect every opponent like they’re the best in the league,” Greenard said. “That’s how you stay focused and bring the fire every week.”

Seahawks Fight for Playoff Survival

The Seahawks (8-6) face a must-win scenario to keep their playoff hopes alive. Coming off a 30-13 loss to Green Bay, Seattle is now chasing the Rams in the NFC West and remains a game behind Washington in the wild-card race.

Seattle’s performance at home this season (3-5) has been uncharacteristically shaky, but they’ve been a force on the road (5-1). Wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba remains confident in the team’s ability to bounce back. “Everything is still in front of us. All of our goals. We just have to get ready for Minnesota and get a win,” Smith-Njigba said.

The Seahawks’ ability to compete may hinge on the health of quarterback Geno Smith, who left last week’s game with a knee injury. Backup Sam Howell struggled in Smith’s absence, and coach Mike Macdonald is optimistic about Smith’s return this week. “Geno’s tough as nails, and hopefully we’ll see him ready for the game,” Macdonald said.

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Seattle’s offense could also be bolstered by the potential return of running back Kenneth Walker III (calf) and Zach Charbonnet (oblique). However, key players like DK Metcalf (shoulder) and Tre Brown (hamstring) remain question marks heading into the weekend.

High Stakes in the NFC Playoff Picture

The Vikings are gunning for the NFC’s top seed, but the Seahawks won’t make it easy. A win would keep Seattle’s division and wild-card hopes alive while also serving as a statement against one of the NFC’s elite teams. For Minnesota, the game represents another opportunity to prove they’re the team to beat in the conference.

With playoff implications for both teams, expect a hard-fought contest with postseason intensity.