Minnesota (6-5-1) at Seattle (7-5)
When: Monday, December 10th 2018
Where: CenturyLink Field,
Seattle, Washington
Time: 8:15 ET | TV: ESPN
Opening Odds: Seattle -1.5/43.5
Both wild card races in the NFL season are getting really jumbled and will likely come down to the last week of the regular season. The NFC battle currently has the Minnesota Vikings and Seattle Seahawks as the two wild card spots entering Sunday’s action and the two will meet for a pivotal game on Monday Night Football this week to conclude the Week 14 schedule. The Vikings have been really inconsistent this season, reeling off three straight wins against the Eagles, Cardinals, and Jets in early October, but have since been trading wins and loses. Last week, Minnesota was shutdown by the Patriots 24-10 despite only being down 10-7 at halftime. The Vikes managed to score three points in the final 30 minutes of the game. The Seahawks, meanwhile, enter this game on a season-high three game winning streak thanks to a balanced offensive attack. The Seahawks boast the leagues number one rushing attack averaging 148.8 yards per game, despite not having a top ten running back. The committee is led by Chris Carson (157 carries for 704 yards), Mike Davis, Rashaad Penny and even Russell Wilson. The Vikings run defense has been very good this season, currently seventh in the league with opponents averaging 99.2 yards per game. The Seahawks have won the last four meetings with the Vikings dating back to November of 2012 with two of those in Seattle. Head-to-head the home team and favorite is 4-1 against the spread in the last five games played. The Seahawks have played well against NFC opponents going 6-3 this season, and 5-0-1 ATS in the last six against the conference. The Vikings are 1-7 ATS versus a team with a winning record.
During Minnesota’s last five games, quarterback Kirk Cousins has thrown nine touchdown passes against six interceptions, showing the same kind of inconsistency the rest of his team has. While the Seahawks have found a good balance on offense, the Vikings are seeking it. Running back Dalvin Cook ran for 84 yards on nine carries versus the Patriots, but he has not had more than 10 rushing attempts since the season opener. Wide receiver Adam Thielen has recorded nine 100-yard performances and nine touchdowns, but he was held under 30 yards for the second time in the last four games by New England.
Wilson is averaging only 226.4 yards passing but is getting hotter by the week. He has 11 touchdown passes and zero interceptions over his last four games. Wilson is ranked fourth in touchdown passes with 29, only behind Patrick Mahomes, Drew Brees, and Andrew Luck, but isn’t even in the top 10 in passing yards. Wideout Tyler Lockett, who has nine touchdown catches this season, is Wilson’s go-to guy. Seattle’s secondary allowed just 218 passing yards per contest over the first eight games of the season, but have surrendered and average of 315 yards in the past four. Linemen Frank Clark and Jarran Reed have combined for 16.5 sacks to lead a unit ranked ninth in scoring defense (21.6 points).
Seattle comes into this contest with a lot of confidence and momentum, while the Vikings can’t seem to get rolling like they did last year. The Vikings are too one-dimensional on offense right now and it will be tough to get anything generated in one of the loudest environments in the league.
Pick: Seahawks -3
Betting Trends:
- Vikings are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games in Week 14.
- Vikings are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 games after allowing more than 150 yards rushing in their previous game.
- Vikings are 22-8-1 ATS in their last 31 games after allowing more than 250 yards passing in their previous game.
- Vikings are 19-8 ATS in their last 27 games in December.
- Vikings are 37-16-1 ATS in their last 54 games on fieldturf.
- Vikings are 34-16-1 ATS in their last 51 games following a straight up loss.
- Vikings are 2-9 ATS in their last 11 Monday games.
- Vikings are 1-7 ATS vs. a team with a winning record.
- Seahawks are 3-0-1 ATS in their last 4 games overall.
- Seahawks are 5-0-1 ATS in their last 6 vs. NFC.
- Seahawks are 6-1-1 ATS in their last 8 games after accumulating more than 150 yards rushing in their previous game.
- Seahawks are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games after allowing less than 90 yards rushing in their previous game.
- Seahawks are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games following a straight up win.
- Seahawks are 4-1-1 ATS in their last 6 games on fieldturf.
- Seahawks are 3-1-1 ATS in their last 5 games after scoring more than 30 points in their previous game.
- Seahawks are 3-1-1 ATS in their last 5 home games.
- Seahawks are 3-1-1 ATS in their last 5 games following a ATS win.
- Seahawks are 3-1-1 ATS in their last 5 games after allowing more than 250 yards passing in their previous game.
- Seahawks are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 games in Week 14.
- Seahawks are 22-9-1 ATS in their last 32 games in December.
- Under is 4-0 in Vikings last 4 games in December.
- Under is 4-0 in Vikings last 4 games on fieldturf.
- Under is 5-1 in Vikings last 6 Monday games.
- Under is 5-1 in Vikings last 6 games following a straight up loss.
- Under is 4-1 in Vikings last 5 games overall.
- Under is 4-1 in Vikings last 5 games after allowing more than 350 total yards in their previous game.
- Over is 4-1 in Vikings last 5 games in Week 14.
- Under is 6-2 in Vikings last 8 games after allowing more than 250 yards passing in their previous game.
- Over is 6-2 in Vikings last 8 vs. a team with a winning record.
- Over is 5-2 in Vikings last 7 road games.
- Under is 5-2-1 in Vikings last 8 games after allowing more than 150 yards rushing in their previous game.
- Over is 5-2 in Vikings last 7 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
- Under is 15-7 in Vikings last 22 games after scoring less than 15 points in their previous game.
- Over is 4-0 in Seahawks last 4 games overall.
- Over is 4-0 in Seahawks last 4 vs. NFC.
- Under is 5-1 in Seahawks last 6 games after allowing less than 90 yards rushing in their previous game.
- Under is 4-1 in Seahawks last 5 games after allowing more than 350 total yards in their previous game.
- Over is 4-1 in Seahawks last 5 games in December.
- Under is 4-1 in Seahawks last 5 games after scoring more than 30 points in their previous game.
- Under is 6-2 in Seahawks last 8 Monday games.
- Over is 5-2 in Seahawks last 7 games following a straight up win of more than 14 points.
- Over is 5-2 in Seahawks last 7 home games.
- Over is 9-4 in Seahawks last 13 games in Week 14.
- Over is 5-0 in the last 5 meetings in Seattle.
- Favorite is 4-1 ATS in their last 5 meetings.
- Home team is 4-1 ATS in their last 5 meetings.
- Vikings are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 meetings in Seattle.
