Two outstanding receiver corps will take center stage as the Seahawks and Vikings meet at Lumen Field, but trench play may be the biggest difference for both teams.
Seeking a bounce-back win with the margin for error to win the NFC West now razor thin, the Seattle Seahawks willUnable to seize the moment in prime time, a slow start on both sides of the football doomed Seattle in a 31-13 loss to Green Bay, dropping coach Mike Macdonald's squad out of first place in the division with only three games remaining.
Most notably, per Pro Football Focus, Minnesota has allowed more yardage to outside receivers than any other team in the NFL. That should open the door for Metcalf, who hasn't had a 100-yard game since Week 4 and only had three targets last weekend against Green Bay, to get back on track, as he ranks fifth among receivers in yardage on the outside. He also has a history of success against both Griffin and Gilmore, catching touchdowns against each of them in previous matchups.
: Enjoying a strong first season in the middle of Minnesota's defense, Cashman has been cash money against the run this year, tallying 15 run stops with only three missed tackles. But they have missed Ivan Pace Jr. since he landed on injured reserve after Week 9, as he had 18 run stops in the first nine games and played a crucial role in holding opponents to barely over 70 rushing yards per game during that span.
What makes Minnesota especially tricky to defend is that coach Kevin O'Connell moves all three of his top receivers all over the formation, including sliding Jefferson into the slot on a frequent basis. Jefferson has 25 receptions and four touchdowns from the slot this year, while Addison and Nailor have 17 and 14 catches respectively working from inside.
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