Three quick reasons Seahawks will beat the Vikings on Monday Night Football

The Seahawks are 9-2 and face the 8-3 Vikings on Monday Night Football in week 13. If Seattle does these three things, they will be 10-2 after the game.

12s, want a few reasons to feel hopeful about Monday Night Football and that your Seahawks will defeat the Minnesota Vikings? Not that you need to always find reasons for hope as Seattle is 9-2 for a reason: They are good. But they still face a tough team in 8-3 Minnesota and a few things will turn the game.

Here are three of those things and why Seattle will win.

Russell Wilson versus the Vikings secondary

Minnesota has a great front seven and can get lots of pressure on opposing quarterbacks. But they have a bit of a weakness at cornerback and health concerns at safety. Minnesota has allowed 270 or more yards passing 5 times this season and ranks 20th in passing yards allowed per game. The Seahawks might still try to force the run some, but if Seattle is going to win this game it will be because of Russell Wilson (and his second-best in the NFL QBR) connecting with Tyler Lockett, Josh Gordon and D.K. Metcalf. Seattle will defeat the Vikings by throwing the ball.

The Seahawks defense is improving

While most of the season the Seahawks defense lagged behind the offense, the last few games Seattle has been much better. Maybe it is the acquisition of Quandre Diggs at safety that has helped. Or that Jarran Reed has shaken off some rust and started supplying interior pass rush again. Whatever the reason, over the last three games Seattle is 11th in yards allowed per play (4.8 the last three compared to 5.8 for the season) and 10th in opposing passer QBR (81.7 as opposed to 85.7 for the year). Also, Seattle is first in the NFL in the last three games in takeaways averaging 3 a game.

Jadeveon Clowney returns and Adam Thielen sits

Make no mistake that the Vikings can complete passes and gain yards through the air with Thielen, but he still makes Minnesota better when he is on the field. Thielen has a hamstring issue, though, and will miss the game.

Seattle, however, gets Clowney back this week after he missed the Eagles game with a core muscle injury. He might not be 100 percent the rest of the year, but a 90 percent Clowney is still a lot better than most players in the league.