Seahawks week 3: Five things to know about the Vikings

The Seahawks play Minnesota in week three with both teams already needing a win this early in the season. Three of the seven unbeaten NFL teams through three weeks play in the NFC West. The only one with a loss is Seattle and the division isn’t going to suddenly get worse.

Minnesota is only one game back of the Packers but Green Bay was awful in week one and no one expects that to continue. Plus, Minnesota clearly doesn’t want to repeat 2020 when they lost their first three games and started 1-5 overall.

To get to know more about the Vikings I asked Adam Carlson of FanSided’s The Viking Age five questions.

Seahawks week three preview: 5 things to know about the Vikings

12th Man Rising: The Vikings, just like last season, are better than their 0-2 start implies. What are some of your biggest takeaways from the first two weeks of 2021?

Adam Carlson: Heartbreaking losses are nothing new to Vikings fans. Heck, Seahawks fans have benefited from some “Minnesota Misfortune” in the past, so they will know exactly what kind of stuff I’m talking about.

The Vikings offense did a great job of keeping pace with Arizona in Week 2 but some miscues on defense and special teams never let Minnesota stay in the driver’s seat. They need to play well in at least two phases of the game to get their first win of the season, and not rely on a chip-shot field goal at the end of a game to win.

12th Man Rising: To me, this game shapes up a lot like Seahawks vs. Titans and that might not be good for Seattle. Where do you see Minnesota’s biggest advantages in week 3?

Adam Carlson: That is a pretty solid comparison because what Minnesota and Tennessee want to do are quite similar. Both want to control the ground game and win the time of possession battle. Watch for Dalvin Cook to be used early and often to earn that advantage and give Minnesota manageable third downs.

Since this is Minnesota’s home opener, expect the crowd to be loud and rowdy as well. Although the 12s are usually used to loud noises, there is something special about U.S. Bank Stadium that can make even the most disciplined players can make mistakes.

12th Man Rising: What are 2 or 3 things Vikings fans should be most concerned about versus the Seahawks?

Adam Carlson: Bashaud Breeland has struggled in coverage and that’s never great against a team with such great receiving threats as Seattle has. If he doesn’t clean up his act, it could be a long day for Minnesota’s defense.

In addition, Kirk Cousins has played Seattle three times as a Vikings. In each of those three games, he has committed at least one turnover. Even though he has played mistake-free football so far this season, this seems like the game where that will probably change.

12th Man Rising: Which 2 or 3 matchups in this game do you possibly changing the outcome?

Adam Carlson: As I said earlier, Breeland vs. Metcalf/Lockett will likely be the biggest matchup to watch on the day. Of course, that matchup will become easier if the defensive line can win more pass-rushing snaps against Seattle, That means Dalvin Tomlinson will have to start making an impact from the middle of the defensive line.

On offense, Bobby Wagner will be the one to watch. He has a real nose for the football and will be tasked with trying to contain Dalvin Cook once he breaks past the first level of the defense. Wagner vs. Cook should be seen often in this game, and the two will likely trade wins.

12th Man Rising: Who do you think gets the win when the Seahawks play the Vikings and why?

Adam Carlson: It’s hard to pick Minnesota to win anything right now after the creative ways they have found to lose their first two games of the season. It’s not that the Vikings don’t have talented players in all three phases of the game or that they can’t hang with their opponents, but they just haven’t been able to put it all together yet.

Plus, Minnesota has last their last seven games against Seattle. They seem to know what it takes to beat the Vikings and until Zimmer and company can figure out a way to change that, there isn’t much of a reason to be too optimistic about Sunday’s outcome.