What to know when the Vikings travel to play the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday afternoon:
Vikings at Seahawks
When: 3:05 p.m. Sunday
Where: Lumen Field
TV: FOX
Radio: KFAN
Line: Vikings -3
Over/Under: 42.5
Keys for the Vikings
— There’s rain in the forecast around kickoff, so the Vikings might need to rely heavily on the run against the Seahawks. The fact that running back Aaron Jones appears to be rounding into form is a good sign for the Vikings if rain does materialize. He had 18 carries for 86 yards and a touchdown last weekend against the Chicago Bears, and would love nothing more than to put together another effective game this weekend.
— It sounds like the Vikings could be facing the Seahawks with quarterback Geno Smith not at full strength. Though he doesn’t have a injury designation, Smith suffered a knee injury in last week’s game against the Packers, and he’s clearly battling through it. It would behoove the Vikings to put some pressure on Smith in the early stages of the game to see how he responds if he had to use his legs.
Keys for the Seahawks
— The return of running back Kenneth Walker should give the Seahawks a major boost offensively. That said, the Vikings have a solid run defense, so the Seahawks need to prove they can attack through the air. The emergence of receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba has been notable, and he could be in position for a big game.
— The equalizer in this matchup could come down to turnovers. If the Seahawks can get after Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold and perhaps force an interception or two, they could put themselves in a better position to pull off the upset. Though he has done a better job taking care of the ball as of late, Darnold has been known to take some chances in the past.
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