When the Vikings (1-3) travel to Seattle to face the Seahawks (4-0) on "Sunday Night Football" (8:20 p.m. ET, NBC) in the penultimate game of Week 5, they will be looking for another big win to get them into the NFC playoff race.
Minnesota is already in a three-game hole in the NFC North with Green Bay (4-0) also undefeated. But with a seventh playoff team and third wild card, there is more room and opportunity to turn things around.
The Vikings have fallen to the Packers, Titans and Colts, who had a combined record of 10-1 going into Week 5. The Seahawks have beaten the Falcons, Cowboys, Patriots and Dolphins, who had a combined record of 4-12 going into Week 5.
Here's everything to know about betting on Seahawks vs. Vikings in Week 5, including updated odds, trends and our prediction for "Sunday Night Football."
WEEK 5 NFL PICKS: Straight up | Against the spread
Seahawks vs. Vikings odds for 'Sunday Night Football'
- Spread: Seahawks by 7
- Over/under: 56.5
- Point spread odds: Vikings -115, Seahawks -105
The line stayed around a touchdown all week, dropping down a half-point from the initial release. That makes the game a little trickier to navigate, as the Seahawks now need to win by more than a TD and extra point to cover. Don't be fooled by their records; the Seahawks' defense has kept every opponent except the Falcons in the game.
Seahawks vs. Vikings all-time series
The Seahawks hold a 12-5 advantage. They won in Seattle, 37-31, last Dec. 2 on a Monday night. The Vikings have dropped six consecutive games in this series going back to 2012. Before then, from 2003 to 2009, Minnesota had won three of four meetings. This rivalry has revved up ever since the Seahawks flipped into the NFC.
Three trends to know
— 54 percent of spread bettors aren't affected by the drop to 7 points and like the Seahawks to cover. 67 percent of bettors have Seattle on the moneyline.
— Bettors are split 50-50 on the game going over the appropriately high point total. The total implies the Seahawks will score more than 30 points and the Seahawks more than 25.
— The Seahawks are 4-0 against the spread this season and their games have gone over three times. The Vikings are 2-2 against the spread and their games have gone over three times.
Three things to watch
Dalvin Cook vs. Chris Carson
The Vikings and Seahawks have passing firepower, but they prefer to win games with a heavy effective dose of the running game. Both teams have complete backs and offensive linemen better suited for run blocking than pass protecting. They also want to use the run to control the clock and limit the exposure of struggling defenses. The team that can stick with the run and get some key early-down stops on the other side will have a better chance of overall success.
Adam Thielen and Justin Jefferson
Thielen, 30, looks healthy and rejuvenated as Kirk Cousins' veteran go-to guy. Jefferson, the dynamic rookie, has quickly proved his big plays from the slot at LSU can translate to great speed and quickness on the outside in the NFL, providing to be a terrific replacement for Stefon Diggs. The Seahawks aren't in position to cover either receiver effectively, and neither because of injury and not being in the league, played against them last season.
Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf
Lockett also was banged up in the MNF affair with the Vikings last season, while Metcalf worked over the Vikings' secondary for 6 catches for 75 yards on 7 targets. The Vikings' cornerbacks have been reshuffled without Xavier Rhodes, Trae Waynes and Mackensie Alexander and Holton Hill is hurting for the game. Both wideouts should go off in the deep passing game with continued great accuracy from Russell Wilson.
Stats that matter
291.8 and 401. Those are the amount of passing yards on average the Vikings and Seahawks, have given up, respectively. Minnesota ranks No. 29 in pass defense with its young secondary. Seattle has had injuries on the back end and ranks dead last in the league. There will be plenty of success throwing on both sides, where it's still easier to trust Wilson more than Cousins.
Seahawks vs. Vikings prediction
The Seahawks will be able to move the ball at will with Carson's running and Wilson's passing to Lockett and Metcalf. The same goes for the Vikings with Cook's running and Cousins' passing to Thielen and Jefferson. Even with no crowd noise, Seattle does have the comfort of home field on its side, where it outlasted both Dallas and New England in similar high-scoring affairs, the latter in prime time. The game plays out much like those games and last December's meeting with Minnesota at home, only with more scoring from both sides.
Seahawks 41, Vikings 34
