Seahawks-Vikings Preview By KEVIN MASSOTH STATS Writer
While the Minnesota Vikings are in position to make a run at the only title that would satisfy coach Mike Zimmer, the Seattle Seahawks have been forced to continue their playoff push without a top offensive weapon. Back atop the NFC North with clear goals in mind, the Vikings' road continues Sunday against a Seahawks team that will travel the rest of theirs without Jimmy Graham. Minnesota (8-3) rebounded from a disappointing home loss to Green Bay with a 20-10 victory at Atlanta last week. The Vikings won their sixth in seven games to reclaim sole possession of first place - a spot they haven't held this late in a season since winning the division with a 12-4 record in 2009. Zimmer, though, has bigger plans than the North title. "We're going to have to (have) that Super Bowl trophy in our hands to satisfy him," cornerback Captain Munnerlyn said. The defense returned to championship form against the Falcons, matching a season low in points allowed a week after surrendering a season high in a 30-13 loss to the Packers. The Vikings intercepted Matt Ryan twice and recovered a fumble for their fifth game with multiple takeaways. They've allowed less than 20 points in five of their last seven. "Anytime you have a north in your division - NFC North or AFC North - this is a pretty good ingredient going forward when the weather starts getting colder and things like that," Zimmer said. Another part of the recipe is a productive ground game. Adrian Peterson, who was held to 45 rushing yards and lost a key fumble against Green Bay, ran for 158 yards with a pair of touchdowns against the Falcons for his fourth straight game with a score. The ninth-year running back moved into 18th place on the NFL's career rushing list with 11,354 yards, passing O.J. Simpson (11,236), Corey Dillon (11,241) and John Riggins (11,352). Next on the list is Steven Jackson with 11,388. "I just come in and try to focus on doing my job and helping my team win," Peterson said. "I'll be able to look at those things after the fact." First he has to focus on a Seattle defense allowing just 92.9 rushing yards per game. Peterson has 329 yards in three career games against the Seahawks, most coming in a 182-yard, two-touchdown effort on Nov. 4, 2012. Seattle (6-5), which has won four of five, has allowed just 117 rushing yards combined in wins over San Francisco and Pittsburgh - though, granted, those teams were missing starting running backs Carlos Hyde and Le'Veon Bell. The Seahawks' offense has come alive with 100 points in the last three games after posting season highs in passing yards (336) and points with a 39-30 win over the Steelers. Seattle moved above .500 for the first time and into a tie with Atlanta for the NFC's second wild-card spot. However, there is concern after the team lost tight end Jimmy Graham for the season in another hit to an offense that is already without running back Marshawn Lynch. Graham landed awkwardly while trying to catch a pass in the end zone early in the fourth quarter against Pittsburgh, injuring the patellar tendon in his right knee. "We're going to miss the heck out of him the rest of the season," coach Pete Carroll said. "He's been a fantastic addition to us and you saw him again (Sunday) doing stuff. He was going to have a huge day if he was able to stay out there." Graham finished with four catches for 75 yards - just his fourth game with that many - but was targeted at least eight times in four of his final six games and played 78.4 percent of Seattle's offensive snaps against the Steelers, marking the most of any skill player on the offense. "We've been growing with him and you expect certain guys to do things and we've expected Jimmy to make some plays and do some special things so it will be a little different," Carroll said. "We'll just change." Pittsburgh's Ben Roethlisberger threw for 456 yards last week, the most ever allowed by the Seahawks, but Russell Wilson threw for 345 with five touchdowns, three of them to Doug Baldwin amid his 145-yard receiving effort. Seattle has won the last two meetings, but the Vikings won 35-9 at home in 2009. |