Upcoming Match-ups

NFL Preseason Betting – Playoff Rematch as Vikes visit Hawks

Zack Garrison

by Zack Garrison in News

Updated Jan 17, 2018 · 9:39 AM PST

Minnesota Vikings at Seattle Seahawks (-3, 38.5 o/u)

Week 2 of the NFL preseason is set to kickoff tonight, and the final game of the night will see the Minnesota Vikings (1-0, 1-0 away) travel to CenturyLink Field to take on the Seattle Seahawks (1-0, 0-0 home). The game is a rematch of last year’s crazy Wild Card matchup, which I’m sure Vikings fans have had trouble erasing from their memories. (Poor Blair Walsh; the laces were in!)

In their first preseason game, the Vikings beat the Bengals 17-16 thanks to a failed two-point conversion by Cincinnati late in the game. The boxscore didn’t match the result as the Vikings were outgained 339-274 in total yards.

Teddy Bridgewater – who should see about a full quarter of action in this game – had a pretty good showing last week (6/7, 92 yards, and a touchdown), and will be looking to add more against an even tougher defense in the Seahawks.

One area the Vikings will be looking to improve is on the ground as only 56 of their 274 total yards came via the rushing attack, averaging a pitiful 2.2 yards per carry. Part of the problem was that Adrian Peterson did not play. But that’s been the case for the last five preseasons and I wouldn’t expect it to change tonight.

Without vets like Peterson in the lineup, it was the rookies who stepped up for Minny. Laquon Treadwell (four receptions for 41 yards) and Mackensie Alexander (one tackle, one interception) will both look to build off their promising efforts in Week 1 as they fight to claim meaningful roles in their first season.

Looking to the Seahawks, they beat the Kansas City Chiefs, 17-16, in another game decided by a two-point conversion. Seattle converted for the win after a last-minute Hail Mary, which was set up by their own rookie duo. Rookie QB Trevone Boykin led the team on a late fourth-quarter drive, capped off by the bomb to rookie receiver Tanner McEvoy (three receptions, 77 yards, and a touchdown) with no time left on the clock.

Boykin’s stat line (16/26, 188 yards, and a touchdown) does not paint a very accurate picture of how his game went. Before his fourth quarter comeback, the former TCU star looked uncomfortable and was not instilling much trust in his coaches. However, he came up big when they needed him the most.

Boykin replaced Russell Wilson (3/6, 34 yards, and one interception) under center after just one drive, which ended in a Marcus Peters interception in the endzone. It wasn’t the start Wilson was looking for, but there certainly won’t be any quarterback controversies in Seattle over it.

In the wake of Marshawn Lynch’s retirement, Thomas Rawls will be the lead back in Seattle. But Rawls didn’t play last week, and will also miss tonight’s game. Third-round pick C.J. Prosise also sat out the game against the Chiefs and will sit again tonight. Christine Michael was able to take advantage of the depleted backfield, posting 44 yards on seven carries. If he continues to be effective throughout camp and the preseason, he should see meaningful action come the regular season. After all, Rawls is coming off a pretty serious injury, and sharing the load is never a bad idea when a team has multiple effective backs.

Defensively, the Seahawks will be looking for a better performance against the run; they allowed 135 yards on the ground on an average of 4.7 yards per attempt. That’s very un-Seattle-like, but their third team was responsible for the majority of it.

Other notables who will not be suiting up for Seattle include: Jimmy Graham, J’Marcus Webb, Kam Chancellor, and Jordan Hill.

With the starters expected to play a little longer, I expect these two defenses to flex their muscles. Each team is missing big contributors on offense, and these defenses both finished in the top-five in points allowed last year. (Seattle was first overall.) All that considered, I’m sticking with the under here.

Pick: Under (38.5).


Photo credit: Keith Allison (Flickr) [https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/].

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