Opening Spread in Vikings vs Seahawks Week 5 Matchup Favors Seattle by 7.5
- The undefeated Seattle Seahawks (4-0) opened up as 7.5-point favorites against the Minnesota Vikings (1-3) in their Week 5 Sunday Night Football matchup (8:20 p.m. EST).
- Seahawks QB Russell Wilson has tied Peyton Manning’s record of 16 touchdowns through the first four weeks of the NFL season
- See the opening odds for this game and a prediction on which way the line will move before kickoff
The Seattle Seahawks (4-0) opened as 7.5-point favorites against the Minnesota Vikings (1-3) on Sunday Night Football in Week 5 ( 8:20 p.m. EST).
Both teams recorded crucial wins Sunday. The Seahawks stayed unbeaten by defeating Miami 31-23, thanks to a couple of quality plays by Seattle’s much-maligned defense. Meanwhile, the Vikings were relieved to leave the ranks of the winless by beating the 0-4 Houston Texans 31-23.
As a marquee Sunday night game, we could see some odds fluctuation in the Vikings vs Seahawks odds
Vikings vs Seahawks Opening Odds
| Team | Moneyline | Spread | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minnesota Vikings | +275 | +7.5 (-115) | O 57.5 (-110) |
| Seattle Seahawks | -340 | -7.5 (-105) | U 57.5 (-110) |
Odds taken Oct. 4 at FanDuel
Wilson Gives Seahawks Big Advantage at QB
Russell Wilson has never been the NFL’s MVP, but that could change this season. Through four weeks, Wilson has thrown for 1,285 yards and 16 touchdowns. That’s an average of 321 yards and four touchdowns per week.
.@DangeRussWilson to @TDLockett12 for the 43-yard TD 🙌#GoHawks x #DALvsSEA
📺: FOX https://t.co/LdPmSSqr3g
— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) September 27, 2020
With Wilson throwing more, the Seahawks are averaging 35.5 points per game. Since entering the league, Wilson has always been a QB who can extend the play. But he looks even more proficient at that art this season.
Meanwhile, Minnesota fans were calling for a quarterback change before Kirk Cousins led the Vikings to their first win of the season Sunday.
Hang all over @athielen19 and he's still going to score.#Skol
📺: @NFLonFOX pic.twitter.com/v0NT5FlnAu
— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) October 4, 2020
He passed for 260 yards, one touchdown, no interceptions and effectively managed the victory, but he’s probably not officially regained fan support. The Texans are winless. Cousins needs to beat a contending team, such as Seattle, to get everyone pointed in the right direction.
Seahawks’ injury situation didn’t get worse
Seattle coach Pete Carroll announced Sunday that the Seahawks didn’t suffer any new injuries in the victory against the Dolphins.
That was considered significant news because the Seahawks have been winning with a lineup that has been overrun by injuries. Early last week, the injury list seemed too long for an unbeaten team. Phillip Dorsett, Marquise Blair, Phillip Dorsett, Rasheem Green and Bruce Irvin, among others, were already on the injured reserved. Jamal Adams and Jordyn Brooks were declared out for Game 4 on Friday’s report. Quinton Dunbar also missed Sunday’s game.
It almost felt like the Seahawks couldn’t handle another injury, and they didn’t get any. Updates on several of those players will be provided this week.
The Vikings have also been beat up, and were missing cornerbacks Kris Boyd (hamstring) and Mike Hughes (neck). Boyd played through the injury the week before, perhaps meaning he will be back soon.
Seahawks injury report: everyone pic.twitter.com/sDKnRzCTK8
— Stacy Jo Rost (@StacyRost) September 30, 2020
Seahawks Didn’t Fix Defensive Problem
After beating Miami 31-23, the Seahawks have scored 143 points and given up 109 points. The New York Giants are 0-4 and have given up 13 fewer points than the Seahawks.
Dealing with several injuries, the Seahawks rank second-to-last in pass coverage. Ryan Fitzpatrick threw for 315 yards against Seattle’s defense. The week before Dak Prescott threw for 472 and in Week 2 Cam Newton totalled 397. In Week 1, Matt Ryan threw for 450. Teams are racking up an average of 409 yards per week through the air against Seattle.
I cant believe how many sports analysts continue to bet against the seahawks. Seattle is not only 4-0, but 4-0 against the spread with the best quarterback in the world and a defense that gives up yards but has constantly made plays when games get close. Keep doubting them
— Eli Engledow (@EliEngledow) October 4, 2020
Bettors Might See Vikings as Upset Pick
The line could move a little bit in the Vikings’ favor as bettors look for a live dog to back. The Vikings were a 10-6 team a year ago and many predicted they would compete for a division title.
Seattle meanwhile, has given up too many pass completions over 20 yards. Their defensive issues could impact bettors’ thinking as much as their offensive prowess. Bettors will likely be hesitant to lay that many points on a team that is so banged up and flawed defensively.
Kevin Allen has covered most major events, including the Olympics, Super Bowl, World Series, NBA Finals and Stanley Cup Final. He covered the NHL for USA Today from 1986-2020, receiving the Lester Patrick Award in 2013 and was honored by the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2014 with the Elmer Ferguson Award.
