Vikings vs Seahawks Week 13 MNF Props: Cousins Due for Streak-Breaking Interception
- Week 14 of MNF pits the two current NFC wild cards head to head as the Seattle Seahawks play host to the Minnesota Vikings
- Will Dalvin Cook enjoy a bounce back week for the Vkings?
- Is Kirk Cousins likely to throw an interception?
It’s a tough go making any headway in the NFC playoff race. Both the Seattle Seahawks (9-2) and Minnesota Vikings (8-3) are enjoying splendid seasons. Despite their success, the best they’ve been able to accomplish to date is to occupy a wild card playoff position.
As much as Monday’s game will be about postseason implications – a Seattle victory would push the Seahawks into the NFC West lead over the San Francisco 49ers via tiebreaker – it’s also about players making statements.
Vikings all-purpose running back Dalvin Cook performed like he was without a purpose last week against the Denver Broncos. On the other side, Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson requires a sensational performance to keep pace with Baltimore Ravens super freak Lamar Jackson in the NFL MVP race.
The Seahawks are three-point favorites over the Vikings.
Prop #1: Dalvin Cook Over/Under 40.5 Receiving Yards
| Dalvin Cook Receiving Yards | Odds |
|---|---|
| Over 40.5 yards | -115 |
| Under 40.5 yards | -115 |
All Odds taken Dec. 2.
Cook wasn’t himself last week against the Broncos. He was held to 26 yards on 11 carries, a 2.4 yards per carry average. For the season, he’s gaining exactly double that average per carry.
It was the same story through the air. Cook caught five balls for 31 yards, well below his season average of 41.36 yards per game.
Dalvin Cook looks to cook up some thanksgiving leftovers tonight! #Werereadytofly pic.twitter.com/7fcr4hclKJ
— tony (@tonyg4235) December 2, 2019
What is known about Cook if you study his numbers is that he follows an off game with a big effort. When the Detroit Lions held him to one catch for seven yards, Cook went off for 73, 45, and 86 yards receiving in his next three games.
This season, only Christian McCaffrey (1,709) of the Carolina Panthers is creating more all-purpose yards in the NFL than Cook (1,472).
.@Vikings @dallascowboys with the Cowboys back in control 21-20; the #Vikings ran the ball 10X plays in a row. #Cowboys looked helpless. @dalvincook & @AlexMattison22 are a lethal 1-2 punch #BaldysBreakdowns pic.twitter.com/gHFE7jfVnz
— Brian Baldinger (@BaldyNFL) November 14, 2019
However, he’s not fared well against the Seahawks. Last season, also at Seattle, Cook was held to 28 receiving yards on seven catches.
Pick: Dalvin Cook under 40.5 receiving yards (-115)
Risk: 1 unit to win 0.87 units
Prop #2: Kirk Cousins Over/Under 0.5 Interceptions
| Kirk Cousins Interceptions | Odds |
|---|---|
| Over 0.5 | -140 |
| Under 0.5 | -110 |
This season, only four NFL quarterbacks show interception percentages below one percent. Two of them are playing in this game.
The low turnover ratio for Minnesota QB Kirk Cousins is proving to be a welcome change to his usual repertoire. He’s thrown at least 10 interceptions in each of his four previous seasons and holds a career interception percentage of 2.3 percent.
“I’m not sure the Seattle Seahawks have the better quarterback … Kirk Cousins needs to be in the MVP conversation as well.” – @LFletcher59 #TOPS pic.twitter.com/hMI0X9XpZr
— CBS Sports Network (@CBSSportsNet) December 1, 2019
This season, he’s been picked off just three times in 320 attempts. That’s a 0.9 percent ratio.
Cousins has gone five consecutive games without throwing a pick. He’s been intercepted one time over the past nine games.
Pick: Kirk Cousins under 0.5 interceptions (-110)
Risk: 1 unit to win 0.91 units
Prop #3: Russell Wilson Over/Under 265.5 Passing Yards
| Russell Wilson Passing Yards | Odds |
|---|---|
| Over 265.5 | -115 |
| Under 265.5 | -115 |
The Vikings aren’t as good at stopping the pass as the numbers might lead you to believe.
Minnesota is allowing 244.5 passing yards per game, good for 20th overall in the NFL. But when the Vikings defense faces a QB of substance, they generally get sliced and diced.
Russell Wilson has been outstanding throughout his career under the lights.
Per @EliasSports, Wilson has the best win pct of any starting QB in night games since the 1970 merger.
Elias defines a night game as 5 p.m. or later local time. pic.twitter.com/BuIftaN4nr
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) December 2, 2019
Atlanta’s Matt Ryan (304 yards), Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers (209), Philadelphia’s Carson Wentz (306), Detroit’s Matthew Stafford (364), and Dak Prescott (397) of the Cowboys combined to average 316 yards through the air against Minny. Even Kansas City backup Matt Moore torched the Vikings for 275 yards.
Wilson is averaging 267 ypg passing. He’s gone over the total established for this game five times this season.
Pick: Russell Wilson over 265.5 yards passing (-115)
Risk: 2 units to win 1.74 units</strong
An industry veteran, Bob literally taught the course on the history of sports at Elder College. He has worked as a Sports Columnist for Postmedia, appeared as a guest on several radio stations, was the Vice President of the Society For International Hockey Research in Ontario, and written 25 books.
