Minnesota Vikings at Seattle Seahawks Betting Preview
A pair of playoff teams from 2022 will get together for a preseason game on Thursday. This is part of Preseason Week 1 in the National Football League.
Minnesota is coming off a 13-4 season a year ago, where they won the NFC North by four games over the Detroit Lions. For the Seahawks, they finished 9-8 and second in the NFC West. Seattle finished just behind San Francisco in the divisional race.
The Seattle Seahawks are the favorites in this game. Seattle is listed at -4.5 for this game, with a total listed at 35.5 points.
Seahawks Excited about 2023
Pete Carroll, the oldest head football coach in the National Football League, is excited for his team heading into 2023. The Seahawks drafted fifth and took Devon Witherspoon out of Illinois, one of the top cornerbacks in College Football a season ago.
Then, later in the first round, Ohio State wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba fell to them. He is going to give the Seahawks quite a dynamic three receivers.
A season ago, both D.K. Metcalf and Tyler Lockett were outstanding, catching a combined 2,071 yards via the air. They combined for 74 receptions and 15 touchdowns as well.
The third receiver was always a question mark, as Noah Fant was third in receptions, with 50. Fant is still at the top of the depth chart for tight ends in Seattle.
Geno Smith is ahead of Drew Lock as the signal caller for the Seahawks. Smith burst onto the scene a season ago as his first true chance to be a starting quarterback. Smith wrapped up the season with 399 completed passes, 4,282 yards thrown, and 30 touchdowns. Smith was the only quarterback to play the entire season for Seattle.
The Seahawks start the season with an NFC West rivalry game as the Los Angeles Rams come to town. Following that game, Seattle will take the cross-country trip to Detroit to battle the Lions.
Minnesota Expects to Win NFC North
After winning the division a season ago and the loss of the Green Bay Packers to the division, the Vikings expect to once again take down the NFC North.
Minnesota wants no part of the talk about how Detroit and even Chicago have made up and possibly caught up to them. The Vikings know they have the most talent.
Gone is Dalvin Cook as the top running back, but Minnesota will turn to younger and cheaper Alexander Mattison. Mattison just got 74 carries a season ago but did the most with them, finishing with nearly 300 yards on the season.
Just like Seattle, the Vikings grabbed a new receiver in the draft. Former USC standout Jordan Addison was brought in to go along with Justin Jefferson. Gone is Adam Thielen, so opportunities will be open for someone outside of Jefferson to make plays. T.J. Hockenson is also back for his first full season with the Vikings.
Minnesota opens its season at home. The Vikings will get a Tampa Bay team with tons of question marks in Week 1. After that, though, the Vikings do not see a cupcake in Game 2. The Vikings are on Thursday Night Football for Week 2 on the road at the Philadelphia Eagles.
Good Start to Preseason Action
Regardless of the result, we expect this to be a good football game. Look for the Vikings to keep this game close and even possibly win. The spread seems too high, especially for uncertainty about who is going to play.
Folks want to see Addison and Smith-Njigba in this one. In the end, a good game, with us betting the Minnesota Vikings +4.5 over the Seattle Seahawks on Thursday.
