10* Vikes/Hawks GAME OF THE WEEK!
(NFL) Minnesota vs. Seattle,
Point Spread: 5.00 | -114.00 Minnesota (Away)
Result: Loss
This is a 10* NFC GOW on the Vikings.

Every team in the NFL always enters the season with BIG hopes, and that's definitely the case here for both Minnesota and Seattle.

Seattle is looking to build off a decent season considering that it had to move on from Russel Wilson and the Hawks'll be out to prove that wasn't a fluke with an even better season in 2023. And Minnesota is looking to replace Pro Bowl Running Back Dalvin Cook and attempt to return to the top of the NFC North.

The Vikes still have Kirk Cousins and Justin Jefferson and they're still part of a very winnable division. Without Aaron Rodgers to deal with, Minnesota will be trying to duplicate last year's 13-4 record.

But that'll be easier said than done for Minnesota, which lost Cook and a bunch of other talent. So that really means that the Vikes are going to take this three-game preseason seriously I think, as they look to fill up some really important positions on both sides of the field.

Jefferson was named the NFL's Offensive Player Of The Year last season, but neither Cousins or Jefferson is expected to see much, or ANY time at all in this one. As I said, Minnesota is definitely looking to fill some key positions, and that means that there's going to be plenty of competition.

The defense was terrible last year for Minnesota. It gave up 31 points in a home playoff loss to the Giants last season, so the Vikes brought in former Miami Head Coach Brian Flores to try and help.

On the other side of the field, Geno Smith was fantastic obviously for the Seahawks last year. He won Comeback Player Of the Year by finishing with 4,282 passing yards and 30 passing touchdowns and he led the Hawks to a 9-8 record and a playoff berth before then losing to the 49ers in the Wildcard round.

But just like the Vikes, the Seahawks aren't expected to play Smith much at all, or IF at all and that's the same for Running Back Kenneth Walker III and the rest of the starting offense.

Seattle's weak point last season was on the defensive end, and often in the preseason teams work on their weaknesses from the previous season and that will be the case I think for Pete Carrol and his staff this year.

If this was a regular season game, I'd be leaning heavily to the Seahawks, but as I said you can throw out all the regular season expectations right now. I think the Vikes have more to work on, but that's a good thing in this case!

Outright is possible, but the official is to grab as many points as you can.

Grab the points, the play is MINNESOTA.

Good luck, NP