The Vikings are back on the road this week, and this game will have a big impact on the NFC's picture.
Minnesota (6-5-1) will take on the Seattle Seahawks (7-5) on Monday Night Football at CenturyLink Field.
The Vikings have lost the past four games the team has played against the Seahawks.
The Seahawks won last week against the San Francisco 49ers and boast a three-game winning streak heading into this game. Seattle would be the No. 5 seed in the NFC Playoffs if the postseason started this week.
The Vikings are coming off of a loss to the New England Patriots and would be the No. 6 seed in the NFC Playoffs.
Minnesota sits a half of a game behind the Seahawks for the first Wild Card spot in the NFC and a game and a half behind the Chicago Bears in the NFC North.
Experts across the internet submitted their predictions to all NFL games ahead of the much anticipated Week 14 slate.
Let's see what is expected in the Vikings game against Russell Wilson and the Seahawks.
Seahawks 28, Vikings 22, **Elliot Harrison, NFL.com**
Hugely important game in the NFC wild-card race — and an outcome that'll likely be decided by the quarterbacks. I know: What a swashbuckling take full of risk! Maybe not, but given that Kirk Cousins has never won on Monday night and Russell Wilson has dominated MNF, maybe talking QBs here is not overblown. Score one for the pertinent! The running games certainly could be relevant, but unless Mike Zimmer directs Dalvin Cook to get more carries, who cares? Cousins has to play well on the big stage. The Vikes rank 30th in the NFL in rushing, and average a chilling 2 yards per carry in the red zone. With the crowd in Seattle acting like every game is the first Van Halen concert with Sammy Hagar and noise being a certifiable distraction, a stout ground attack is oft the great elixir — it can mitigate the disruption. Nothing quiets a crowd like pushing the ball methodically down the field, 4-to-6 yards at a time. Problem is, Minnesota never does that. The running scene of Seattle does, to the tune of 148.8 per game (tops in the NFL), and that will be the difference Monday night. So, I guess it didn't come down to the QBs after all. Score one for the ground game!
Seahawks 27, Vikings 21, **Bleacher Report Staff**
Teams quarterbacked by Kirk Cousins have won only five of 17 prime-time games. During his time in Washington, Cousins started 23 games against teams that finished with winning records, and this year, he's faced four teams that currently have winning records. He's won just four of those 27 games, and zero this season. And he has significantly worse numbers on the road, where he's won only 12 of his 36 career starts.
That makes it hard to trust Cousins at this point, especially on the road in prime time against the 7-5 Seattle Seahawks, who are an NFC-best [41-12] in Seattle during the Russell Wilson era and are riding a three-game winning streak.
"This might not be a blowout, because the Vikings have enough talent on both sides of the ball to avoid that," Brad Gagnon said. "But with the Seahawks laying only a field goal, this is a no-brainer pick. They're at home, they have the much better and hotter quarterback, and the Vikings haven't been right all year. They're unlikely to put it all together in a place like Seattle, especially in prime time."
Cousins has a mere 91.2 passer rating in his past four games, and the Vikings have won only twice in their past five games. Meanwhile, Wilson has a 130.1 rating in the same four-game span, and the Seahawks have gone 7-3 after an 0-2 start.
Seahawks 27, Vikings 24, **Vinnie Iyer, Sporting News**
Kirk Cousins struggled against the Patriots' defense, but he will play a little better in Seattle because of more favorable matchups for Adam Thielen, Stefon Diggs and Dalvin Cook in the passing game. Russell Wilson might need a little more volume passing in this game because the Vikings can play the run well, but he's red-hot at home, and there is enough to exploit against zone coverage. Minnesota will keep it close, but Seattle will take more control of an NFC Wild Card in the end.
Seahawks 31, Vikings 19, **David Steele, Sporting News**
It's that time of year to throw out more Coach of the Year candidates than anyone should reasonably consider … but consider Pete Carroll anyway, with how the Seahawks overhauled virtually everything yet are right in the mix and are getting better as the season wears on. That defense, gutted in the offseason and without Earl Thomas since September, should get Mychal Kendricks back from suspension. They already have Bobby Wagner, having another All-Pro season. The Vikings offense had better come back from wherever they seem to go every other week.
Seahawks 21, Vikings 16, **Pete Prisco, CBS Sports**
This is big game in terms of playoffs possibilities in the NFC. Both teams need it. The Vikings are playing consecutive road games, which is tough. But it's even tougher at Seattle. Kirk Cousins has struggled in prime-time games, and I think that plays out here. Seahawks take it.
Seahawks 21, Vikings 17, **Ryan Wilson, CBS Sports**
No one wants to face the Seahawks in the playoffs. This team has been one of the biggest surprises of the 2018 season, starting with a defense that is excelling in a post-Legion of Boom era, and continuing with an offensive line that is no longer a liability thanks in large part to O-line coach Mike Solari. Then there's Russell Wilson, who keeps on keepin' on, aided by a running game that can grind opponents into the ground. The Vikings were outclassed in New England last week and need to string a few wins together down the stretch to maintain their hold on the No. 6 seed. In case you're wondering, Seattle has a 90.2-percent chance qualify for the postseason, and Minnesota is looking at a 63.2-percent chance.
Vikings 24, Seahawks 22, **Mike Florio, Smith Pro Football Talk**
It's desperation time for the Vikings, who may be abandoning John DeFilippo in Seattle if he abandons the run, again.
Seahawks 30, Vikings 17, **Michael David, Smith Pro Football Talk**
This is a big one in the NFC Wild Card race, and I'm expecting the Seahawks to win and show their "rebuilding" season is actually a playoff season, while the Vikings lose and suffer a big blow to their hopes of getting back to the playoffs.
Vikings Pregame Win Percentage: 51.8 %, **FOX Sports.com**
WhatIfSports.com'sNFL simulation enginegenerates predictions and box scores for every NFL game for FOX Sports for the coming week. The highly sophisticated algorithms simulate every play of every game to produce each team's likelihood to win. Each matchup is simulated 501 times.
Vikings Pregame Win Percentage: 38 %, **FiveThirtyEight**
FiveThirtyEight's 2018 NFL forecast uses an Elo-based model to calculate each team's chances of winning each game of the season.
