The Vikings have arrived in Seattle for their second and final road game of the preseason.
Both the Vikings and Seahawks are coming off 17-16 road wins in their preseason openers. Minnesota topped Cincinnati, and Seattle beat Kansas City.
The second preseason game should feature a handful of storylines as both team's starters are likely to play more than in the first preseason game. It also is a rematch of the Wild Card contest this past January that Seattle won 10-9.
Kickoff: 9 p.m. (CT)
Simulcast: The game will be broadcast in the Minneapolis/St. Paul market via simulcast on KMSP FOX 9 television and KFAN 100.3 and across the Minnesota Vikings Radio Network by the team of Paul Allen, Pete Bercich, Greg Coleman and Ben Leber.
Three things to watch:
Safety evaluation continues— By Eric Smith
Vikings Head Coach Mike Zimmer said Tuesday that Harrison Smith can play alongside anyone at the other safety spot. Zimmer is still evaluating auditions for the gig.
Andrew Sendejo, who started all 13 games he played in 2016, opened against the Bengals. Antone Exum, Jr., veteran Michael Griffin and rookie Jayron Kearse also played, while Anthony Harris was sidelined. Exum notched a sack on a blitz, Griffin broke up a pass at the line of scrimmage and Kearse recorded an interception to seal the win.
Eyes on the O-Line — By Lindsey Young
One area to watch against the Seahawks tonight will be the offensive line, specifically who lines up at first-team right tackle. Andre Smith, whom the Vikings signed as a free agent in March, started against the Bengals last week. In practices since then, Smith and second-year tackle T.J. Clemmings have rotated days of first-team reps. Clemmings started all 16 games of the 2015 season.
"Both guys are working over there, and I think we're getting good production," Vikings Offensive Coordinator Norv Turner said Monday. "It's a long process. I think it's very good competition right now."
Another name to watch is left guard Alex Boone, a free agent who started 59 games with San Francisco in the past four seasons. During his team with the 49ers, Boone became well-acquainted with the Seahawks defensive line after playing 10 games against Seattle. Having that familiarity with Seattle's defense could make the reunion interesting.
Backfield in motion
The Seahawks are trying to fill the void created by the retirement of Marshawn Lynch and have seven running backs listed on the roster. Thomas Rawls, who rushed 19 times for 101 yards and a score against the Vikings as a rookie in December is returning from injury. Christine Michael, who filled in for Rawls and Lynch, in January rushed 21 times for 71 yards in the Wild Card game. After that, Seattle has four rookie running backs, including third-round pick C.J. Prosise, fifth-rounder Alex Collins and seventh-rounder Zac Brooks.
Minnesota could get several different looks against the variety of Seattle running backs and continue refining its tackling in its second preseason game. The Vikings also might have to defend a few read-option plays, which could be helpful with games at Tennessee in Week 1 and at Carolina in Week 3.
View photos of players and coaches who have suited up for both the Minnesota Vikings and the Seattle Seahawks.
Pete Carroll coached defensive backs for the Minnesota Vikings for 5 seasons (1985-89) under Bud Grant and Jerry Burns before being named defensive coordinator for the New York Jets.
Seahawks Head Coach Pete Carroll coached in the Pro Bowl as a member of the Minnesota Vikings staff following the 1987 season.
Carroll is the current head coach of the Seahawks and has led his team to back-to-back Super Bowl appearances, including winning Super Bowl XLVIII.
Seven-time All-Pro guard Steve Hutchinson was a 1st-round draft pick by the Seattle Seahawks in 2001 (17th overall).
Hutchinson signed with the Vikings in 2006 after a controversial contract situation between the Vikings and Seahawks. Hutchinson started 89 games in his 6 seasons in Minnesota and was named as one of the 50 Greatest Vikings.
In 1976, former 1st-round pick Ahmad Rashad went to Training Camp with Seattle in their expansion season but was traded to the Vikings days before the regular season started.
Darrell Bevell received his first offensive coordinator job with the Vikings in 2006. He remained with the club through 2010, a year guiding Brett Favre and the 5th-ranked Vikings offense in 2009.
Bevell took over as the Seahawks offensive coordinator in 2011, where he has served the past 5 seasons. Bevell's offense had the top-ranked rushing attack in the NFL in 2014.
Minnesota native John Carlson was drafted by the Seahawks in the 2nd round of 2008. Carlson scored 13 touchdowns in 3 seasons with the Seahawks, sitting out 2011 due to an injury.
Carlson signed with the Vikings as a free agent in 2012, spending 2 seasons with the club. Carlson retired prior to the start of the 2015 season.
Coleman signed with the Vikings as an undrafted free agent in 2012, becoming the first deaf player in the NFL. Coleman went to training camp with the Vikings before being released during roster cuts.
Coleman signed with the Seahawks in December of 2012 where he has remained on their roster. Coleman has 2 career NFL touchdowns, both receiving.
Pro Football Hall of Famer Eller was a 1st-round pick by the Vikings in 1964. Eller was a member of the historic Purple People Eaters before spending the final season in Seattle.
Heath Farwell signed with the Vikings as an undrafted free agent in 2005. He spent 6 seasons with the club, playing primarily on special teams.
Farwell signed with the Seahawks as a free agent following his time in Minnesota. Farwell was a key special teams player on the club's Super Bowl win following the 2013 season.
After a stop in Tennessee, Gray serves in the same role with the Vikings leading Minnesota's secondary.
Jerry Gray served as the Seahawks defensive backs coach during the 2010 season during their 7-9 campaign,
The Vikings selected Percy Harvin with the 22nd pick in 2009. In his first season in Minnesota, Harvin was named NFL Offensive Player of the Year.
Percy Harvin was traded to Seattle during the 2013 offseason. Harvin spent the entire 2013 season and part of the 2014 season with the Seahawks.
Hauschka's first NFL stint came as an undrafted free agent with the Vikings in 2008. Hauschka spent training camp and the preseason with the Vikings before being waived during roster cuts.
After multiple stints around the NFL, Hauschka landed in Seattle in 2011. In 2013, the Pro Football Writers Association named Hauschka to their All-Pro team.
Defensive lineman Bob Lurtsema spent 5 seasons with the Vikings, helping them to two Super Bowl appearances.
Lurtsema was traded to the Seahawks in exchange for WR Ahmad Rashad and spent 2 seasons in Seattle. A welcome back ceremony was held for Lurtsema in his first game back in Minnesota.
After a long stint with the Houston Oilers, Hall of Fame QB Warren Moon joined the Vikings in 1994. Spending three seasons in Minnesota, Moon was selected to the Pro Bowl in 1994 and 1995.
After being released by the Vikings, Moon signed as a free agent with the Seahawks where he played in 1997 and 1998.
Patera coached the Vikings' Purple People Eaters for six seasons and helped lead the team to 3 Super Bowl appearances. Patera coached Hall of Famers Carl Eller and Alan Page.
Following his success with the Vikings, Patera was named the first head coach in the history of the Seattle Seahawks. Patera served as Seattle's head coach until the middle of the 1982 season.
Pro Football Hall of Fame DT John Randle played the first 11 seasons of his career with the Vikings. Randle recorded 10-plus sacks in each of his final eight seasons in Minnesota.
Following his time with the Vikings, Randle signed with the Seahawks where he spent the final 3 seasons of his career. Randle earned Pro Bowl honors in Seattle in 2001.
Rice entered the NFL with the Vikings the same year as RB Adrian Peterson in 2007. In four seasons in Minnesota, Rice hauled in 22 touchdowns.
Rice signed with the Seahawks in 2011 where he spent the final 3 seasons of his career. Rice tore his ACL in the middle of the 2013 season, the year Seattle won the Super Bowl.
Tice played for the Vikings for 3 seasons before joining the coaching staff. In 2002, Tice was named the team's head coach after being the interim for one game in 2001.
Mike Tice was signed by Seattle as an undrafted free agent in 1981. Tice spent 10 total seasons with the Seahawks in two stints.
Tarvaris Jackson was selected by the Vikings in the 2nd round of the 2006 NFL Draft. Jackson started 20 games in his 5 seasons in purple.
Following his time with the Vikings, Jackson has had two stints with Seattle. After spending the 2011 season with the Seahawks, he returned in 2013 where he played since.
Williams signed with the Seahawks prior to the 2014 season. In 2014, Williams recorded 3.0 sacks and helped guide Seattle to a Super Bowl appearance.
The Vikings selected DT Kevin Williams out of Oklahoma State in the 1st round of the 2003 NFL Draft. Williams spent 11 seasons with the Vikings and recorded 60.0 sacks.
Blair Walsh made 133 field goals in five seasons as a Minnesota Viking.
The Seahawks signed former Vikings K Blair Walsh during the 2018 offseason.
Defensive tackle Shamar Stephen was a core member of the Vikings interior defensive line for four seasons after being drafted by the team in 2014.
Former Vikings defensive tackle Shamar Stephen joined the Seahawks during the 2018 offseason as a free agent. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
Defensive tackle Tom Johnson returned to the Vikings during the 2018 season after spending the offseason and a few games with the Seahawks to begin the season.
Defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson spent one season with the Seahawks in 2017 after being trade to Seattle from the New York Jets. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)
Vikings defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson joined the team as a free agent during the 2018 offseason. (AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn, File)
Substantial Stats
— The teams played in the third-coldest game in NFL history when they met earlier this year in Minnesota. The temperature for the Wild Card playoff game was minus-6 degrees Fahrenheit with a wind chill of 25-below zero.
— Thursday's matchup features teams with strong home-field advantages over the past dozen-plus years. Seattle is 78-43 (.696 winning percentage) at home since 2002, the second-best mark in the NFC. The Vikings are third on the list with a 71-41 (.634) record, which includes two seasons at a temporary stadium at the University of Minnesota.
— Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson has 46 wins since being drafted in 2012, the most by a quarterback in his first four seasons in the NFL.
— The Seahawks offense ranked third in rushing yards per game, fourth in passing yards per game and tied for fourth in points per game in 2015. The Vikings defense ranked 17th in rushing yards allowed per game, 12th in passing yards allowed per game and fifth in points allowed per game last season.
Quotable
"This is a playoff team, won the Super Bowl a couple years ago and the NFC Championship game a couple years ago. So, our guys know the competition that they're facing. I don't think of it as like this is the Wild Card round or anything like that, but I think it'll be good competition." — Zimmer on facing the Seahawks
Worth a watch
Check out the slow-mo and real-time highlights from Tuesday's final Vikings practice of the week.
