Minnesota Vikings @ Seattle Seahawks: Monday Night NFL live on Sky Sports
Watch live on Sky Sports Action & Main Event from 1am, Tuesday
Tuesday 11 December 2018 05:36, UK
Week 14 in the NFL wraps up with a Monday Night Football match-up between the Minnesota Vikings and Seattle Seahawks, exclusively live on Sky Sports Action and Main Event from 1am. Here's what you can expect...
Form guide
The Vikings (6-5-1) have alternated wins and losses in the past six weeks, and remain one of the NFL's most unpredictable sides. They have struggled with tougher competition so far - losing to all four playoff-bound teams they have faced (Rams, Saints, Bears and Patriots) - but look great against lesser competition.
Live NFL
Seattle (7-5) are coming in hot with a three-game winning streak, having cast aside wild-card contenders - the Packers and Panthers - before blowing out the rival 49ers last week. Quarterback Russell Wilson has been on fire and is aiming for his fifth game in a row with two-plus touchdown passes, a 110-plus passer rating and no picks.
Stat Attack
Minnesota quarterback Kirk Cousins ranks second in the league with a 71.3 completion percentage and is one of three quarterbacks with a 70-plus completion percentage and at least 3,000 passing yards (3,490) this season.
On the other side, Wilson ranks third in the league with a 5.8 touchdown-to-interception ratio (29 touchdowns and five interceptions) and is one of four NFL quarterbacks with a passer rating of at least 115 this season (115.5).
Key battle
The Vikings' defensive line against the Seahawks' offensive line is the standout battle at CenturyLink Field. As outstanding a quarterback as Wilson is, every passer needs a solid ground game to help them along - especially when up against a potentially formidable defense like Minnesota's. Although known in recent years as a porous offensive line, Seattle's group up front has stepped up in a big way in 2018 and the team leads the league with 148.8 rushing yards per game.
Minnesota are one of the better groups against the run, allowing 99.2 yards per game. The longest run they have given up all season is only 21 yards, the best mark in the NFL. In the passing game, they can get after the quarterback, and Danielle Hunter and Everson Griffen lead the line. This battle could swing the game.
Ones to watch
Minnesota have stars all around Cousins, in running back Dalvin Cook and arguably the best receiver duo in the league in Adam Thielen and Stefon Diggs. Thielen (98) and Diggs (84) are the only pair of NFC team-mates with 80-plus receptions each in 2018.
The Seahawks are always worth watching for Wilson alone, with his mix of athleticism, vision, and arm strength making him capable of a highlight-reel play at any time. Running back Chris Carson is looking better and better the more carries he receives, and wide receiver Tyler Lockett has scored a touchdown in nine different games this season.
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