Key To A Viking’s Win Lies In The Second Quarter
Zeke Warren-Weigmann
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The Seattle Seahawks are good. Really good. Any team with Russel Wilson under center has a chance at winning, but give him a solid running attack, as well as a dynamic receiving tandem in DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett, and the man can do some serious damage to opposing defenses. Seattle has proved as much by starting the 2020 season 4-0.
The question remains, do the Minnesota Vikings stand a chance when they take on Seattle this evening on Sunday Night Football? While a Minnesota toppling of one of the only three undefeated teams left in the league would be nothing short of a miracle, the key to such a win lies, surprisingly enough, in the second quarter.
To start off the season, the Vikings were awful in the second quarter. Outscored 19-3 by the Green Bay Packers in week one, and 15-0 by the Indianapolis Colts, Minnesota dug itself a deep hole going into the half of each game. This type of situation often prompts teams to abandon the run in favor of the passing game, a route that the Vikings cannot afford to take.
Minnesota did show some promise of turning around their second quarters as the season progressed, managing to outscore both the Tennessee Titans 10-3 in week three, and the Houston Texans 10-6 in week four (unsurprisingly their two closest games). However, it remains to be seen whether or not the Vikings can keep up that level of marginal success.
Seattle, despite what their record suggests, has shown some weakness in the second quarter so far this season. The Seahawks were outscored 9-0 in week one against the Atlanta Falcons, drew the New England Patriots 7-7 in week two, and barely managed to outscore the struggling Dallas Cowboys and Miami Dolphins, 14-6 and 7-6 respectively.
Seattle’s second quarter woes may offer Minnesota it’s only chance to snatch a win from what is otherwise a certain defeat. If the Vikings can go into the half up big, they can lean heavily on Dalvin Cook in the second half, in so doing draining the clock and keeping the ball out of Seattle possession. The best way to defend Russel Wilson might be to just not let him have the ball in the first place.