In 2019, the Seahawks beat the Vikings in the ground game.
Seattle ran for 218 yards as it rolled to a 37-30 victory. Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson threw for just 240 yards, two touchdowns and an interception.
But since then, the Seahawks have undergone a bit of a philosophical change on offense. Some Seattle fans have called for the team to “let Russ cook” and the Seahawks have done just that through the first four games of the 2020 season.
He has thrown for 1,285 yards, 16 touchdown passes and just two interceptions so far. It looks like the Vikings’ young secondary is going to have to go up against a version of the Seahawks that attacks through the air.
Minnesota coach Mike Zimmer talked about Seattle’s changes in 2020:
“They’ve changed a little bit. They’re obviously letting Russell Wilson be more explosive,” Zimmer told reporters, via the Vikings. “They’ve got terrific receivers. T hey’re all fast. David Moore has made some great catches. (Greg) Olsen as a tight end, I think that’s helped them. And they’ve still got (Chris) Carson as the runner. And obviously Russell makes them go.”
As bad as Minnesota’s run defense looked against Seattle last season, this year the Seahawks should be an even more difficult matchup due to their high-octane offense. It could be a long game on Sunday night.