The Seattle Seahawks (10-2) had a resounding 37-30 victory against the Minnesota Vikings (8-4) on Monday night that saw them take both the lead in the NFC West and the No. 2 seed in the NFC. The Seahawks extend their record in Action Green to 5-0 and now control their own destiny as they await another primetime matchup with the Los Angeles Rams on “Sunday Night Football” in Week 14. Here are a few takeaways from the game.

Chris Carson rebounds again and Rashaad Penny continues production

Seattle set a season-high in rushing yards Monday night with 218 as the backfield duo of Carson and Penny got rolling. Carson rebounded after a disastrous performance last week against Philadelphia with 102 rushing yards and a touchdown along with one catch for seven yards. Rashaad Penny chipped in 74 rushing yards for a rushing TD along with four receptions for 33 yards and a receiving score. The Seahawks had 16 first-down runs, the second most accumulated in a single game by a team this season. Penny has stepped up significantly over the past two games and Carson bounced back extremely well. Fans will hope that they continue to produce throughout the rest of the season, which will be essential to Seattle’s success.

DK Metcalf’s lost fumble gave momentum back to Minnesota

This was a great play by Xavier Rhodes, but the fact of the matter is that Metcalf’s fumble in Minnesota territory gave the Vikings new life and allowed them to score consecutive touchdowns. This came after an improbable play on a fake punt in which Travis Homer picked up 29 yards. The defense should not be excused for collapsing on the drives before and after the fumble, but Metcalf has to be better at protecting the football and reducing his mistakes because he has made a noticeable amount of them in the past three games.

Offense and defense aid each other with 24 unanswered points

Facing a 17-10 deficit, the Seahawks drove for Penny’s rushing touchdown. This was followed by a strip-sack on Kirk Cousins by Rasheem Green and recovery by Bradley McDougald, which set up a field goal to take a 20-17 lead. The defense proceeded to force the Vikings into a three-and-out and the offense took advantage with a 60-yard touchdown pass to David Moore. This was followed by an incredible interception by Tre Flowers, which set up Penny’s 13-yard receiving touchdown for a 34-17 lead. They proceeded to give up 13 unanswered points, but this productive stretch was enough to allow Seattle to hold on and clinch victory.

Self-inflicted wounds nearly cost Seahawks the victory

In addition to the aforementioned Metcalf fumble, Russell Wilson threw, or rather, batted an interception directly to Vikings safety Anthony Harris for a pick-six, giving Minnesota a 14-7 lead after the defense had just forced them into a three-and-out. On the Vikings’ drive before Metcalf’s fumble, wide receiver Laquon Treadwell was left incredibly wide open on a blown coverage for a 58-yard touchdown. Tre Flowers also committed a costly pass interference penalty on Stefon Diggs on third down, which set up Minnesota’s touchdown to make the score 34-30 after a missed extra point by Dan Bailey. The Seahawks could have run away with the victory but committed multiple mistakes that kept the Vikings in the game, along with their opponent’s own stellar play in the second half.

The 2019 Seahawks are still an incredibly resilient bunch

This team keeps finding ways to win. They are undefeated on the road and take every game of the week seriously. They have had some trouble keeping their foot on the gas, but they have managed to hold strong when things get too dire. They are now 10-2 with the NFC West lead and the No. 2 seed in the NFC, with the Saints holding the head-to-head tiebreaker over them. Seattle must keep racking up wins through the final four weeks of the season to secure a playoff spot, first and foremost. The Seahawks have the potential to secure the No. 1 seed in the NFC this season and they must keep that in mind as they push to finish out the year.

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