Minnesota Vikings think Seahawks knew Lynch wouldn’t play (Report)

The Minnesota Vikings reportedly believe that the Seattle Seahawks engaged in gamesmanship by listing Marshawn Lynch as questionable before suddenly ruling him out.

These are the facts:

Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch was listed as questionable on the Friday injury report after practicing during the week.

On Saturday morning, the Seahawks abruptly did a 180 and ruled Lynch out for Sunday’s Wild Card playoff game in Minnesota.

Either Lynch suddenly got worse after practice on Friday or the Seahawks were lying about Lynch’s status in an effort to throw off the Vikings’ preparations.

What do the Vikings think? According to ESPN’s Josina Anderson, the Vikings think Seattle lied.

There are several different ways one could react to this news:

1. Get really outraged and call Pete Carroll a giant liar and a cheater.

2. Cynically point out that every team does this kind of stuff and it’s no big deal.

3. Slam the media for trying to create controversy (and people like me for going along with it in the name of clicks).

4. Disbelieve the whole thing and point to some deeper, more profound conspiracy having something to do with Pete Carroll and/or the media hating Marshawn Lynch.

5. Be glad there’s something to talk about besides the cold.

Pick one of those.

The real truth of the matter? The Seahawks crushed the Vikings earlier this year without Marshawn Lynch.

Marshawn Lynch became irrelevant to the Seahawks during the time he was on the shelf.

Next: Vikings vs. Seahawks: How cold will it get?

Since Lynch went out, Russell Wilson has blossomed.

The Seattle Seahawks nowadays arguably are more dangerous without Lynch than with Lynch.

And a little injury report hanky-panky isn’t quite enough to throw off Mike Zimmer.