The Viking Age
FanSided

Minnesota Vikings vs Seahawks in Week 14: The Seattle perspective

By Adam Carlson

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - JANUARY 10: Stefon Diggs #14 of the Minnesota Vikings gestures in the first half against the Seattle Seahawks during the NFC Wild Card Playoff game at TCFBank Stadium on January 10, 2016 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - JANUARY 10: Stefon Diggs #14 of the Minnesota Vikings gestures in the first half against the Seattle Seahawks during the NFC Wild Card Playoff game at TCFBank Stadium on January 10, 2016 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
3 of 4
Next
JACKSONVILLE, FL - DECEMBER 10: Sheldon Richardson #91 of the Seattle Seahawks walks off the field during the second half of their game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at EverBank Field on December 10, 2017 in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)
JACKSONVILLE, FL - DECEMBER 10: Sheldon Richardson #91 of the Seattle Seahawks walks off the field during the second half of their game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at EverBank Field on December 10, 2017 in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images) /

3) The Minnesota Vikings got two defensive tackles from the Seahawks this year. What was the feeling among Seahawks fans when the team signed Sheldon Richardson and Tom Johnson?

I think most Seahawks fans assumed that when Sheldon Richardson was signed last season it was an attempt to go all in on a season that was probably going to be the last for Richard Sherman, at least. The team was planning on a bit of a roster overhaul after 2017. Richardson was good for Seattle but I don’t think he ever produced enough pressure from the interior against opposing quarterbacks. That is what Seattle needed him to do last season and he didn’t. So he wasn’t going to be re-signed.

The situation with Tom Johnson was stranger. Seattle signed Shamar Stephen and Johnson from the Vikings this offseason in hopes they would allow young players like Nazair Jones to learn their way a bit. But after one game Seattle let Johnson go to create a roster spot. Johnson wasn’t costing Seattle much money this season and is a solid player. So I am still confused on what really happened there. Johnson would have been nice to have this year simply for his run-stuffing abilities. It made sense that he went back to the Vikings because he already knew the system.

4) Who are one player from the Seahawks offense and one from the defense who Vikings fans may not be familiar with but should make a huge impact on the game?

One under-the-national-radar Seahawks offensive player who has had a decent year and could have an impact is receiver David Moore. He will not be the number one target or the number two (Doug Baldwin and Tyler Lockett are clearly those) for Russell Wilson, but he is a slightly bigger receiver who Wilson is beginning to trust. Moore has just 22 receptions on the season but five of those are for touchdowns. And he had a 100-yard receiving day against Carolina in week 12.

Defensively, defensive tackle Jarran Reed is having a Pro Bowl-type season. Along with end Frank Clark, the two players supply the only consistent pass rush for Seattle in 2018. Against the 49ers last week Reed had a sack along with six quarterback hits. This is by far the third-year player’s best season as he has 6.5 sacks and 17 quarterback hits while also being very good against the run.

Home/Minnesota Vikings News