30 Things to Know before Vikings-Seahawks
The Minnesota Vikings (0-2) take on the Seattle Seahawks (1-1) at 4:25pm EST on Sunday at U.S. Bank Stadium.
Here are 30 stats, facts, and things to know leading into the NFC contest.
1. Russell Wilson, a Viking killer, leads the NFL in passer rating (146.9)
2. Kirk Cousins ranks 9th in passer rating (112.9).
3. Based on pre-Week 3 stats, this game features the NFL’s two most prolific tacklers — Bobby Wagner (33) and Eric Kendricks (26).
4. The Vikings have not scored a defensive touchdown at home since Week 9 of 2018 against the Detroit Lions.
5. Minnesota was 24-9 (second-best in the NFL during the timeframe) at U.S Bank Stadium from 2016 to 2019 with fans in the building. They were 3-5 in 2020.
6. Broadcast a lot this week: The Wilson-led Seahawks are 7-0 versus the Vikings.
7. K.J. Osborn leads the Vikings in receiving yards (167).
[brid autoplay=”true” video=”867875″ player=”26279″ title=”4%20interesting%20Week%202%20NFL%20stats%20to%20note” duration=”116″ description=”The NFL’s wild Week 1 carried over into perhaps an even wilder Week 2. Eight of the 16 games in Week 2 ended with a one-score margin, while three of those matches were separated by only one point. On the flip side, Week 2 also brought the league’s first shutout of the season with the Miami Dolphins failing to score against the Buffalo Bills, who managed to post 35. Here are some of the wilder Week 2 NFL stats from across the league.” uploaddate=”2021-09-21″ thumbnailurl=”https://cdn.brid.tv/live/partners/17660/snapshot/867823.png” contentUrl=”https://cdn.brid.tv/live/partners/17660/streaming/867823/867823.m3u8″]
8. Per FiveThirtyEight, Minnesota currently has a 31% chance to reach the postseason.
9. At 85.9 for a grade, Kirk Cousins is the Vikings Pro Football Focus‘ top-rated player through two games.
10. The Vikings 3rd Down Conversion % on defense ranks second in the NFL (26.1%).
11. But the points-allowed ranking is 26th in the league (30.5). Seventh-worst.
12. Four Vikings games have been decided by one point since Week 3 of 2020.
13. With fans in attendance, the Vikings are undefeated at U.S. Bank Stadium when they score 21 or more points. W/L = 20-0.
14. The Seattle Seahawks are currently the only NFC team yet to play football at U.S. Bank Stadium in the regular season.
15. With fans in attendance, the Vikings are undefeated at U.S. Bank Stadium when scoring 14+ points by halftime.
16. With fans in attendance, the Vikings have allowed only one touchdown pass over 35 yards at U.S. Bank Stadium in the history of the building. It was Andrew Luck to Phillip Dorsett in 2016.
17. With fans in attendance, no bird-themed team has ever defeated the Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium. The Eagles, Falcons, Ravens, Cardinals (twice) were all previous victims with fans present.
18. Matt Hasselbeck is the only Seahawks QB to ever throw for 300+ yards passing in a single game versus the Vikings.
19. With fans in attendance, no non-Viking QB has ever thrown more than 2 TDs in a regular season game at U.S. Bank Stadium.
20. Inflated by the success of the 2017 Vikings defense, Minnesota wins 71.4% of games in which Dalvin Cook does not play. The team wins 52.0% of the time when he does play. Yes, you read that right.
21. Since the start of 2019, Dalvin Cook has scored a touchdown in 23 separate games. This is the most in the NFL, leading Derrick Henry by one game.
22. Since Kirk Cousins joined the Vikings in 2018, he has more games (12) with 300+ passing yards, 3+ TD passes, and O INTs than Tom Brady (8 games) and Deshaun Watson (8 games).
23. Justin Jefferson was in 4th Grade the last time the Vikings beat the Seahawks.
24. The last time the Seahawks came to Minnesota for a game, Danielle Hunter and Eric Kendricks were rookies.
25. Six times in the brief history of U.S. Bank Stadium the Vikings have gone into a home game as underdogs. They covered the spread in all games except one — the 2018 regular season game vs. the Saints.
26. Statistically, the Vikings 2021 season — based on points allowed and points scored — has essentially been a continuation of the 2020 season.
27. With fans in attendance at U.S. Bank Stadium, the Vikings have never hosted three games in a row at home. Until now.
28. Through 80 career games, Danielle Hunter has notched 58.5 sacks. Through 80 career games, Jared Allen recorded 59.5 sacks.
29. Per Kirk Cousins’ career resume, he usually starts relatively slow in September compared to his October and November performance. But not this year.
30. Xavier Woods is PFF‘s fifth highest-graded safety (81.9) through two games.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sally from Minneapolis. His Viking fandom dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ and The Doors (the band).