On Sunday, the first of the two NFC Wild Card games takes place in TCF Bank Stadium where the Minnesota Vikings host the No. 6 seed Seattle Seahawks on NBC.
Seahawks vs. Vikings 2016 live stream: Time, TV schedule and how to watch NFL playoffs online
The Seahawks look to keep their second-half surge rolling on the road against the Vikings.
The season did not start off as well as the defending NFC champs hoped. The Seahawks dropped four of their first six games and looked highly noncompetitive in a division with the red-hot Arizona Cardinals and the then-competent St. Louis Rams. Drama seemed to run high in the Emerald City, as safety Kam Chancellor skipped games in a contract dispute while newly minted $100 million quarterback Russell Wilson couldn’t get the offense in gear. Even their two wins before the bye week inspired little confidence.
However, the mood shifted in Seattle during the second half of the year. After a narrow defeat to the Cardinals, the Seahawks won their next five games, scoring no fewer than 29 points a game and averaging 34.2 during that stretch. Wilson transformed into an MVP-caliber quarterback, posting a passer rating of 128.3 or higher in each of the team’s games during the streak. Though the diminutive signal caller is often overlooked when discussing the NFL’s best players, little doubt remains as to whether general manager John Schneider made the right choice to extend him.
Over in Minnesota, the Vikings have finally knocked off the reigning NFC North dynasty, the Green Bay Packers, via a 20-13 road victory in the season finale. Head coach Mike Zimmer has turned a defense that ranked 27th in DVOA in the year prior to his arrival into one of the better units in the league. The front seven, led by defensive end Everson Griffen, gives opposing offenses fits while the secondary has played well when healthy.
On the other side of the ball, Teddy Bridgewater continues to mature while 2012 MVP Adrian Peterson remains a premier running back, winning the rushing title for the third time in his career. The offensive line has struggled at times, but it has remained on the field throughout the season, something few other units can claim. Together with a receiving corps led by rookie Stefon Diggs, Jarius Wright and Kyle Rudolph, the offense has shown it can move the ball against good defenses.
Still, the Vikings may have some trouble slowing down Seattle’s big-play passing attack. Over the second half of the season, few wideouts have matched the production of Doug Baldwin, who finished the year with an NFL-high 14 touchdowns to go with a personal-best 1,069 receiving yards. Beside him, rookie Tyler Lockett has developed into an impressive deep threat while Jermaine Kearse provides a steady presence.
Even if Xavier Rhodes manages to slow down his man, 37-year-old Terence Newman and the undersized tandem of Captain Munnerlyn and Marcus Sherels could have a long afternoon. Minnesota’s pass rush must take advantage of the Seahawks’ porous offensive line, or else the secondary has little chance to stop Wilson when he drops back.
The two teams faced off just over a month ago in Minneapolis. Wilson threw for three touchdowns as the Seahawks cruised to a 38-7 win.
How to watch
When: 1:05 p.m. ET
Where: TCF Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, Minn.
TV: NBC
Commentators: Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth, Michele Tafoya
Online: NBC Sports
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