Brady Henderson,*ESPN.com*: Seahawks 26, Vikings 23
What to watch for: The Seahawks' defensive resurgence over the past two games has come against offenses that were missing some key pieces -- George Kittle for the 49ers, and Alshon Jeffery, Jordan Howard and Lane Johnson for the Eagles. Minnesota's offense is fifth in Football Outsiders' DVOA rankings, and it has a chance to be at full strength with receiver Adam Thielen expected to return off the bye.
Courtney Cronin,*ESPN.com*: Seahawks 27, Vikings 24
Bold prediction: Both Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf will each haul in two receiving touchdowns. Quarterback Russell Wilson should have his way with the Vikings' pass defense, which will have had 15 days to fix some of the issues that showed up routinely in Minnesota's first 11 games.
Tadd Haislop,*SportingNews.com:*Vikings 24, Seahawks 20
Week 13 ends with a dandy of a toss-up between NFC playoff contenders, and depending on what happens elsewhere in the NFL on Sunday, the winner of this game might have a chance to take a major leap in the playoff picture. The Seahawks have a couple advantages as the home team with the better quarterback, but the Vikings, healthier coming out of their bye week, have advantages virtually everywhere else. Dalvin Cook will frustrate Seattle's defense, and Kirk Cousins will earn another prime-time win on the road.
Tom Fornelli,*CBSSports.com*: Seahawks 28, Vikings 17
OK, so maybe Kirk Cousins has done some work erasing the narrative that he doesn't play well in prime time games, but I'm still not buying Kirk Cousins. Not on the road in the Seattle environment he'll be forced to play in. Plus, the Minnesota defense has not played well for over a month. By the time this game kicks off on Monday night, the 49ers could have lost to Baltimore. That means the Seahawks would be tied for first in the NFC West with a win here.
Gregg Rosenthal,*NFL.com*: Seattle Seahawks 26, Minnesota Vikings 24
Picking against the Seahawks this season, as I've done far too often, feels like picking against a higher power. Somehow, some way, Russ and Pete reward the faithful. The option looks especially dangerous this week, with Seattle's defense playing its best two games of the year in succession against the 49ers and Eagles. The Vikings are a tougher test because of their balance, while Kirk Cousins (gasp) is playing better than Jimmy G and Carson Wentz. This is a strange Minnesota team, with star players making nearly every facet of the squad good without any of them being truly great. Cousins winning in prime time in Seattle would be the strangest development for this Vikings team yet, and I can't quite picture it in my mind's eye. It's time for me to join the Seahawks flock and bathe in its illogical peace.
Michael David Smith,*ProFootballTalk.com*: Seahawks 24, Vikings 17
MDS: This is a very important game to the NFC playoff race, and I think a hostile atmosphere in Seattle is going to be too much for the Vikings.
Michael Florio,*ProFootballTalk.com*: Seahawks 24, Vikings 20
Florio's take: That win over the Cowboys hardly means that the Vikings have exorcised their prime-time demons.
Pete Prisco,*CBSSports.com*: Seattle 28, Vikings 21
This is Kirk Cousins on the road in a big game. That hasn't been a good thing for him, but he's played well this season. Russell Wilson is in the MVP conversation, and he should have a good day against a Minnesota defense that has struggled at times. The Seattle defense has made strides in recent weeks, which will cause problems for Cousins.
Kristopher Knox,*BleacherReport.com*: Minnesota 28, Seattle Seahawks 26
Looking purely at the matchup, the Vikings also have an advantage. They have the sort of defense—one that has allowed just 18.6 points per game—to slow MVP candidate Russell Wilson. With Dalvin Cook leading the charge, they also have a potent enough running game to control the tempo and the clock.
More Picks From Around The Web
Nine of the ten polled so far at ESPN.com side with the Seahawks this Monday.
Six of seven writers at USA Today pick the Seahawks coming out on top on Monday.
Four of eight experts at CBSSports.com chose the Seahawks as victors this Monday.
The Seahawks and the Vikings will face off on Sunday Night Football at CenturyLink Field this Sunday at 5:20 p.m. Take a look back at photos from past games between the two teams.
Fran Tarkenton Minnesota Viking? Quarterback, with a host of passing records in his Pocket, many times scrambles, and sometimes unsuccessfully. Here in a game this year he is about to be sacked by Seattle Seahawks tackle Dick Harris (77) on Dec. 14, 1976. The Vikings host the Washington Redskins on December 18 in an NFL Playoff Game. (AP Photo)
Herschel Walker (34) of the Philadelphia Eagles manages to avoid Tyrone Rodgers (91) and Jeff Bryant (77) of he Seattle Seahawks for a 12-yard gain during the fourth quarter of their NFL game in Seattle, Dec. 14, 1992. Walker carried 23 times for 11 yards in the game as Philadelphia won 20-17 in overtime. (AP Photo/Bill Chan)
Seattle Seahawks fullback Mack Strong carries the football during a pre-season game with the Minnesota Vikings in Husky Stadium in Seattle, Aug. 20, 1994. Strong earned himself an NFL roster spot by taking a 5-yard swing pass and turning it into a 70-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter in the Seahawks' 30-19 win over the Vikings. (AP Photo/Bill Chan)
SPORTS, FOOTBALL, ACTION, FIELD, FALLING,
Seattle Seahawks' Shaun Alexander, right, leaps into the end zone for a touchdown against the Minnesota Vikings during the first quarter Sunday, Sept. 29, 2002, in Seattle. (AP Photo/John Froschauer)
Seattle Seahawks' Antoine Burns (19) runs with Minnesota Vikings' Nick Rogers (58) and Rushen Jones (31) giving chase on a 74 yard pass play during the second quarter in Seattle, Thursday Sept. 2, 2004. (AP Photo/John Froschauer)
Seattle receiver Doug Baldwin came across the middle, leapt high and snagged this pass from Russell Wilson with one hand and completed the catch in the third quarter.
Minnesota kicker Blair Walsh pulls his 27-yard field goal attempt wide left, ending his team's chances.
