Seahawks Preparing For Vikings Offense Brimming With Playmakers

In a must-win game, the Seattle Seahawks will have to deal with the Minnesota Vikings' elite offensive weapons on Sunday.

Connor Benintendi | 17 Hours Ago

Dec 8, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson (18) celebrates his touchdown against the Atlanta Falcons during the third quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. / Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

In this story:

Seattle Seahawks

With their playoff hopes on the line Sunday, the Seattle Seahawks will have to deal with one of the most dynamic wide receiver duos in the NFL in Week 16.

Minnesota Vikings wide receivers Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison have combined for 2,014 receiving yards this season, accounting for about 57 percent of quarterback Sam Darnold’s passing production.

That receiving total is the second most by any receiving duo in the league. The Cincinnati Bengals’ Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins are first (2,082 yards) and the Seahawks’ Jaxon Smith-Njigba and DK Metcalf are third (1,834).

Jefferson, who has been one of the league’s top receivers since entering the NFL in 2020, is accounting for most of that production. He is second among all receivers with 1,243 receiving yards on 82 catches.

But Addison, despite only being in his second season, is also on pace for 964 receiving yards.

“Obviously we all know that they’re elite receivers down the field, intermediate, they’re great receivers and we’ve just got to play our game,” Seahawks safety Coby Bryant said on Wednesday. “The catching, the route running, the yards after the catch as well. So just in all categories as well.”

Jefferson commands the second-largest target share in the league at 32.8 percent, trailing only the New York Giants’ Malik Nabers (35 percent). Darnold will look his way early and often, and they have plenty of ways to get the ball in their top playmaker’s hands.

Both players are going to move around the offense as offensive coordinator Wes Phillips tries to scheme them open.

“[It’s] probably the most diverse route tree that we’re going to get from a duo yet this year and they deserve a lot of credit for that,” Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald said. “That’s not easy to learn all the spots, learn all the routes, and then have the timing with the quarterback so you can still play on time. So, easier said than done. Yeah, just two really dynamic players that we’re going to have to account for. You can’t double everybody all the time, so we’re going to have singles and our guys will be matched up and go to work.”

The Vikings receivers are just a few weapons on Minnesota’s explosive offense. Darnold has the fourth-highest passer rating in the league (104.9) and has now had tight end T.J. Hockenson in the lineup for the last seven games after he began the season injured.

Hockenson has just 351 yards receiving on the season, but that’s totaled out to 50 yards per game thus far. He’s been one of the league’s top receiving tight ends in each of the last five seasons.

On top of the receiving threats, Vikings running back Aaron Jones is ninth in the league in rushing yards (979). That’s fueled a ground attack for Minnesota that is piling up 113.2 yards per game (15th).

The Seahawks face a tall task trying to defend Minnesota’s offense.

“We’re working on those answers right now,” Macdonald said. “The whole receiving corps, tight ends, [running] backs. The whole is greater than some of the parts type of thing on how it all works together. But those guys, they play all the positions, so you got to account for them and all the spots.”

Minnesota has just two losses for a reason. The Vikings beat the Green Bay Packers team that handed Seattle their second-worst loss of the season last week, and they’ve gone toe-to-toe with some of the NFC’s other top teams.

Seattle can still earn a playoff berth with a loss on Sunday, but the possibility will plummet. The Seahawks are in must-win mode while gearing up to face one of the league’s top offenses and teams.