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NFL

Vikings vs. Seahawks Odds, Picks & Predictions

Kevin Rogers
Kevin Rogers Sports Betting Expert
7 minute read

Week 1 of the NFL Preseason kicks off on Thursday August 10, 2023 as the Minnesota Vikings meet the Seattle Seahawks from Lumen Field in Seattle, Washington.

Vikings vs. Seahawks Prediction

Every team in the NFL always enters the season with BIG hopes, and that's definitely the case here for both Minnesota and Seattle.

Seattle is looking to build off a decent season considering that it had to move on from Russel Wilson and the Hawks'll be out to prove that wasn't a fluke with an even better season in 2023. And Minnesota is looking to replace Pro Bowl Running Back Dalvin Cook and attempt to return to the top of the NFC North.

The Vikes still have Kirk Cousins and Justin Jefferson and they're still part of a very winnable division. Without Aaron Rodgers to deal with, Minnesota will be trying to duplicate last year's 13-4 record.

But that'll be easier said than done for Minnesota, which lost Cook and a bunch of other talent. So that really means that the Vikes are going to take this three-game preseason seriously I think, as they look to fill up some really important positions on both sides of the field.

Jefferson was named the NFL's Offensive Player Of The Year last season, but neither Cousins or Jefferson is expected to see much, or ANY time at all in this one. As I said, Minnesota is definitely looking to fill some key positions, and that means that there's going to be plenty of competition.

The defense was terrible last year for Minnesota. It gave up 31 points in a home playoff loss to the Giants last season, so the Vikes brought in former Miami Head Coach Brian Flores to try and help.

On the other side of the field, Geno Smith was fantastic obviously for the Seahawks last year. He won Comeback Player Of the Year by finishing with 4,282 passing yards and 30 passing touchdowns and he led the Hawks to a 9-8 record and a playoff berth before then losing to the 49ers in the Wildcard round.

But just like the Vikes, the Seahawks aren't expected to play Smith much at all, or IF at all and that's the same for Running Back Kenneth Walker III and the rest of the starting offense.

Seattle's weak point last season was on the defensive end, and often in the preseason teams work on their weaknesses from the previous season and that will be the case I think for Pete Carrol and his staff this year.

If this was a regular season game, I'd be leaning heavily to the Seahawks, but as I said you can throw out all the regular season expectations right now. I think the Vikes have more to work on, but that's a good thing in this case!

Outright is possible, but the official is to grab as many points as you can.

Grab the points, the play is Minnesota.

Best Bet: Vikings +3.5 (-110)

Vikings vs. Seahawks Odds

Vikings vs. Seahawks Betting Resources

Date: Thursday, August 10, 2023
Venue: Lumen Field
Location: Seattle, Washington
TV-Time: NFL Network, 10:00 p.m. ET
Matchup
Expert Picks

The Seahawks are 1-4 ATS in their last five home games. (Getty)

Vikings vs. Seahawks QB Rotations

Minnesota Vikings

The Minnesota Vikings' quarterback depth chart for the 2023 preseason is as follows:

  • Starter: Kirk Cousins
  • Backup: Nick Mullens
  • Third-string: Jaren Hall

Cousins is entering his fifth season with the Vikings and is the team's undisputed starter. He has been a consistent performer over the past few years, throwing for over 4,000 yards and 30 touchdowns in each of the past three seasons.

Mullens is the Vikings' primary backup quarterback. He has three years of NFL experience, spending time with the San Francisco 49ers and the Philadelphia Eagles. He is a capable backup who can provide some stability if Cousins goes down with an injury.

Hall is a rookie who was drafted by the Vikings in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL Draft. He is a dual-threat quarterback who has the potential to be a playmaker in the NFL. He will likely spend most of the season on the practice squad, but he could be a dark horse to compete for the starting job in the future.

Here is a more detailed look at each of the Vikings' quarterbacks:

  • Kirk Cousins: Cousins is a 34-year-old quarterback who has been in the NFL since 2012. He has played for the Washington Redskins, the Minnesota Vikings, and the Denver Broncos. He has thrown for over 4,000 yards in each of the past seven seasons and has passed for over 30 touchdowns in each of the past three seasons. He is a consistent performer who is known for his accuracy and his ability to make plays with his legs.
  • Nick Mullens: Mullens is a 28-year-old quarterback who has been in the NFL since 2017. He has played for the San Francisco 49ers and the Philadelphia Eagles. He has thrown for over 3,000 yards in each of the past two seasons. He is a capable backup quarterback who can provide some stability if Cousins goes down with an injury.
  • Jaren Hall: Hall is a 22-year-old quarterback who was drafted by the Vikings in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL Draft. He is a dual-threat quarterback who has the potential to be a playmaker in the NFL. He threw for 3,891 yards and 32 touchdowns in his senior season at BYU. He will likely spend most of the season on the practice squad, but he could be a dark horse to compete for the starting job in the future.

Seattle Seahawks

The Seattle Seahawks' quarterback depth chart for the 2023 preseason is as follows:

  • Starter: Geno Smith
  • Backup: Drew Lock
  • Third-string: Holton Ahlers

Smith is the Seahawks' presumptive starting quarterback after winning the job in training camp. He has been a journeyman quarterback in the NFL, but he has shown flashes of potential in his career. He threw for 1,512 yards and eight touchdowns with the New York Jets in 2021.

Lock is the Seahawks' second-year quarterback who was acquired in a trade with the Denver Broncos last offseason. He has shown some promise in his career, but he has also been inconsistent. He threw for 2,933 yards and 18 touchdowns with the Broncos in 2020.

Ahlers is a rookie quarterback who was drafted by the Seahawks in the seventh round of the 2023 NFL Draft. He is a dual-threat quarterback who has the potential to be a playmaker in the NFL. He threw for 2,651 yards and 23 touchdowns in his senior season at North Carolina State.

Here is a more detailed look at each of the Seahawks' quarterbacks:

  • Geno Smith: Smith is a 31-year-old quarterback who has been in the NFL since 2013. He has played for the New York Jets, the San Francisco 49ers, and the Seattle Seahawks. He has thrown for over 2,000 yards in each of the past six seasons. He is a journeyman quarterback who has shown flashes of potential, but he has also been inconsistent.
  • Drew Lock: Lock is a 25-year-old quarterback who has been in the NFL since 2019. He has played for the Denver Broncos and the Seattle Seahawks. He has thrown for over 3,000 yards in each of his two seasons as a starter. He is a talented quarterback who has the potential to be a star in the NFL, but he has also been inconsistent.
  • Holton Ahlers: Ahlers is a 23-year-old quarterback who was drafted by the Seahawks in the seventh round of the 2023 NFL Draft. He is a dual-threat quarterback who has the potential to be a playmaker in the NFL. He threw for 2,651 yards and 23 touchdowns in his senior season at North Carolina State. He will likely spend most of the season on the practice squad, but he could be a dark horse to compete for a backup job in the future.

The Seahawks are still in the early stages of their quarterback competition, but it seems like Smith is the frontrunner to win the starting job. Lock will be the backup quarterback, and Ahlers will be the third-string quarterback. The Seahawks will likely give all three quarterbacks plenty of playing time in the preseason to see who can step up and win the job.

Vikings vs. Seahawks Betting Trends

  • The Vikings are 1-5 ATS in their last six games.
  • The total has gone OVER in seven of Minnesota's last eight games.
  • The Vikings are 12-4 SU in their last 16 games.
  • The Seahawks are 1-8 ATS in their last nine games.
  • The total has gone UNDER in four of Seattle's last five games.
  • The Seahawks are 3-6 SU in their last nine games.
  • The total has gone UNDER in six of Seattle's last nine games against Minnesota.
  • The Seahawks are 1-4 ATS in their last five home games.
  • The Vikings are 4-8 SU in their last 12 games against Seattle.
  • The Vikings are 5-2 SU in their last seven road games.

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Kevin Rogers

Kevin Rogers

Kevin has been handicapping professionally since 2007 at VegasInsider before shifting to ScoresAndOdds. He focuses on MLB, NFL, college football, NBA, college basketball, and NHL and mainly uses trends, systems, and situations as his top handicapping angles. More from Kevin Rogers
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