Seahawks-Vikings Score: Seahawks blank Vikings, pull even with Rams in NFC West race

The Seattle Seahawks (9-3) have pulled up alongside the Los Angeles Rams (9-3) in the NFC West race.

After seeing the Rams lose a stunner to the Carolina Panthers, the Seahawks took care of business at home by shutting out the Minnesota Vikings (4-8) in a 26-0 romp. The scoreline is unfair to the Vikings defense, who gave Seattle’s offensive line and Sam Darnold all sorts of problems, sacking Darnold four times and forcing a turnover on a lost fumble. Jaxon Smith-Njigba was held to just two catches for 23 yards, which is a huge blow in his quest for Calvin Johnson’s receiving yards record. Seattle only had one offensive touchdown, 219 total yards of offense, under 100 net yards passing, but it didn’t matter one bit outside of looking for a historic blowout.

Seattle’s defense made third-string undrafted rookie quarterback Max Brosmer’s first NFL start an absolute miserable experience. He was picked off four times, including a wildly bad pick-six thrown to Ernest Jones IV on 4th and 1 to avoid a sack. Minnesota turned it over five times and even with garbage time only managed 162 yards of total offense.

It’s the Seahawks’ first shutout win in 10 years, having previously won by the same score against the Chicago Bears.

1st Half

The Vikings started on offense first with their rookie QB Max Brosmer. A three-and-out was taken away after Josh Jobe’s holding penalty negated a Uchenna Nwosu sack. Tough for Chenna to lose a sack, because Leonard Williams sacked Brosmer on the next third down without a flag.

Seattle was backed up at its own 4 after a poor fair catch decision by Rashid Shaheed. First downs by Kenneth Walker III, A.J. Barner, and Cooper Kupp got the Seahawks out of a hole, but a 3rd and long blitz by the Vikings ended in a sack by linebacker Eric Wilson.

The Vikings and Seahawks traded punts throughout the opening quarter, with Seattle’s offensive line struggling to deal with Brian Flores’ creative pressure and sim pressure packages. Seattle did get the opening points of the day on a 15-play, 53-yard drive that was saved by Cooper Kupp. When Darnold was strip-sacked by Dallas Turner, Kupp recovered the ball. Darnold found an open Cody White on 3rd and long to move the sticks.

Darnold was sacked a third time to kill a red zone possession, but Jason Myers was on point to make it 3-0 Seahawks.

Minnesota knew it needed its defense to generate takeaways in order to have a chance. Another sack of Darnold led to a fumble, which Minnesota recovered in Seattle’s red zone. Total disaster and another turnover by the Seahawks this year!

Points for the Vikings incoming, right? Nope. Not when Max Brosmer completely brain farts into the funniest pick-six of the year. DeMarcus Lawrence blew up 4th and 1 and instead of Brosmer taking the sack, he gave Ernest Jones IV a pick-six. 10-0 Seahawks.

Lawrence would get a sack on Minnesota’s next drive. Curiously, the Seahawks were not interested in using any of their three timeouts to conserve time for their two-minute drill. They still got a long Jason Myers field goal from 56 yards out to make it 13-0 Seahawks at halftime.

2nd Half

Kenneth Walker III nearly took the first play of the second half to the house. He gained 24 yards but it could’ve been 80 yards if Harrison Smith didn’t grab Walker’s right arm to knock him off balance. Walker did most of the heavy lifting and it led to another Seahawks field goal. Jason Myers was good from 54 to extend the lead to 16-0 Seahawks.

Max Brosmer finally connected on a big play by finding T.J. Hockenson down the seam for 29 yards. With Minnesota just about in field goal range, Aaron Jones was stripped from behind by DeMarcus Lawrence on a ridiculous hustle play. Lawrence was 10 yards behind Jones when the ball was caught, but he tracked him down and forced the fumble, which Ty Okada recovered for the takeaway.

The Seahawks again settled for a field goal, although at least Jaxon Smith-Njigba got on board with his first catch of the game for a whopping six yards. 19-0 Seahawks after Myers’ fourth field goal of the afternoon.

Pick! Coby Bryant took advantage of Max Brosmer’s overthrow for Seattle’s third takeaway of the game, a season high.

Yeah, the Seahawks punted. Yeah, they got the ball back. Another interception by Ernest Jones IV, giving him five on the year and four Seahawks turnovers.

This time, the Seahawks cashed in to the fullest. A 4th and 1 conversion to A.J. Barner gave Seattle a new set of downs, and Zach Charbonnet took off for a 17-yard score for Seattle’s first offensive touchdown of the afternoon. 26-0 Seahawks.

The Vikings were determined not to get blanked. Brosmer threw another pick, this time to Riq Woolen, whose hilariously bad ball security on the return led to a fumble directly back to Minnesota.

Nevertheless, Brosmer was sacked by Byron Murphy II and Drake Thomas on the next possession, ending any hopes of scoring on the afternoon.

Full box score

Next week’s opponent

The Seahawks go back on the road in Week 14 for a matchup with the Atlanta Falcons (4-8), who just lost to the New York Jets and are effectively out of the playoff picture by any realistic measure. Kickoff time is 10 am PT on FOX on Sunday, Dec. 7.