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Early Look: Vikings Set to Host Seahawks for 2021 Home Opener

EAGAN, Minn. — Don't look now, but the Seahawks are on the way.

Seattle is scheduled to play a regular-season game in Minnesota for the first time since December 2015.

In between that game, the Seahawks have been a thorn in the Vikings side with a 10-9 playoff victory in January 2016 at the University of Minnesota plus wins in each of the past three seasons.

Minnesota (0-2) is aiming to win a home opener for the fifth time in six seasons at U.S. Bank Stadium and rebound from a 34-33 loss at Arizona in Week 2 and a 27-24 overtime defeat at Cincinnati in Week 1.

Seattle (1-1) won 28-16 at Indianapolis in Week 1 but lost 33-30 in overtime at home to Tennessee last week.

Look back at photos over the course of time featuring games between the Vikings and the Seahawks.

Here's an Early Look at the Vikings Week 3 matchup against the Seahawks, presented by Minnesota Eye Consultants, the Official LASIK partner of the Minnesota Vikings.

Click below to download the game preview release by the Vikings public relations department.

STAT OF THE WEEK

Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins enters what will be his 50th regular-season start as a Viking with a streak of 16 consecutive games with a passer rating of 90.0 or higher. That is the second-longest in NFL history behind 23 by Peyton Manning (Sept. 30, 2012 to Nov. 17, 2013). Manning opened the 2004 season with a 15-game streak, and Steve Young had a 15-game streak (Oct. 9, 1994 to Sept. 25, 1995).

NORSEMAN NOTES

Nick Vigil recorded his first career touchdown by returning an interception 38 yards.

Xavier Woods nabbed his first interception as a Viking.

Danielle Hunter recorded 3.0 sacks of Arizona QB Kyler Murray to give the defensive end 4.0 this season and 58.5 in his career, which ranks 11th in NFL history. Hunter has nine career games with 2.0 or more sacks, and three of those games have been against the Cardinals.

K.J. Osborn's 64-yard touchdown catch was the seventh-longest among Vikings on their first NFL touchdown catches.

Adam Thielen needs one reception to tie Jake Reed (413) for sixth on the Vikings all-time leaderboard.

Justin Jefferson enters Sunday's contest with 99 receptions through his first 18 games. He can become the fastest Vikings player to ever record 100 career catches. Stefon Diggs and Jermaine Wiggins reached the milestone in their 20th games.

KNOW THE FOE

Head Coach: Pete Carroll, 12th season with Seattle (113-64-1 in regular seasons, 10-8 in postseasons with Seahawks)

Carroll turned 70 years old on Sept. 15 and is the oldest active head coach in the NFL. Bill Belichick (69), Bruce Arians (turning 69 on Oct. 3) and Vikings Head Coach Mike Zimmer (65) are the next-oldest active head coaches. Carroll coached Vikings defensive backs for Bud Grant (1985) and Jerry Burns (1986-89).

Carroll coached Vikings DE Everson Griffen at Southern Cal from 2007-09.

QB Russell Wilson ranks second in the NFL with 112 touchdown passes since 2018 and is leading the NFL this season in average gain per attempt (11.06), average pass length (10.02) and passer rating (146.9).

Wilson's 146 consecutive regular-season starts are the most of any offensive player and 68 more than Tom Brady's 78. Cousins would be at 98 if he hadn't been withheld from the final game of the 2019 regular season. New Orleans DE Cameron Jordan (147) is the only player with a longer streak.

WR Tyler Lockett recorded eight catches for 178 yards, highlighted by a 63-yard touchdown reception in Week 2. That catch, along with a 69-yard touchdown in Week 1, made him the fourth player since 1990 with scoring catches of 60 or more yards in each of his team's first two seasons. He joined Jerry Rice (1991), Randy Moss (2005) and Steve Smith Sr. (2007).

LB Bobby Wagner leads the NFL this season with 33 tackles, which is seven more than Vikings LB Eric Kendricks, who ranks second with 26.

CONNECTIONS

VIKINGS-SEAHAWKS

Vikings DT Sheldon Richardson played for the Seahawks in 2017. He started 15 games and recorded a sack and two fumble recoveries.

Minnesota QB Sean Mannion (practice squad) was with Seattle during the 2021 training camp.

Vikings CB Tye Smith (practice squad) played four games for the Seahawks in 2015.

Hall of Fame guard Steve Hutchinson is a consultant in Seattle's personnel department. Hutchinson played for the Seahawks (2001-05), Vikings (2006-11) and Titans (2012).

LOCAL CONNECTIONS

Vikings G Ezra Cleveland is from Spanaway, Washington.

Seattle FB/LB Nick Bellore (St. Paul) and receivers coach Nate Carroll (Edina) are from Minnesota.

FORMER PRO TEAMMATES

Vikings LB Nick Vigil and CB Mackensie Alexander teamed with Seahawks DE Carlos Dunlap in Cincinnati.

Minnesota RB Ameer Abdullah teamed with Seattle S Quandre Diggs, DE Kerry Hyder, Jr., and Bellore on the Lions.

Vikings DT Michael Pierce and Seahawks RB Alex Collins overlapped with the Ravens.

Minnesota LS Andrew DePaola and Seattle G Gabe Jackson were Raiders teammates in 2018.

Vikings WR/PR Dede Westbrook and Seahawks K Jason Myers played together in Jacksonville.

Vikings S Xavier Woods and DE Everson Griffen were on the Cowboys with Seahawks DE Aldon Smith.

FORMER COLLEGE TEAMMATES

Former LSU Tigers teammates include the following players: Vikings DE Danielle Hunter and Seahawks S Jamal Adams (2014); Vikings WR Justin Jefferson and Seahawks G Damien Lewis (2018-19); Vikings CB Patrick Peterson and Seahawks DT Al Woods (2008-09).

Minnesota S Camryn Bynum and Seattle T Jake Curhan at Cal

Vikings TE Chris Herndon and WR K.J. Osborn teamed with Seahawks RB DeeJay Dallas and RB Travis Homer at Miami.

Minnesota C Mason Cole and S Josh Metellus at Michigan with Seattle DL Bryan Mone

Vikings LB Troy Dye and Seahawks S Ugo Amadi at Oregon

Minnesota T Blake Brandel and Seattle QB Jake Luton at Oregon State

Vikings S Kris Boyd at Texas with Seahawks DT Poona Ford and P Michael Dickson

VIKINGS TOP PERFORMERS VS. SEAHAWKS

CAREER TOTALS

Offense

Kirk Cousins: 5 games (1-1 with Washington, 0-3 with Minnesota); 111-of-177 passing, 62.7 completion percentage, 1,263 passing yards, 7 TDs, 92.5 passer rating

Dalvin Cook: 3 games; 39 rushes for 149 yards and 2 TDs; 13 receptions for 87 yards and 1 TD

Adam Thielen: 3 games; 14 receptions for 150 yards and 2 TDs on 20 targets

Defense

Danielle Hunter: 3 games; 11 tackles (7 solo), 2.0 sacks

Eric Kendricks: 4 games; 32 tackles (17 solo), 1 INT, 1 pass defended

Patrick Peterson: 19 games (all with Arizona); 55 tackles (48 solo), 3 INTs, 9 passes defended

VIKINGS BIG DAYS VS. SEAHAWKS

Kirk Cousins: 27-of-39 passing for 249 yards with 2 TDs for a passer rating of 92.8 on Oct. 11, 2020

Adam Thielen: 9 receptions for 80 yards and 2 TDs on Oct. 11, 2020

Alexander Mattison: 20 carries for 112 yards and 3 receptions for 24 yards on Oct. 11, 2020

Danielle Hunter: 5 tackles, including a sack on Dec. 2, 2019

VIKINGS-SEAHAWKS SERIES NOTES

1. The Vikings have won just five of 18 contests, including a 10-9 playoff loss, against the Seahawks.

2. The series began in 1976, Seattle's first season, with a 27-21 Vikings victory in Minnesota. The Nov. 14 game marked the return of Benchwarmer Bob Lurtsema, a fan fave who was honored at halftime.

3. Kirk Cousins has thrown for the most yards in a Vikings game against the Seahawks with 276 on Dec. 2, 2019. Daunte Culpepper (2003) and Fran Tarkenton (1976 and 1978) each threw for 274.

Longest Vikings winning streak in series: Two games (Oct. 22, 2006 and Nov. 22, 2009)

Longest Vikings losing streak in series: Seven games (Nov. 4, 2012 – current, including one playoff game)

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