The key challenge for Seahawks’ defense against Vikings

The Seattle Seahawks’ defense is going to be tested yet again.

Insider: What to know for Seattle Seahawks’ key clash with Vikings

After facing a deep and balanced Green Bay Packers offense a week ago, the Seahawks host the Minnesota Vikings and their talented group of playmakers Sunday at Lumen Field.

The Vikings’ offense is led by the standout wide receiver duo of Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison, former Pro Bowlers at tight end in T.J. Hockenson and at running back in Aaron Jones, and a breakout season from Sam Darnold at quarterback.

The group leads a balanced attack similar to what Seattle saw against Green Bay, which put up 20 first-half points and scored touchdowns on its first two drives against the Seahawks last week.

Seahawks Radio Network analyst and former NFL wide receiver Michael Bumpus sees the similarities between the opponents, but pointed out there’s a particular facet of the Vikings’ offense that will be a major challenge for the Seahawks.

“You’re seeing a similar offense where there will be motions, there will be flats, there will be wheel routes, but what the Vikings do that intrigues me the most is the play action,” Bumpus said Wednesday during his Four Down Territory segment on Seattle Sports’ Bump and Stacy. “… Sam Darnold has figured out how to be a magician with the football.”

Nearly half of Darnold’s 29 TD passes have come off play action this season. He leads the NFL with 14 TD passes and 10.9 yards per attempt while running the concept, according to Pro Football Focus. He’s also third with 1,361 passing yards.

The success in the play-action game has helped the talented Jefferson pile up 1,243 receiving yards — second in the NFL — while Addison has added another 771 yards and Hockenson 351 in his seven games since returning from ACL and MCL injuries.

One key for the Seahawks is limiting Jones and the ground game to prevent to Minnesota from getting to its play-action game. Jones is ninth in the league with 979 rushing yards and the Vikings rank 16th as a team at 113.2 yards per game.

“If they get the running game going with Aaron Jones, obviously that’s going to open up the play action, and you cannot have false steps in the secondary with the receivers they have over there,” Bumpus said. “… A false step is kind of what happened to Coby Bryant when they played the Cardinals, that first touchdown. Coby got his eyes in the backfield, he takes one step forward and the receiver is by him. That’s what play action does.”

that's a Michael Wilson touchdown for ya!!! pic.twitter.com/OakXWTy7b0

— Arizona Cardinals (@AZCardinals) December 8, 2024

According to Bumpus, staying true to assignments on defense will paramount in defending Minnesota’s dangerous play-action game.

“If you have the edge, set the edge. If you have deep thirds, get deeper than the deepest,” Bumpus said. “You have to be disciplined, because that’s one of the reasons why and how Sam Darnold is having the year that he has.”

Listen to the full conversation this link or in the audio player in this story. Tune in to Bump and Stacy weekdays from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. or find the podcast on the Seattle Sports app.

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