{{pageModel.leagueAbbr}} {{pageModel.subtitle}} | Las Vegas Review-Journal
National Football League
Seattle 38, Minnesota 7
When: 1:00 PM ET, Sunday, December 6, 2015
Where: TCF Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Temperature: 37°
Head Official: Terry McAulay
Attendance: 52430

MINNEAPOLIS -- For the second time in three weeks, the Minnesota Vikings were bulldozed by an opponent on their home field. This time it was the reigning NFC Champion Seattle Seahawks, who look every bit like a team ready to defend their crown when the playoffs begin in just over a month.

Seattle scored five touchdowns in a span of six drives on Sunday, pulling away in a 38-7 win at TCF Bank Stadium that probably wasn't even that close.

Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson continued his red-hot play, accounting for four touchdowns and 274 yards passing as Seattle won its third consecutive game and moved to within a game of the Vikings in the NFC wild-card standings.

"Just a really complete victory," Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said. "A lot of guys did good stuff. Playing this well from start to finish, it was a nice accomplishment against a good club."

After starting the season 7-2 and moving to the top of the NFC North standings, the Vikings have now been embarrassed in back-to-back home games; Minnesota lost 30-13 to the Green Bay Packers here on Nov. 22. Now at 8-4, the Vikings have a short week to lick their wounds before a date with NFC West-leading Arizona on Thursday in the desert.

"We aren't as good as we think we are," Vikings coach Mike Zimmer said. "That wasn't very good for any phase of our football team. Seattle did a good job and I give them credit for the way they played. They beat us in every phase."

Wilson was locked in from the start, using misdirection to keep the Vikings defense. His dominance Sunday was perhaps illustrated perfectly during one sequence in the third quarter.

With the Seahawks leading by 28, Wilson, rolled to his left and eluded several Vikings for a 53-yard touchdown run. A holding penalty wiped away the score and brought the ball back to the Seattle 47-yard line.

No matter.

On the next play, Wilson floated a perfect pass over the Vikings defense into the hands of wide receiver Doug Baldwin who raced 53 yards to the end zone for his second touchdown of the day and a 35-0 lead.

"I think we've been resilient all year and I think it's starting to show up right now," Wilson said. "We've stayed the course and we have guys who can make so many different plays, that's the fun part for me playing quarterback; who gets the ball right now? We have so many different guys who can get the ball in the end zone and make things happen."

Minnesota's lone bright spot came on a 101-yard kick return touchdown by Cordarrelle Patterson when the game was 35-0.

Even then, the Seahawks answered with a 15-play, 78-yard march that wasted nearly eight minutes off the clock, capped by a 23-yard field goal by Steven Hauschka.

Seahawks running back Thomas Rawls finished with 101 yards and a touchdown on 19 carries. His 5-yard scoring run gave the Seahawks a 7-0 lead late in the first quarter.

Wilson ran for a score of eight yards on Seattle's next drive to make it two-score game, capping a 13-play, 98-yard drive that took more than six minutes off the clock.

"We were able to capitalize on opportunities and that's what it comes down to," Wilson said. "We were great on third down, great in the red zone and the defense was lights out. Just watching those guys, it was phenomenal."

Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater threw an interception on Minnesota's next possession and Wilson hit Baldwin from 20 yards for the duo's first scoring play of the day on the next play.

Baldwin finished with 94 yards on five receptions and has 24 catches for 433 yards and six touchdowns over his last four games.

Minnesota's offense finished with just 125 total yards and as both Bridgewater and running back Adrian Peterson struggled to get much of anything going. Peterson had five carries for 10 yards at halftime. Seattle controlled the ball for 35:10, compared to just 24:50 for the Vikings.

"We have to have a quick turnaround. We can't let this linger," Vikings offensive guard Brandon Fusco said. "We can't have this turn into two, three, four losses. We're in a good position still right now. We just have to have a quick turnaround and get this thing going again."

Bridgewater finished 17-for-28 for 118 yards and an interception. Peterson finished with 18 yards on eight carries and caught four passes for six yards.

NOTES: Vikings LB Anthony Barr left the game in the first quarter with a groin injury and did not return. ... Vikings S Harrison Smith left the game in the first quarter with a hamstring injury and did not return. ... Seattle will look to extend its winning streak to four games next week with a road game against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium.
Top Game Performances
Rushing
Seattle   Minnesota
Thomas Rawls Player Jerick McKinnon
19 Attempts 4
101 Yards 18
5.3 Avg Yards 4.5
1 Touchdowns 0
20 Long 12
Receiving
Seattle   Minnesota
Doug Baldwin Player Mike Wallace
5 Receptions 2
94 Yards 43
18.8 Avg Yards 21.5
2 Touchdowns 0
53 Long 25
Team Stats Summary
 
  Yards Scoring Defense
Team Tot Rus Pas TD FG INT Sck FF
Seattle 433 173 260 5 1 1 4.0 1
Minnesota 125 31 94 1 0 0 2.0 1
Upcoming Games
  • Minnesota will play their next game on the road against Arizona. The Vikings have a W/L % of .625 after a win and .750 after a loss.
  • Seattle will play their next game on the road against Baltimore. The Seahawks have a W/L % of .571 after a win and .600 after a loss.