***SWAMPY WILDCARD WEEKEND - ROUND 3 - SEA @ MINNY***

***SEATTLE SEAHAWKS @ MINNESOTA VIKINGS***

BURRRRRRR BABY! This afternoon we get to witness one of the coldest games in NFL history! The Seattle Seahawks are flying high after romping their rival and division winner Arizona Cardinals to close out the season last week. The Hawks also WHOOPED the Vikings when they played them in Minnesota earlier in the season. Seattle has also appeared in the last two Super Bowls, nearly winning a second one if not for a bonehead play at the end to cost them the game. Needless to say, these Birds do not lack in the confidence department when it comes to today's game, and rightfully so. However, I think they will see a different Minnesota Vikings team today and it won't be smooth sailing by any means with FREEZING temperatures. The Purple People have an extremely talented and MEAN defense that was lacking the last time these two teams met, missing a handful of key players due to injury. Today they are at full strength and will be gunning for Seattle QB Russel WIlson as he abused them last time scrambling out of the pocket and throwing on the run. The Vikes will surely concentrate on containing him and without RBs Lynch and Rawls available for Seattle, I can see this becoming a problem. On the other side of things the Vikings are not short of offensive weapons by any means and it all really depends on the young QB Teddy Bridgewater. It is no secret that Minny has the NFL Rushing leader in the backfield in Adrian Peterson, and they will surely feed the beast as much as possible as they should. However Seattle obviously knows this and it will be the focus of their defense like it was last time when AP was not a factor. They will want to force Teddy to beat them with his arm, which is highly possible. As mentioned Bridgewater has a plethora of weapons and if he gets time, he can throw with the best of them. A day like today in frigid temperatures, speedy WRs like the Vikings have can be dangerous since it can almost be easier to get open! Both teams are frozen and it will be difficult to get the body going but the offense has the advantage of knowing where they are headed, so what I mean is the Vikes WRs may have some success running away from the Legion Of Boom today and getting open often. Look for Tight End Kyle Rudolph to also have a big game today as he seems to be Teddy's favorite target and is a reliable one at that. The Vikings are a much more complete and dangerous team than people give them credit for, and today I think they earn some NFL respect! I really like what Vikings Coach Mike Zimmer has done since getting to Minnesota and the direction this team is headed. I wouldn't be suprised to see them uspet here today and take a big step forward knocking off a top dawg at home in the playoffs! This one will be close either way, and SWAMPY ROCKING PURPLE TODAY! VIKINGS+4