Minnesota Vikings: 5 Keys to beating Seahawks on Monday Night Football

3. Get off the blocks quickly

Kirk Cousins preaches frequently about the importance of getting off to a fast start. Scoring on the first possession essentially can dictate the pace of the game early on. If the opportunity presents itself on Monday for the Vikings to get the ball first, don’t be surprised if you see some new plays from the Minnesota offense.

Two weeks ago against Denver, Minnesota was down at halftime, 20-0, against one of the leagues best defenses. The fact they were able to overcome tremendous odds shows the team’s tenacity, but that’s not a situation they want to be in again.

Had it not been for Denver’s awful second-half defense, the Vikings would be sitting at 7-4 right now. The Vikings play their best football when they are able to control the pace of the game, which is why it’s so important for them to get off to an early lead against a Seattle team that has some serious firepower on offense.

Cousins’ fast start isn’t just reliant on him though. There has been a huge piece missing from the offense for quite a while in Adam Thielen, who might be back for Monday’s contest. Even if Thielen misses another game, Cousins has found some alternative options to throw to.

Irv Smith Jr. has shown that he’s a sure-handed target for his quarterback and Kyle Rudolph is back to seeing targets in the red zone. If Cousins is allowed time in the pocket, he’ll find these guys and put up some big numbers on Monday Night.