Hot Seahawks hold steady as 3-point ‘MNF’ favorites over Vikings

The Vikings entered this season with great expectations after they finished one win away from the Super Bowl last year. Not much was expected of the Seahawks after they dismantled their once-vaunted “Legion of Boom” defense.

Entering Monday night’s matchup between the teams, Minnesota (6-5-1 straight up and against the spread) has underachieved this season and Seattle has overachieved, going 7-5 with a 7-3-2 ATS mark.

The Seahawks are consensus 3-point favorites over the Vikings at Las Vegas sports books after the line opened at 3 and went to 3½ during the week. MGM Resorts was the only book at 3½ on Monday afternoon.

“We’re going to need the Vikings, but not for a ton,” Caesars Entertainment risk manager Jeff Davis said. “There’s twice as much money and twice as many tickets on Seattle.

“There hasn’t really been any sharp action. There was some early at plus 3½, but it’s been 3 pretty much since Tuesday or Wednesday.”

CG Technology sports book director Jason Simbal said they need the Vikings as well, but there hasn’t been much action wagered there, either.

Sunset Station sports book director Chuck Esposito said he could see Station Casinos needing Seattle by kickoff.

“It’s a big game to both teams but probably a bigger game to the Vikings, who are a game and a half behind the Bears (in the NFC North),” he said. “Seattle has beaten teams to own tiebreakers, so they’re in a really good spot right now.

“Minnesota can score some points on Seattle but the Seahawks are arguably the hottest team in football right now.”

Seattle has won three straight games and is riding a 6-1-1 cover streak. The Vikings have alternated wins and losses in their last six games and are coming off a 24-10 defeat at New England.

The consensus total is 46. The Seahawks have gone over in their last four games while Minnesota has gone under in four of its last five.

Contact reporter Todd Dewey at tdewey@reviewjournal.com. Follow @tdewey33 on Twitter.