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Seahawks easily defeat Vikings

Nov 18, 2013 - 1:42 AM Seattle, WA (SportsNetwork.com) - Marshawn Lynch rushed for two touchdowns and hauled in another score to lead the Seattle Seahawks to a 41-20 victory over the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday.

Russell Wilson went 13-of-18 passing for 230 yards and two touchdowns, while Lynch compiled 54 rushing yards on 17 carries and added two grabs for nine yards for the Seahawks (10-1), who have won a franchise-record 13 straight home games.

"We haven't done anything yet. 10-1 is great but our goal is to win the whole thing," Wilson said of Seattle's stellar start to the season.

Minnesota quarterback Christian Ponder completed 13-of-22 passes for 129 yards and a touchdown with two interceptions, one of which was returned 29 yards for a touchdown by Walter Thurmond III.

"I made my mistakes in the second half," Ponder admitted. "It's a tough loss. As an offense, specifically me, we need more."

Backup Matt Cassel replaced Ponder in the fourth and finished 5-of-13 passing for 78 yards and a touchdown with one interception.

Adrian Peterson rushed for 65 yards on 21 carries, while Jarius Wright caught three passes for 69 yards and scored both touchdowns for the Vikings (2-8), who were coming off a 34-27 victory over Washington.

Ponder's day was doomed from the start, as he was sacked and lost the football on the third play from scrimmage. Defensive tackle Clinton McDonald pounced on the loose ball at the Minnesota 33, setting up Steven Hauschka's 50-yard field goal that made it 3-0 less than four minutes into the game.

Blair Walsh countered with a 32-yard field goal on Minnesota's ensuing touch to even the score, but the Seahawks used a quick 4-play sequence late in the quarter to grab a 10-3 edge.

Wilson found Doug Baldwin for 44 yards on the second play of the series and Ricardo Lockette followed with a 27-yard grab before Lynch surged in from four yards out.

Minnesota answered again on its ensuing possession when Ponder hit Wright on a 38-yard scoring strike, but the Seahawks sandwiched a pair of touchdown drives around a Walsh field goal to take a 24-13 lead into halftime.

Lynch highlighted the first march with a 23-yard pickup before capping it with a 1-yard TD surge that made it 17-10 Seattle midway through the second.

After Walsh responded with a 45-yard field goal, former Viking Percy Harvin, who was making his debut with the Seahawks, returned the ensuing kickoff 58 yards to the Minnesota 46.

With 40 seconds left in the half, Wilson quickly moved the team inside the Minnesota 20 before finding Baldwin for a 19-yard touchdown that sent Seattle into the locker room with an 11-point advantage.

Following a scoreless third quarter, Bobby Wagner picked off Ponder on Minnesota's second play of the fourth and returned it nine yards to the Minnesota 18.

Two plays later, Wilson bought time in the pocket before flipping a shovel pass to Lynch, who waltzed into the end zone for a 6-yard score that made it 31-13 less than two minutes into the final frame.

Thurmond put the game away three plays later, as he picked off Ponder and returned it 29 yards for a 38-13 cushion.

Cassel took over under center on Minnesota's next series, but the results stayed the same, as McDonald intercepted Cassel's second pass and returned it three yards to the Minnesota 15, setting up Hauschka's 26-yard field goal.

Cassel added a 21-yard scoring strike to Wright late in the fourth to account for the final margin.

Game Notes

Harvin was activated from the physically unable to perform list earlier in the week after recovering from hip surgery on Aug. 1. He last played in the NFL on Nov. 4, 2012 as a member of the Vikings against Seattle ... The Seahawks have won six straight overall ... Zach Miller led Seattle's receiving corps with 69 yards on four catches ... Minnesota racked up 19 first downs compared to 16 for Seattle ... Minnesota outgained Seattle, 336-323.