NFL Week 9 picks and predictions: Vikings vs. Seahawks

Prior to the season few analysts believed the Minnesota Vikings and Seattle Seahawks would be close to .500 this time of the year. However we now find the Vikings (5-3) and Seahawks (4-4) both well in the hunt in their respective divisions. With two over-achievers meeting this week, which way do analysts think Sunday's game will go?

Over on ESPN their pundits are banking on that '12th man' home advantage to allow Seattle to take this one. The lone dissenting opinion belongs to Mike Ditka-- make of that what you will.

The story is much the same over on Yahoo! where Michael Silver, Jason Cole, and Les Carpenter also believe in the Seahawks, also picking them to come away with the home victory.

Our own Joel Thorman has his week nine picks in, and he's also siding with the analysts and oddsmakers, agreeing with the 5 points point favorite Seahawks to be too much for Adrian Peterson and the Vikings.