Peyton Manning, Broncos Present Perfect Measuring Stick for Upstart Vikings
Every ascending team needs that one win—that singular moment of triumph bridging hype and reality.
The Minnesota Vikings have their "we've made it" opportunity right in front of them.
Winners of back-to-back games over playoffs teams from 2014, the Vikings now face a daunting road trip to the foothills of the Rocky Mountains to face a Hall of Fame quarterback and an elite defense in Week 4.
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Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos present the perfect measuring stick for the 2-1 Vikings.
"It’ll be a great test for us going out there," head coach Mike Zimmer told reporters Wednesday. "They’ve got a terrific defense, very good offensively, great quarterback, Hall of Fame quarterback, a lot of weapons on the outside, sneaky tight end, so it’ll be a great opportunity for us and a great test."
The upstart Vikings have gotten back on track over the last two weeks after stumbling to a season-opening defeat in San Francisco. At home against the Detroit Lions and San Diego Chargers, Minnesota dominated the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball—rushing for 362 yards and landing 20 combined hits on quarterbacks Matthew Stafford and Philip Rivers.
Facing the Broncos in Denver will be a different kind of beast.
While the Chargers and Lions are tied for 24th in scoring defense, the Broncos have allowed the third-fewest points.
"They’re aggressive," Zimmer said, "They play tight coverage, bump and run, they have got not just two good rushers, they have four rushers—the guys inside can rush, the two guys on the outside are obviously special rushers."
According to Pro Football Focus, Broncos cornerbacks Chris Harris and Aqib Talib have both allowed an opposing passer rating under 70.0, while outside linebackers Von Miller and DeMarcus Ware both lead the NFL in total pressures with 21.
| Points per game | 16.3 | 3rd |
| Yards per game | 259.0 | 1st |
| Takeaways | 10 | 2nd |
| Sacks | 11 | 1st |
| Passing TDs allowed | 1 | 1st |
| Interceptions | 6 | 2nd |
| Yards per rush | 3.6 | 6th |
With shutdown corners and an unrelenting pass rush, the Broncos have forced 10 turnovers in 2015—second only to the New York Jets (11).
Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater figures to have his work cut out for him. Through three games, Denver has allowed just one touchdown pass while intercepting six. The Broncos have a league-high 11 sacks. Meanwhile, Minnesota is the only team with just one touchdown pass in 2015.
Bridgewater can't let his guard down against Miller and Ware.
"Those guys are fast and they get off the ball very fast," Bridgewater said. "They do a great job of timing the snap counts. They’re real sound and we know that that defense runs through those guys. Those guys play with a ton of confidence."
On the other side, the Vikings defense needs to continue stopping the run.
| Points allowed | 16 | 14 | 30 |
| Yards allowed | 323 | 399 | 722 |
| Sacks | 1 | 4 | 5 |
| Rushing yards allowed | 38 | 90 | 128 |
| Takeaways | 3 | 2 | 5 |
After getting gashed by Carlos Hyde and the 49ers in Week 1, Minnesota has held Detroit and San Diego to just 128 total rushing yards the past two games. Improvements in stopping the run have opened up Zimmer's attacking pressure schemes, and the Vikings pass-rushers have responded in a big way.
While Minnesota sacked Stafford and Rivers a combined five times, the cumulative effect of hit after hit added up over the course of both games. The two quarterbacks were bruised and battered by the end of each contest.
Hitting Manning on Sunday will first require stopping Denver's run game.
"I do think that Denver, and knowing this offense from going against them in the past, they want to run the football some if they can and probably more than some because it sets up a lot of other stuff for him," Zimmer said. "So if you don’t allow them to do that, that’s big for us."
However, neither Stafford nor Rivers have the pre-snap capabilities and quick release of Manning.
The Broncos quarterback is the master of the line of scrimmage, which could help negate some of Zimmer's signature blitzes. Rivers checked to a quick screen against one of the Vikings' pressures in Week 3, and the Chargers created a big play. Manning will likely attempt to do the same, checking out of plays when he senses the blitz and using his quick release to get the ball out of his hands.
"He was always in command at the line of scrimmage, it was always like a chess match when you played Peyton Manning," Bridgewater said. "He’s always making checks, audibles at the line of scrimmage, getting himself in and out of the right plays. Protecting himself."
Once left for dead, Manning has thrown five touchdown passes over the last two games. The Broncos, meanwhile, are a perfect 3-0.
Facing a team that has won 41 of its last 51 regular-season games, the Vikings should get a good sense of how they stack up among the NFL's best.
Arguably the best defense in football will challenge Bridgewater and an offense that is struggling to get in rhythm, while Manning has the quarterbacking IQ and release to slow down Minnesota's red-hot pass rush. Playing in Denver will have its own challenges, as the Broncos haven't lost a regular-season home game since December of 2012.
The Vikings feel like they have a playoff team in 2015. Three games haven't proved the claim wrong or right.
Want to establish yourself as a true contender? Beat the greatest statistical quarterback of all time and his unquestionably elite defense in their own place. Pull it off, and no one will question Minnesota's arrival.
Zach Kruse covers the Vikings for Bleacher Report.
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