Vikings vs. Raiders: Full Minnesota Game Preview

The Minnesota Vikings (6-2) will head out west this weekend to square off with another developing young franchise in the Oakland Raiders (4-4) at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum.

Oakland is coming off a heartbreaking 38-35 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers in a game that wide receiver Antonio Brown totaled 17 receptions and 284 receiving yards against the Raiders defense.

Despite those monstrous receiving totals, quarterback Derek Carr was able to keep his team in the game until the closing seconds with yet another strong performance. His consistently above-average play throughout the 2015 season is potentially the greatest reason for the revival of a Raiders team that has failed to reach the postseason since losing to its former head coach Jon Gruden in Super Bowl XXXVII to conclude the 2002 season.

His counterpart on Sunday, Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, is in the midst of leading a similar yet far less dramatic resurgence in Minnesota.

Comparisons between Bridgewater and Carr will flood the media this week, as the two young signal-callers were selected five picks apart during the 2014 draft (No. 32 and No. 36, respectively) and have since asserted themselves as arguably the best second-year quarterbacks in the NFL.

Since Bridgewater and Carr will not technically be going head-to-head on Sunday and are asked to do completely different things for their respective offenses, these comparisons should be taken with a grain of salt. However, it seems rather inevitable that the two will be linked together over the course of their careers—similar to the way Andrew Luck and Russell Wilson have been unfairly compared since their arrivals in 2012.

Bridgewater and Carr have led their teams into battle against each other during the preseason, but this will mark the first of what may well prove to be many matchups between the two players over the course of the next decade.

More importantly, both second-year quarterbacks will play decisive roles in determining the outcome of a contest between a pair of playoff-contending teams.

Location: Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum; Oakland, California

Time: 3 p.m. CT/4 p.m. ET

TV: Channel 9 Fox KMSP (Local)

Week 9 Results and Recap

Jeff Haynes/Associated Press

Minnesota capped off its second consecutive win with a Blair Walsh field goal against the St. Louis Rams in Week 9, moving to 6-2 with a 21-18 overtime victory.

The Vikings kicker opened the scoring as well with a 34-yard field goal to give his team an early lead, but plenty occurred prior to his game-sealing 40-yard attempt roughly 60 minutes later.

Adrian Peterson scored first in a contest that was deemed a battle between him and Rams rookie running back Todd Gurley. Peterson found the end zone from six yards out with the help of a huge block from offensive guard Mike Harris, capping off a six-play, 80-yard scoring drive for Minnesota.

Gurley responded to the Peterson touchdown almost immediately, putting six points on the board for his team on a one-yard rush attempt that required an outstanding second effort to reach the end zone. Following the score, Rams coach Jeff Fisher elected to run a two-point conversion attempt due to the windy conditions at TCF Bank Stadium, which ultimately failed as the Vikings and nose tackle Linval Joseph firmly halted Gurley.

St. Louis continued its surge following the late first-quarter touchdown. Greg Zuerlein converted three consecutive field-goal attempts, including a ridiculous 61-yard try, which guided the Rams to 15-10 halftime advantage.

Faced with a five-point deficit, the Vikings responded in the middle of the third quarter with a six-play, 60-yard touchdown drive to regain the lead. Bridgewater rushed the ball in from six yards out on 3rd-and-2, redeeming himself for an interception he threw earlier in the quarter. The Vikings quarterback also converted the ensuing two-point conversation attempt, diving past the pylon to open up a three-point advantage for Minnesota.

Later in the second half, things took a turn for the worse with the Vikings aiming to extend their lead early in the fourth quarter. Bridgewater was struck in the head by cornerback Lamarcus Joyner while in the midst of a slide, which led to the quarterback exiting the game due to concussion-like symptoms.

Coach Mike Zimmer expressed his displeasure with some colorful language immediately following the play and later explained this reaction in a way that inspired an interesting back-and-forth between him and Fisher over the course of the next couple of days.

Zuerlein eventually tied the game up at 18 in the closing seconds of regulation, which forced the contest into overtime. The Vikings won the coin toss to determine possession prior to the beginning of the extra session but elected give the ball to Nick Foles and the Rams offense in order to capitalize on the windy conditions.

Minnesota's defense stifled Foles, Gurley and Co., giving the Shaun Hill-led offense a chance to win the game with a field goal. Marcus Sherels put the Vikings in business with a great return, Peterson rushed for 21 yards on four overtime attempts, and Walsh did the rest to notch victory No. 6 for the Purple and Gold.

NFC North Standings

Team	W	L	T	PCT	DIF	GB
Minnesota Vikings	6	2	0	.750	+28	—
Green Bay Packers	6	2	0	.750	+36	—
Chicago Bears	3	5	0	.375	-59	3
Detroit Lions	1	7	0	.125	-96	5

Note: After tiebreakers, the Packers would edge out the Vikings for the NFC North division crown if the season was to end today.

News and Notes

Jim Mone/Associated Press

CB Josh Robinson Added to 53-Man Roster; TE Chase Ford Released

There have been many updates regarding cornerback Josh Robinson and his potential return to the Vikings in recent weeks, and the time has finally come for him to rejoin the club as an active member of the 53-man roster. According to Matt Vensel of the Star Tribune, Minnesota recently activated Robinson, making him eligible to play this weekend against Oakland.

However, his addition to the roster did require Minnesota to make room for him. The corresponding transaction resulted in the release of tight end Chase Ford, who had not been active for the Vikings to date this season. His release should not come as a huge surprise, as he had been listed as the No. 4 tight end on Minnesota's depth chart behind Kyle Rudolph, MyCole Pruitt and Rhett Ellison.

Robinson will join what has become a fairly loaded cornerback corps, which also includes Xavier Rhodes, Terence Newman, Captain Munnerlyn, Trae Waynes and (sort of) Marcus Sherels. Given these circumstances, his role for the Vikings has likely changed since he last played in 2014.

LB Jason Trusnik Signed; LB Audie Cole Placed on IR

While the release of Ford is not a major shock, it is a bit peculiar considering that Minnesota had been fine with carrying four tight ends and had room on its 53-man roster upon placing linebacker Audie Cole on injured reserve. According to the official team website, the Vikings instead elected to sign linebacker Jason Trusnik to fill the roster spot formally occupied by Cole.

The decision to sign Trusnik, who most recently was a member of the Carolina Panthers but last played in a regular-season game with the Miami Dolphins, as opposed to keeping Ford correlates well with the Vikings' suddenly depleted linebacker group. Earlier in the season, Minnesota traded Gerald Hodges to the San Francisco 49ers, which it likely presently regrets due to a host of injuries varying in severity to Anthony Barr, Eric Kendricks and Cole.

Trusnik brings 109 games' worth of experience to the team, which includes 25 starts, 222 combined tackles, 3.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries and an interception. According to Pro Football Focus, the 31-year-old linebacker received a rating of plus-3.5 overall in 2014, specializing primarily in run defense with a plus-2.9 grade in this area.

QB Teddy Bridgewater Ranks No. 4 in Passing Yards by Age 23

Many forget that Bridgewater is still young when evaluating his performance as a quarterback. He has infrequently produced noteworthy performances by a counting statistics perspective, but he has still found his way into the passing-yardage record books for a player his age.

Per Ben Goessling of ESPN.com, Bridgewater has recorded the fourth-most passing yards in history by age 23, an age he reached earlier this week on November 10.

Bridgewater has totaled 4,589 passing yards through his first 21 games (20 starts) as the Vikings signal-caller, which places him three yards short of Vikings all-time great Fran Tarkenton's 4,592-yard total upon reaching the same age.

As Goessling also notes, the players who hold the top two spots ahead of Tarkenton and Bridgewater are New England Patriots legend Drew Bledsoe (7,049 yards) and the once-promising Josh Freeman (5,306 yards).

Bonus News and Notes

The following list is composed of general team information, updates and matchup-specific statistics related to Minnesota's Week 10 contest with Oakland:

• Navy service helped prepare special teams coach Mike Priefer — Ben Goessling, ESPN.com
• Vikings winning without prolific offense — Goessling
• Vikings defense beginning to fit the Mike Zimmer mold — Goessling
• Vikings confident in winning formula — AP (h/t Fox Sports)
• Linval Joseph looking like a Pro Bowler — Chris Tomasson, Pioneer Press
• Linval Joseph named NFC Defensive Player of the Week — Vikings.com
• Linval Joseph bounces back — Drew Mahowald, NFC North Barroom
• Vikings belong to Teddy Bridgewater — Austin Belisle, NFC North Barroom
• Eight midseason observations — Lindsey Young, Vikings Territory
• A brief look at Vikings-Raiders history — Christopher Gates, Daily Norseman

Latest Injury News

Tom Dahlin/Getty Images

Player	Position	Injury
Teddy Bridgewater	QB	Concussion
Brian Robison	DE	Ankle
Justin Trattou	DE	Foot
Linval Joseph	DT	Foot
Sharrif Floyd	DT	Knee/Ankle
Anthony Barr	LB	Hand
Eric Kendricks	LB	Ribs
Terence Newman	CB	Concussion
Marcus Sherels	PR	Shoulder

The Vikings injury report still stretches nine players deep, but things are beginning to look up from a health perspective in a number of ways.

Only linebackers Anthony Barr (hand) and Eric Kendricks (ribs) did not practice at all on Wednesday, with the former being expected to play after receiving good news regarding X-rays taken on his arm earlier this week.

Kendricks, however, could well be inactive for a second consecutive week, as not much has been disclosed regarding the severity of his injury aside from the following statement reported by Jason Gonzalez of the Star Tribune.

“I’m feeling good, but I’m still going to take it day by day,” Kendricks said. “I’m doing my best to get better. I’m in treatment every day. I’m listening to my body at this point. … That’s all I can say.”

After suffering concussions against the Rams, both quarterback Teddy Bridgewater and cornerback Terence Newman were limited during Wednesday's practice as they work through the protocol. However, Mike Zimmer did preach optimism regarding Bridgewater's likelihood of playing Sunday, as noted by Ben Goessling.

"

Teddy Bridgewater passed his first concussion test, Mike Zimmer. "I think he'll be good to go," Zimmer said.

— Ben Goessling (@GoesslingESPN) November 9, 2015"

Sharrif Floyd (knee/ankle) returned to practice on a limited basis, which is a great sign for the defensive front four heading into a tough matchup with Oakland's top-tier offensive line.

Linval Joseph (foot), Justin Trattou (foot) and Marcus Sherels (shoulder) also practiced in a limited capacity. Defensive end Brian Robison (ankle) appeared on the injury report but practiced in full on Wednesday.

As a whole, the Vikings do not maintain optimal roster health with players such as Phil Loadholt, John Sullivan, Jabari Price and the recently added Audie Cole all on injured reserve, but they do appear to be getting healthier with Josh Robinson being placed on the 53-man roster and Floyd returning to practice for the first time in a few weeks.

Injury information courtesy of Vikings.com.

Key Matchups

Jack Dempsey/Associated Press

CB Xavier Rhodes vs. WR Amari Cooper

The Vikings defense quietly will have a difficult test against a rebuilt Raiders offense on Sunday. Quarterback Derek Carr facilitates what has become a high-powered offense in Oakland, but plenty of his success may be attributed to wide receiver Amari Cooper.

Last week Minnesota found a way to hold Todd Gurley to less than 100 rushing yards for the second time in his young career. Now, Xavier Rhodes will be burdened with another major Offensive Rookie of the Year candidate.

Cooper, the No. 4 overall pick out of Alabama this past spring, has recorded 45 receptions, 653 receiving yards (81.6 per game) and four touchdowns during his first eight games as a professional, becoming one of the best young players at his position almost overnight.

According to Pro Football Focus, the blossoming receiver caught four passes on six targets for 34 yards when matched up against New York Jets shutdown cornerback Darrelle Revis during a Week 8 matchup. While these numbers are fairly pedestrian, they do prove he is already capable of performing against the best in the NFL and commands coverage from a No. 1 cornerback.

The Vikings will respond with Rhodes, who has been up-and-down this season. If the Vikings are to slow down Carr and Co. on offense, it will begin with Minnesota's top cornerback containing Cooper.

WR Stefon Diggs vs. CB D.J. Hayden

He may not have been a top-five pick like Cooper, but rookie wide receiver Stefon Diggs has fared pretty well for himself through five games. To date, he has recorded 28 receptions, 461 receiving yards and two touchdowns, which gives him a superior 92.2 per-game average yardage total when statistically compared to the aforementioned Alabama product.

Diggs will draw a less threatening opponent than Cooper, however. According to Pro Football Focus, Raiders No. 1 cornerback D.J. Hayden has allowed 53 receptions on 74 targets, 573 receiving yards, five touchdowns and an opposing quarterback rating of 110.9.

Diggs has already proved capable of succeeding against the league's best defensive backs, and he will have a prime opportunity to add to his seasons totals with Hayden expected to be his primary opposition Sunday.

OT T.J. Clemmings vs. LB Khalil Mack

Speaking of in-game mismatches, rookie T.J. Clemmings will face yet another tough test this weekend with second-year stud edge-rusher Khalil Mack leading the Oakland defense into battle.

According to Pro Football Focus, Mack has received 228 pass-rushing snaps (71.9 percent) from the left side, which places a huge target on Clemmings' back. In total, Mack has recorded 39 pressures (four sacks, two hits, 33 hurries) this season, which ranks tied for third among 3-4 outside linebackers behind Pernell McPhee and Von Miller—who was able to get the better of Clemmings and forced a game-sealing fumble back in Week 4.

Minnesota's rookie offensive tackle will likely receive plenty of help from tight ends on Sunday, but he will need to perform at a high level if the Vikings hope to contain the No. 5 overall pick in 2014.

Matchup X-Factors

Tom Dahlin/Getty Images

Vikings X-Factor of the Week: TE Rhett Ellison

As previously noted, T.J. Clemmings should receive plenty of help in an attempt to contain edge-rusher Khalil Mack this weekend, and the greatest tool at Minnesota's disposal in this regard is unheralded tight end Rhett Ellison.

Per Pro Football Focus, Ellison has received 41 snaps in pass protection, which amounts to 50.6 percent of the 81 plays he has been on the field in passing situations. In total, he has allowed just one quarterback hurry so far this season, which makes him one of the league's best pass-blocking tight ends.

Luke Inman of eDraft.com provided film evidence to support these statistics:

"

TE Rhett Elison vs LB Von Miller https://t.co/42T7SEZe8V

— Luke Inman (@Luke_Spinman) October 5, 2015"

If Ellison is capable of knocking elite pass-rusher Von Miller on his backside, he certainly possesses the ability to slow down Mack.

Clemmings will be overmatched against Mack this weekend, but another strong performance from Ellison would go a long way toward mitigating the damage and keeping Minnesota's aerial attack consistent.

Raiders X-Factor of the Week: LB Aldon Smith

After receiving plenty of offseason press for all the wrong reasons, pass-rusher Aldon Smith has quietly gone about his business in his first season with the Raiders.

Per Pro Football Focus, Smith has recorded 32 total pressures (three sacks, five quarterback hits, 24 hurries) playing opposite of Mack this season to form one of the NFL's best pass-rushing duos. He will spend most of his afternoon attempting to get by a vastly improved Matt Kalil, which makes for an in-game matchup that could go either way.

If Smith is able to show any semblance of the dominating pass-rusher he was during his time with the San Francisco 49ers, Bridgewater will be in big trouble Sunday.

Prediction: Raiders 27, Vikings 24

Charles Rex Arbogast/Associated Press

There are plenty of reasons to believe the Vikings will return home to face the Green Bay Packers in Week 11 with a record of 7-2, but doing so will not be as easy as the Raiders' 4-4 win-loss record may indicate.

Oakland boasts a top-notch offensive line as well as a pair of premier pass-rushers on defense, which could mean this game will be won in the trenches. If this is the case, the Raiders will have a slight edge over the Vikings due to playing on their home turf—or baseball field.

The Vikings will combat the Raiders' offensive front five with a lethal defensive front four as well as a premier pass-rusher of their own in Anthony Barr. However, Oakland's ability to silence the crowd on offense and raise the volume on defense will give it a major advantage toward winning these line battles.

Simply, the extra step on both offense and defense that the Raiders will have due to crowd noise may prove to be the difference in this game.

Bridgewater, Peterson and the rest of Minnesota's offense possess enough talent to rip apart Oakland's slightly above-average run defense and porous defensive secondary, perhaps ultimately guiding the Vikings to victory.

However, given the recent string of prolific performances by quarterback Derek Carr and the potential difference-making advantage of playing at the Coliseum, this contest could well snap the Vikings' current four-game winning streak.

Prediction: Raiders 27, Vikings 24

Statistics courtesy of Pro-Football-Reference unless otherwise noted.

For more Vikings news, statistics and discussion, find me on Twitter @RobertReidellBT.