Minnesota Vikings: One Player on Each Team Who Fans Hate to See

Minnesota Vikings fans have one player from each team who they hate to see. 

The Viking faithful has been through a lot in recent history, and they've developed a fear or hatred from some of the NFL's best players. The Vikings fans have a bone to pick with one player from each team, either because of how they have given the Vikings problems, or because of what they have done to the team outside of the gridiron. 

Here is the list of one player from each team the Vikings fans hate to face. 

Buffalo Bills: Nick Barnett

As a member of the Buffalo Bills, Nick Barnett has not faced the Vikings, but the Vikings hate to see him because of his days with the Packers.

The Vikings and Packers have never liked each other, and the scars between the two are skin deep.

No matter how involved Barnett is with the Bills, the Vikings will always remember how he played with the Packers and gave its offense problems. 

Miami Dolphins: Cameron Wake

Cameron Wake has only faced the Vikings once, but that one time is enough for Vikings fan to loathe him.

In the Week 2 matchup between the Miami Dolphins and the Minnesota Vikings in 2010, Wake consistently beat Phil Loadholt, eventually recording four tackles, one sack and one forced fumble. Brett Favre was not allowed to do anything on offense, and Wake was a huge reason why the Vikings started 0-2 in 2010.

Bear in mind that the next time the Vikings face the Dolphins, the Vikings fans will always remember what Wake did to their team in 2010. 

New England Patriots: Tom Brady

It is no surprise that Tom Brady is the guy the Minnesota Vikings hate to see.

Tom Brady has faced the Vikings three times in his career, and has helped defeat them every single time. In those three games, Brady has thrown for eight touchdowns.

Luckily for Vikings fans, the Patriots only face the Vikes once every four years.

The Vikings have until 2014 to find an answer for Tom Brady, when the two teams meet again for what will likely be the last time in Brady’s career. 

New York Jets: Darrelle Revis

Darrelle Revis is the best cornerback in the NFL.

Vikings fans hate to see Revis because he is a thorn in the side of any team that faces him.

Revis usually finds a way to put the opposing team's best receiver on an “island,” which gives problems for the opposing quarterback. The Vikings are no exception.

Although Randy Moss did beat Revis for a touchdown when the two met in 2010, the Vikings fans are always aware of Revis when he is on the field, and know that he will give their team problems every time they lace up for battle. 

Baltimore Ravens: Ray Rice

Ray Rice is the type of running back the Vikings cannot stop.

Rice is one of the few running backs who can catch the ball just as well as he can run the ball.

In 2010, Rice dismantled the Vikings when he faced them for the first time in his career. In that game, Rice rushed for 77 yards and two touchdowns, while adding 117 yards receiving.

Although the Ravens lost because of a missed field goal kick, Rice gave the Vikings defense fits and the fans a reason to hate him. 

Cleveland Browns: A.J. Green

AJ Green is one of the best young receivers in the NFL.

Green has not yet faced the Vikings in his career, but when he does, he will likely give their defense the same treatment he gives to other teams. Green is a tall and physical wide receiver who had a sensational rookie career.

Considering worse receivers have found success against the Vikings' lousy defense, it is safe to say that Green will give the Vikings a reason to hate him once they meet in 2013. 

Cleveland Browns: Joe Thomas

Joe Thomas is arguably the best left tackle in the league.

Usually left tackles are not hated, but in this case Thomas may be an exception to that rule.

The Vikings hate when Jared Allen is not allowed to record a sack because of what it means to the confidence of the defense. When the Vikings faced the Browns in 2009, Allen was not able to record a sack because of Thomas, and that surely bothered Allen and the loyal Vikes fans.

The Vikings fans may not hate Thomas the way they hate the others mentioned, but they surely hate how stingy he is with allowing the Vikings to get to his quarterback. 

Pittsburgh Steelers: Troy Polamalu

Troy Polamalu is a thorn in the side of any team he faces—the Vikings are no exception.

Polamalu has faced the Vikings twice in his career and has helped the Steelers win both times because of his stellar defensive play. The Viking receivers have a hard time getting open down the field against the Steelers because of Polamalu’s presence.

Polamalu is the best at what he does, and Viking fans hate to see him because of the way he can consistently take a quarterback out of his rhythm. 

Houston Texans: Andre Johnson

Despite the nagging injuries, Andre Johnson is still one of the best wide receivers in the NFL.

Andre has faced the Vikings twice in his career, and in those two games recorded a total of 237 yards receiving and three touchdowns. Johnson is tough to stop, and the Vikings have not been able to stop him at all.

Vikings fans hate to see other receivers dominate their secondary, especially when they put up numbers like Andre Johnson did against them in two games. The Vikings face the Texans next year and unless Johnson does not play, expect for him to give the Minnesota faithful another reason to hate him. 

Indianapolis Colts: Peyton Manning/Andrew Luck

Whether the Colts are starting Manning or Luck next year, the Viking faithful will hate to see them.

Manning has faced the Vikings three times in his career and has helped the Colts win every single time. The Vikings have not found an answer against Manning and the Colts.

If the Colts do select Andrew Luck, then it seems like the Vikings' troubles against the Colts will not get any easier. 

Jacksonville Jaguars: Maurice Jones-Drew

MJD is arguably the best and most consistent running back in recent memory.

MJD has faced the Vikings once in his career. He did not do much in that game on the ground, but he did catch nine passes for a 113 yards.

The Vikings have a tough time against running backs that are elite pass catchers and MJD has made a career off doing just that.

The Vikings and Jaguars will face off next year and, with Jones-Drew being the only real offensive option for the Jags, the Viking faithful will hate to see MJD pick apart their defense in the passing game and on the ground.  

Tennessee Titans: Jake Locker

Jake Locker has not done much for the Tennessee Titans yet, but all signs point to his success in the NFL.

Locker was selected before Christian Ponder in the 2011 NFL Draft. Plenty of Vikings fans hoped for Locker to fall to the Vikings and become their quarterback of the future. Unfortunately for those, fans it did not turn out that way.

Next year when the Vikings face the Titans, it will likely be a matchup between Ponder and Locker, and some Vikings fans will be thinking about what could have been if the Titans did not draft Locker and he became the starting quarterback for the Vikings—the Vikings fans will always hate to see him for that reason.

Denver Broncos: Tim Tebow

It is really easy for any NFL team fanbase to hate Tim Tebow—the Viking fans are no exception.

When the Vikings played the Denver Broncos in 2011, the Vikings seemed to have the game wrapped up only to get "Tebowed" by the Broncos in the closing minutes of the game. Tebow destroyed the Vikings, recording one of his best passing games in his professional career.

Tebow may not be around long enough for the Vikings to see him again, but the Viking fans will always remember how he broke their hearts when he led the team to another one of his come from behind victories. 

Kansas City Chiefs: Tamba Hali

Tamba Hali is one of the most dynamic defensive players in the NFL.

Hali has been giving plenty of problems to opposing offenses ever since he entered the league in 2005. In two games against the Vikings, Hali helped the Chiefs to just as many victories. In those two games, Hali recorded four sacks and was consistently talked about by the broadcasters every time he was on the field.

Hali has had his way with the Vikings so far and it is safe to say that Vikings fans are well aware of this fact and hate to see him lined up against their team’s offense. 

Oakland Raiders: T.J. Houshmandzadeh

T.J.Houshmandzadeh is hated by the Minnesota Viking faithful, but it is not because of his play on the field but because of what he did to the team in free agency. 

In the 2009 offseason, T.J. was supposed to be the answer for the Vikings in free agency but he decided to sign with the Seattle Seahawks—Vikings fans hated him for that decision. The Vikings desperately needed another wide receiver and most fans though T.J. was the answer. T.J. went on to Seattle and was released once the 2009 season was over.

Vikings fans hate to see T.J. because of that decision he made, but that decision was a blessing in disguise because if the Vikings did sign T.J. they would likely not have drafted one of their most beloved players, Percy Harvin. 

San Diego Chargers: Mike Tolbert

Mike Tolbert is an average running back at best but against the Vikings he looks like a superstar.

Mike Tolbert single handedly made a mockery of the Vikings defense in 2011. In his only matchup against Minnesota, Tolbert recorded three touchdowns—two through the air and one on the ground. Tolbert was unstoppable in the matchup between the two and was the sole reason why the San Diego Chargers defeated the Vikings in their Week 1 matchup.

Vikings fans will always hate to see because of how unexpectedly incredible his performance was against the team and because of how he started the trend of leading teams back for victories against the Vikings in 2011. 

Chicago Bears: Devin Hester

Devin Hester is ridiculous—especially when he faces the Vikings.

Hester loves to return balls against the Vikings. Of Hester’s 19 return touchdowns, four of them have come against Minnesota—including the one that broke the all-time record in 2010.

The Vikings have not found a way to contain Hester, and it seems like they need to put extra attention on Hester because of what he has done to the Vikings defense and special teams. With all of his success against the team there is no reason to believe that the player the Vikings hate to see from "Da Bears" is Devin Hester. 

Detroit Lions: Matthew Stafford

Last season, Matthew Stafford was a thorn in the Vikings side and it seems like his performance against Minnesota last year is a sign of the things to come.

Stafford obliterated the Vikes last year both times they met. The first time the Vikes and Lions squared off, Stafford was not doing well until the second half where he led the Lions to a 20-point come-from-behind victory.

Like Aaron Rodgers, Matthew Stafford will consistently be a pain in the Vikings side for a long time regardless of how much the Vikes bolster their secondary—especially with Calvin Johnson as his No. 1 target. 

Green Bay Packers: Aaron Rodgers

It should come as no surprise that arguably the best quarterback in the NFL is someone the Vikings hate to see—especially when he is a Packer.

Since Rodgers took the reins from Brett Favre, he has made sure that the Packers offense plays at a very high level—especially against the Vikings. It seems as if Rodgers still has a vendetta against the Vikings because of the rivalry between he and Favre when Brett was the starting quarterback for Minnesota. Rodgers has always put up great numbers against the Vikings, and has helped the Packers defeat the Vikings in five of the eight match-ups he has started in.

The Vikings and Rodgers have a mutual dislike for each other, and the Vikings are going to hate to see Rodgers twice a year for a very long time. 

Dallas Cowboys: DeMarcus Ware

DeMarcus Ware is the toughest defensive player to contain in the NFL.

Ware has dominated opposing offenses ever since he has joined the league in 2005. Ware has not dominated the Vikings the way he has dominated other teams, but he is still a big threat whenever he gets on the field. 

Vikings fans hate to see Ware because they know he has the ability to dominate their teams offense at any given moment. 

New York Giants: Hakeem Nicks

Hakeem Nicks is the best wide receiver to come out of the 2009 Draft.

In the 2009 NFL draft, Nicks was the fifth wide receiver selected, but has played better than any other wide receiver selected before him—including Percy Harvin. The Vikings passed on Nicks to select Harvin because of Harvin's stellar play for the Florida Gators. Harvin has done very well, but it seems like the Vikings would have made a better decision to select Nicks, especially because of their need for a big No. 1 number one option wide receiving target. 

The Vikings fans hate to see Nicks because they know they could have had him but now have to see him around for a very long time in a New York Giants jersey. 

Philadelphia Eagles: Michael Vick

Michael Vick is slowly becoming an afterthought in the NFL but the Vikings fans will always hate him. 

In 2002, Vick had the best run of his career when he ran between the Vikings defense for a touchdown in overtime. This highlight has been playing in the minds of Vikings fans and on television for years. 

Vikings fans will always remember how Vick ran through their entire defense for years to come. The Viking faithful will always hate to see Vick because of this memory alone. 

Washington Redskins: Santana Moss

When healthy, Santana Moss is one of the deadliest receivers in the NFL.

Moss is a shorter receiver who is faster than most of the defensive backs that try cover him. In recent history, the Vikings defense has had a tough time guarding wide receiver—especially speedy ones. Moss has not been a huge problem for the Vikings but he has done his damage in some games. 

Being the Redskins best option on offense, the Vikings faithful hates to see Moss play against them because they know what he can do to their team's weak secondary. 

Atlanta Falcons: Matt Ryan

Matt Ryan is one of the better young quarterbacks in the NFL. 

"Matty Ice" has faced the Vikes twice in his career and has won in as many games. In those two games, Ryan has put up great numbers against the Vikings defense. Ryan finds a way to maximize the potential of all of his receiving targets which then puts pressure on the Vikings defense to contain them all. In both games, the Vikings defense did not contain the Falcon receivers thus leading to two stellar performances for Ryan and two victories.

The Viking faithful has only seen Ryan face their team twice but they already hate to see him because they know that he has beat them twice and played very well in both matchups. 

Carolina Panthers: Steve Smith

Steve Smith is a top-five wide receiver in the NFL.

Prior to the 2011 season, Steve Smith was an afterthought in the NFL. Once Smith and rookie quarterback Cam Newton clicked in Week 1, Smith became a household name again. Smith has faced the Vikings three times in the last four years. In those two games Smith torched the Vikings for a combined 20 catches for 357 yards and two touchdowns. 

Vikings fans hate to see Smith because of his high level of production every time he lines up against the Vikings secondary. 

New Orleans Saints: Garret Hartley

Garret Hartley will always be hated by the Vikings fans because of his game winning kick against the team in the 2010 NFC Championship game. There is no other reason why the Vikings fans hate him. This highlight has been playing in the mind of fans for years, and will not stop the same way the highlight of Gary Anderson's missed field goal is still on repeat. 

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Legarrette Blount

Legarrette Blount is a very dominant running back. 

Blount faced the Vikings for the first time in the 2011 season and put on a memorable performance. Blount had 13 carries for 71 yards and two touchdowns. One of those touchdowns came in the final seconds of the game and ultimately iced the victory for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. This loss for the Vikings was their second straight when they had halftime leads against opposing teams. 

Vikings fans will always hate to see Blount because of the memory of him running into the endzone on their team for a game winning touchdown with less than 30 seconds to go in the game. 

Arizona Cardinals: Larry Fitzgerald

Larry Fitzgerald is still the best wide receiver in the NFL.

With or without a good quarterback, Fitzgerald has consistently put up great numbers for the Arizona Cardinals. The Cardinals and Vikings have squared off three times in the past two years. In those three games, Fitzgerald has caught 19 passes for 315 yards and one touchdown.

The Vikings won two of those games, and the Cardinals won the other despite Fitzgerald's high level of production. Fitzgerald and the Cardinals will face the Vikings again this year and expect him to still play at a high level against them regardless of who throws him the ball.

Fitzgerald is a Minnesota native who used to be the ball boy for the Vikes. The Vikings fans do not hate him at all, but hate to see him because they wish they had him dress up in purple every Sunday and put up those kind of numbers in his home town and not Arizona. 

St. Louis Rams: Sam Bradford

Sam Bradford will have a bounce back year in 2012. 

Bradford has the ability to be an elite quarterback, and the Vikings have had a tough time containing elite quarterbacks in recent memory. Bradford and the St. Louis Rams will face the Minnesota Vikings in 2012, and expect for Bradford to give the Vikings defense some problems throughout the game. 

The only reason Vikings fans hate to see Bradford is because they know how talented he is and what he can do to their teams secondary. 

San Francisco 49ers: Patrick Willis

Patrick Willis is the best linebacker in the NFL.

Willis has been a monster ever since he entered the league in 2007. Willis has been containing opposing offenses, and the Vikings are no exception. Willis has faced the Vikings twice in his career. In those two games Willis has recorded 18 tackles. Although Willis did not have any sacks or interceptions, he was a big factor as to why Adrian Peterson was never able to get going in both games. Peterson has had two of his worst games in his career against the 49ers. 

Willis is a beast, and Vikings fans hate to see him because they know he will help contain Adrian Peterson and the Vikings great rushing attack. 

Seattle Seahawks: Sidney Rice

Et tu, Brute, Sidney? 

Sidney Rice was a product of the Minnesota Vikings Brett Favre experiment. Rice benefited more than any other player did during the 2009 season when Favre was the starting quarterback for the Vikes. Rice put up big numbers and made his first Pro Bowl appearance.

The reason why the Vikings fans hate Rice is because he had a hip injury in the game against the New Orleans Saints, but did not get surgery for it until the end of the offseason because of his fear of not getting a big contract extension. The Vikings never re-signed Rice because he wanted more money than he was worth, and because he is one of the most injury-prone receivers in the NFL. 

Vikings fans will always hate to see Rice because of the selfish attitude he portrayed with his contract negotiations. Luckily for Rice, the matchup between the Seahawks and Vikings in 2012 is not in Minnesota. When Rice does come back to Minnesota for a game, expect him to hear the boo birds early and often. 

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