Minnesota Vikings vs. St. Louis Rams: Vikings Week 1 Game Preview
And on the seventh day God said, "Most of you rest, but the biggest and fastest of you should play football."
Welcome to the 2014 NFL regular season. For the casual fan it might seem like just yesterday the Seattle Seahawks were throttling the Denver Broncos in the Super Bowl, but for hardcore fans that feels like an eternity ago.
For the Minnesota Vikings and their fans, the summer of 2014 has been one of optimism for better days ahead. A new era begins for the Vikings under head coach Mike Zimmer, who was hired in January to replace fired coach Leslie Frazier.
Zimmer brings a fiery, old-school attitude to an organization that was in dire need of a kick in the pants from top to bottom. Zimmer, known for years in the league as a defensive guru, also brings along offensive Norv Turner, one of the brightest offensive minds in the sport.
Also new to the Vikings are a few crucial free-agent signings on the defensive side of the ball in defensive tackle Linval Joseph and cornerback Captain Munnerlyn. Both players are key ingredients to a defensive overhaul overseen by Zimmer after the defense ranked 31st in the league in 2013.
The offense should also take big steps forward under Turner, who's coached high-scoring units at almost every stop during his 29-year career in the NFL. Veteran Matt Cassel held off first-round pick Teddy Bridgewater to win the starting quarterback job over the summer.
That's not to say that Bridgewater hasn't been very impressive at every turn, it's just that Cassel has been a little bit better and has earned the right to start. The good news for Minnesota is that they are choosing between two quarterbacks who are playing very well, when they could never find a hot hand in 2013.
The Vikings will find out how good they are early on in 2014, as they open with five very tough games that could set the tone for the entire season.
After opening up on the road against the St. Louis Rams, the Vikings host the New England Patriots and Atlanta Falcons and go on the road to play the New Orleans Saints and Green Bay Packers over the first five weeks.
It's a very tough schedule to start out with, which makes their Week 1 visit to St. Louis, perhaps the most winnable game of the bunch, even more crucial than it normally would be. The Rams are coming off a 7-9 season, but are without starting quarterback Sam Bradford, who was lost for the season after tearing a knee ligament in the preseason.
National prognosticators have generally slotted the Vikings as a team that will win between five and seven games. Hopes are much higher in Minnesota for a team that has a lot of talent on offense and a defense that should be much improved, both schematically and in personnel.
At any rate, the time for prognosticating is over. Kickoff is at noon CT. Let the real games begin.
Vikings Preseason Recap
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The Vikings capped off a perfect 4-0 preseason by beating the Tennessee Titans 19-3 last Thursday night in Nashville.
Obviously, preseason records don't matter a whit, as every NFL team's record went back to 0-0 as soon as last Thursday night's games came to an end. What matters more for Minnesota is the positive momentum generated by going 4-0 in August.
Mike Zimmer has tried to install a winning culture in Minnesota, and it's a lot easier for players to quickly buy into a new culture when they can see immediate results on the scoreboard.
The Vikings outscored their opponents 89-49 and saw both their first- and second-stringers outplay their opponents in each game. While none of the games were perfectly played, Minnesota showed positive signs in nearly every facet of the game.
Both Matt Cassel and Teddy Bridgewater completed a high percentage of their passes and kept their turnovers to a minimum. Running back Adrian Peterson, while not playing in the preseason, enters the regular season rested and ready to go.
On defense, the Vikings looked very sharp in all four preseason games, both in shutting down their opponents' offenses and generating turnovers along the way. Minnesota has been abysmal in racking up takeaways during the last five seasons, and for the defense to improve, that's the number one area of concern.
Hopes are high and there is absolutely no reason not to be optimistic heading toward the regular season for Vikings fans. The talent level on the team is is high as it's been since perhaps 2009, and it's a very young team, averaging just 25.5 years of age, the fifth-youngest team in the league, according to Andrew Krammer of 1500ESPN.com.
There were a few surprises in the Vikings final cuts, as Minnesota let go of safeties Chris Crocker and Kurt Coleman, opting to go with just four safeties, including rookie Antone Exum.
In all, nine of Minnesota's 10 draft picks made the final roster, with the other landing on the practice squad.
To that end, it was an extremely successful offseason for Minnesota. A new coaching staff that established immediate credibility: a successful draft that landed a potential superstar on defense in linebacker Anthony Barr and the quarterback of the future in Teddy Bridgewater.
Things are certainly looking up for the Vikings. Bring on the regular season.
News and Notes
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Cassel Not Looking Over His Shoulder
For NFL fans there's nothing quite as intriguing as a rookie quarterback, especially one taken in the first two rounds of the draft.
For starters, if your team drafts a quarterback that high, it's probably because your quarterback is getting long in the tooth, or he simply isn't that great.
The Oakland Raiders made big news across the league this week when they named second-round pick Derek Carr their starting quarterback for their season opener this Sunday, according to ESPN.com. Carr had played very well in the preseason and simply beat out veteran Matt Schaub for the job.
The Vikings quarterback situation heading into the summer was very similar to the one in Oakland. A veteran quarterback was penciled in as the starter, but a big-name rookie would be in the hunt for the role.
The results are different for the Vikings, though, as veteran Matt Cassel held off rookie first-round draft pick Teddy Bridgewater and will open the season as the starter. Both Minnesota quarterbacks had excellent training camps.
The Vikings will head into the season with Cassel as the starter, but with every bit of confidence that Bridgewater can step in if the need arises.
Minnesota head coach Mike Zimmer made it clear on Wednesday that he won't have a, "quick hook," if things start out poorly for Cassel, according to Ben Goessling of ESPN.com.
"We've gone seven, almost eight weeks now where we feel this is the way we want to go. If we throw an interception the first play of the game, I'm not going to yank him. I have to go on the OTAs and everything we've seen from there. I know the fans are excited about Teddy. I'm excited about Teddy. But we have to do what's best for the football team at this point, and what's best for the future -- and as you know, coaches' futures aren't necessarily very long. I'm always trying to think between the now and the future, and what's best for this organization as we go down the road.
"
As one might expect with a pair of veteran coaches in Zimmer and offensive coordinator Norv Turner, the Vikings are taking the mature approach in handling their quarterbacks.
Cassel has earned the starting job, and in order for him to play his best, he doesn't need to be worrying if a couple of bad throws will put him on the bench.
Bridgewater is is obviously the quarterback of the future, but, at least for now, Cassel is the present.
Former Viking Shaun Hill to Start at Quarterback for the Rams
A familiar face will be playing quarterback for the Rams, as former Viking Shaun Hill is the Rams starting quarterback after Sam Bradford suffered a season-ending torn ACL during the preseason. Hill began his NFL career as a third-stringer with the Vikings in 2005.
A 34-year old veteran, Hill has been around the block a few times, but will certainly have to shake off some rust come Sunday afternoon, as tweeted by Pioneer Press Vikings beat reporter Brian Murphy.
"Rams QB Shaun Hill has not started game since 2010. Hill is 13-13 in career; was 3-7 in relief of Detroit's Matthew Stafford four years ago
— Brian Murphy (@murphPPress) September 3, 2014"
It remains to be seen how much the loss of Bradford will affect the Rams. Grantland.com's Bill Barnwell suggests that it won't matter much and even postulates that Hill might be the better quarterback of the two.
But it's been a long time since Hill took snaps in a meaningful NFL game, so we'll see how well he plays when the pressure is on this Sunday. The Rams will really be in trouble if Hill gets injured as backing him up are Austin David, an undrafted third-year man and Case Keenum, who the Rams signed on Monday, according to Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
No matter what, you can bet that Zimmer and his defensive coaches are coming up with blitz packages and coverage schemes that will attempt to rattle Hill. Expect Vikings rookie linebacker Anthony Barr to be a disruptive force all afternoon.
Jasper Brinkley and Robert Blanton to Start
The two biggest question marks for the Vikings during the preseason were who would end up starting at middle linebacker and strong safety.
Head coach Mike Zimmer officially named Brinkley and Blanton as starters on Wednesday, according to Brian Hall of FOX North.
Brinkley had been penciled in as the starter at middle linebacker since the beginning of camp, but had to hold off Audie Cole. Brinkley is a bit more stout against the run than Cole is, with Cole being better against the pass. With the Rams figuring to rely heavily on the run with a new quarterback at the helm, it only makes sense that Brinkley will start.
Brinkley and Cole will both see reps throughout the season, and neither will be a part of the nickel package, where Chad Greenway and Anthony Barr will be the two linebackers on the field.
Blanton was also the early pick to start in training camp, but a hamstring injury kept him on the sidelines for most of August. He's healthy again and gets the start after the Vikings surprised many by cutting two veterans who were thought to be in the mix to start in Chris Crocker and Kurt Coleman.
Blanton will team at safety with Harrison Smith. The two were in the same secondary at Notre Dame, with Blanton playing cornerback in college.
Vikings as Healthy as They Could Be
"Three #Vikings missed practice today, and it's encouraging that Linval Joseph isn't even on the injury report: http://t.co/d3UcOweccn
— Matt Vensel (@mattvensel) September 3, 2014"
Star Tribune Vikings beat writer Matt Vensel posted that tweet on Wednesday. The Vikings are extremely lucky in that they will begin the regular season with virtually zero injury problems.
Vikings fans need only look as far as the Rams sidelines to see how much just one injury can impact a football team. Depth is as important as it's ever been in the NFL, as the players get bigger, stronger and faster, injuries are bound to happen.
Nobody can predict when or where they might occur, but Vikings fans should take heart that they'll begin the season with a nearly full roster of healthy players.
Defensive tackle Linval Joseph missed the last three preseason games after taking a stray bullet to his calf, but he's practiced all week and is ready to go.
Both tight end Kyle Rudolph and safety Harrison Smith missed most of the second half of 2013, but both are back and ready to have huge seasons. Running back Adrian Peterson once again didn't play in the preseason and is chomping at the bit to get his hands on the football.
Injuries will happen to the Vikings, they do to every team in every season. For the time being, Minnesota should be thrilled to have all the pieces in place as the regular season begins.
Injury Report
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| Player | Position | Injury Status |
| Brandon Watts | LB | Doubtful |
| Michael Mauti | LB | Doubtful |
| Zach Line | FB | Probable |
| Mike Harris | OT | Probable |
All injury reports are courtesy of Matt Vensel of the Star Tribune.
The Vikings enter the regular season in great shape physically. Rookie linebacker Brandon Watts hasn't practiced this week while recovering from a leg injury and probably won't play on Sunday.
Both linebacker Michael Mauti and fullback Zach Line sat out practice on Wednesday, but Line was able to run. Mauti might have been a healthy scratch anyway, with no injuries on the roster.
The Vikings can only hope their injury list looks like this for the better part of the season.
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X-Factors and Matchups to Watch
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Matt Kalil vs. Robert Quinn
Matt Kalil had a very impressive rookie season in 2012, looking every bit the part of fourth-overall pick and franchise left tackle to-be. He was big and strong enough to take on any bull-rushing defender and quick and athletic enough to stay in front of any speed rush.
Kalil's second season was a disappointment by any measure. While he wasn't terrible, he didn't look the part of dominant left tackle either. He was nicked up for most of the season and had trouble maintaining his weight near 310 pounds. (Unlike most offensive linemen, Kalil fights to keep weight on, not off).
Kalil is the most important player on the Vikings offensive line, which sees all five starters return for the third straight season. While continuity is prized in the NFL, especially on the offensive line, it's only worthwhile if all the players are performing.
The Vikings need Kalil to return to form in 2014, and he'll open up against one of the most feared pass rushers in the entire league in Robert Quinn on Sunday afternoon.
Quinn was the 14th overall choice in the 2011 draft (selected two picks after Christian Ponder) and after two very good seasons, he exploded last year, his 19 sacks leading all defensive linemen. At 6'4", 265 pounds, Quinn combines strength and speed with a non-stop motor that frustrates anyone trying to block him.
Kalil didn't have a great preseason, getting whipped by Tamba Hali when the Vikings played the Chiefs, and he surrendered two sacks and four quarterback hurries in limited playing time.
He's ready to put last season behind him, though, as reported by Andrew Krammer of 1500ESPN.com.
"For me, I'm still trying to get my technique and form back. Thinking about the positioning of my feet, on top of that - the play - and the defender; I have a little bit going on right now, but I'll just iron out the wrinkles this week and be ready to go.
"
You'd like to be able to leave your left tackle alone on his man and not have to worry too much about it, but with Quinn's explosive play, look for the Vikings to give Kalil help on obvious passing downs.
The key for Kalil will be to not get frustrated. Giving up a sack is fine, but losing the battle overall isn't. For the Vikings to have success in the air against the Rams, they're going to have to keep Quinn from bothering Matt Cassel all afternoon.
Cordarrelle Patterson vs. Janoris Jenkins
The reason why most prognosticators didn't say the sky fell in St. Louis when they lost starting quarterback Sam Bradford for the season is because of the Rams defense.
It's a supremely talented group, led by a front four that combined for 38 sacks last season and added a rookie tackle in Aaron Donald, who could become a superstar.
The Rams linebackers are solid, if not spectacular, but they are hoping that Alec Ogletree makes a big jump forward in his second season.
The weakest part of the Rams defense is their secondary, and they'll be facing the Vikings without one of their starting cornerbacks, Trumaine Johnson, who's out with a knee injury.
Like most teams who face the Vikings this year, the Rams will be paying close attention to Cordarrelle Patterson, whose brilliant rookie season has most thinking he can become a game-breaker at receiver this year.
One would imagine that the Rams will counter Patterson's explosiveness with Janoris Jenkins, who might be one of the few corners in the league who can match Patterson's athleticism.
Jenkins was considered a first-round talent in the 2012 draft, but fell to the Rams in the second round when teams questioned his maturity after he'd been kicked off the team at the University of Florida and finished his career at North Alabama.
Like Patterson last season, Jenkins was a thunderbolt as a rookie, picking off four passes and returning three of them for touchdowns and also returning a fumble recovery for a touchdown. Only Ken Houston and Devin Hester have scored more non-offensive touchdowns in an NFL season.
Teams tried to stay away from Jenkins in his second season, and he only had one interception, but he still matched his 14 passes defended from his rookie season.
Patterson and Jenkins are a couple of players who are on the verge of stardom in the NFL. They both have blazing speed and phenomenal athletic ability. Any fan of football can only hope that there are a couple of opportunities to see Patterson and Jenkins square off in a battle for the football.
Patterson's routes were limited last season, kept to mostly quick-hitters that let him utilize his running ability after the catch. One would think that in his second season, and under the wing of offensive Norv Turner, that Patterson's route tree will be much bigger this season.
This should be a fun matchup to watch with two of the best young athletes in the league squaring off.
Everson Griffen and Anthony Barr vs. Jake Long
For any Vikings fan who might be frustrated that fifth-round draft pick David Yankey couldn't beat out Charlie Johnson for the starting left guard spot, they can take a bit of solace in looking across the field and seeing that the second overall pick in the 2014 draft, Greg Robinson, won't be starting anywhere on the Rams offensive line.
It simply takes some time for some players to adjust to interior line play at the highest level.
One player who didn't take any time at all to adjust to the NFL is the Rams left tackle Jake Long. Drafted with the first overall pick in the 2008 draft, Long started from day one with the Miami Dolphins.
The four-time Pro Bowler signed with the Rams as a free agent before last season, and although he may not be the player he once was, he's still among the better left tackles in the game.
At 6'7", 322 pounds, Long will have a considerable size advantage over both Everson Griffen and Anthony Barr, the two players who will most often be trying to attack the Rams backfield through Long's lane. Minnesota will send plenty of speed at Long, and Barr will attack from plenty of different angles in a variety of situations.
Griffen will be getting just his second career start for Minnesota, and his first as the entrenched starter at right defensive end, replacing the departed Jared Allen. Griffen isn't expected to pile up the sack numbers that Allen did, but he is expected to make plays all over the field, and he'll get his share of sacks.
Barr, the Vikings first pick in this year's draft and the ninth overall selection, has superstar potential with a rare combination of size and speed. At 6'5", 255 pounds, Barr has the look of an impact player, and Minnesota will use him in a variety of different ways, from lining up as a defensive end to dropping into coverage as a linebacker.
As Brian Robison told Mark Craig of the Star Tribune in August, Barr's presence on the Vikings defense will open up space for plenty of other players as well.
"He can give us that versatility on defense to where we can all kind of move around and have different parts of the defense and allow us to keep offenses offbeat. [Offenses] can’t key in on one guy. If they have one guy they need to take care of, they can’t because they don’t know where he’s going to be.
So whether it’s myself, [right end] Everson [Griffen] or Barr, you are not going to know where those rushers are coming from. You might be on the right side one time, you might be on the left side one time, you might be inside one time. You might be blitzing from the back end one time. You just never know where you’re going to be.
"
Nobody expects Barr to dominate from the get-go, but the Vikings certainly hope he can start making impact plays against the Rams.
It will be important for the Vikings to get pressure on Shaun Hill early and often to rattle a guy who hasn't started an NFL game in quite some time. Griffen and Barr's success against Long will go a long way toward getting that done.
Vikings X-Factor of the Week: Adrian Peterson
Yeah, we know we're not going very far out on a limb here, but with Peterson watching the entire preseason, nobody in Minnesota can wait to see the Vikings star running back in action.
Vikings fans can only hope that Peterson's lack of touches in the preseason follows the same script as last season, when he took his first carry of the season 78 yards for a touchdown against the Detroit Lions. Nit-pickers might say that that's when the rust kicked in, as Peterson only picked up 15 more rushing yards on 17 carries.
Peterson, never one to be shy about predicting his results, said Thursday that he's going to turn the trick again and score the first time he touches the ball against the Rams, according to Ben Goessling of ESPN.com.
Jon Krawczynski of the Associated Press, gave Peterson's prediction a little perspective with this tweet:
"A note of context: if you ask Adrian Peterson if he could break the sound barrier while running for a TD on his 1st carry, he'll say yes
— Jon Krawczynski (@APkrawczynski) September 4, 2014"
No matter, obviously the Vikings don't need Peterson to score the first time he touches the ball, but they do need him to have a big day rushing. The more success the Vikings have on the ground, the less the Rams' vaunted front four will be able to pin their ears back and attack Matt Cassel in the pocket.
Minnesota doesn't even need Peterson to go as big as he did the last time he faced the Rams, in week 15 of the 2012 season, when he rushed for 212 yards on 24 carries.
What they need from Peterson is a very good game. Rushing for over 100 yards would help keep the Rams defense honest and let the Vikings offense keep the defense guessing.
One facet that will be very interesting to keep an eye on is how much the Vikings utilize Peterson in the passing game. Norv Turner offenses have always thrown to the backs a lot, and it remains to be seen if Peterson will be a part of that, or if rookie Jerick McKinnon gets some time on passing downs.
It's exciting that real football is back. And for Vikings fans, it's time to sit back and watch Peterson do his thing once again.
Prediction
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It's obviously silly to say that a Week 1 game is crucial to the success of a season, but with the Vikings' difficult stretch to start the year, a win against the Rams would give them the right momentum heading into the toughest part of their schedule.
After playing the Rams on the road on Sunday, this is what Minnesota faces over the next four weeks:
September 14 vs. New England
September 21 at New Orleans
September 28 vs. Atlanta
October 2 at Green Bay
That's certainly not a pretty stretch, as the Vikings defense, which is still trying to find its sea legs, will have to face four of the best quarterbacks in the league in Tom Brady, Drew Brees, Matt Ryan and Aaron Rodgers.
It's often said that the preseason doesn't matter, but for the Vikings the four games in August certainly mattered. New head coach Mike Zimmer is trying to foster a new culture in Minnesota, and winning games helps sell the message.
Any football team has to think they can win before they have any success. The Vikings proved something to themselves by winning all of their preseason games. They head into the regular season feeling positive and full of hope that they can be a team that takes a huge leap forward from last season's 5-10-1 record.
Every year there are successful teams in the NFL that nobody saw coming. The Vikings certainly could be one of those teams in 2014.
Look for Adrian Peterson to have a big game. Look for both Cordarrelle Patterson and Kyle Rudolph to illustrate why they could both have break-out years in 2014. Look for Matt Cassel to continue his hot play and keep any talk of quarterback controversy at bay for the time being.
The Vikings debut a new defense that features three important newcomers in Linval Joseph, Captain Munnerlyn and Anthony Barr. Robert Blanton joins Harrison Smith on the back end and the Vikings will be looking to generate far more turnovers than they have in the recent past.
The Vikings were minus-12 in turnovers in 2014, which ranked 29th in the league. They have to change that around to be successful this year. Look for the defense to come up with at least two big turnovers that will turn the tide in this ballgame.
Prediction: Vikings 24 Rams 16
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