Chargers vs. Vikings: Full Minnesota Game Preview

The Minnesota Vikings (1-1), coming off one of the most-discouraging performances in recent team history, rebounded with a convincing 26-16 victory over the Detroit Lions (0-2) in Week 2.

Despite it being an early-season contest, the game had the feel of a must-win due to its divisional implications and Minnesota's need to prove its 20-3 loss to the San Francisco 49ers (1-1) on Monday Night Football was an outlier and not a trend.

Now entering the third week of the NFL regular season, Minnesota has an opportunity to continue an upward trajectory with a second consecutive home win.

Mike Zimmer and his team will aim to carry over the same intensity and urgency this Sunday when Philip Rivers and the San Diego Chargers (1-1) invade TCF Bank Stadium.

San Diego, who lost a hard-fought road battle against the Cincinnati Bengals (2-0) this past weekend, will be looking to get back on track behind a well-rounded offense and imposing defensive secondary.

The Chargers boast an offensive unit containing dangerous talents such as Rivers, third-year wide receiver Keenan Allen and standout 22-year-old rookie running back Melvin Gordon.

In addition, head coach Mike McCoy's team has received strong production from quietly dangerous running back Danny Woodhead and a rejuvenated Stevie Johnson. However, the Vikings won't have to deal with tight end Antonio Gates this weekend, as the veteran offensive mismatch remains sidelined due to a four-game suspension for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy.

Minnesota will attempt to counter San Diego's multifaceted offensive attack with playmakers at each level of its defense.

The Vikings, who managed to limit a Lions offense with similar pieces on the offensive side of the ball, will again attempt to force its opponent to be less balanced through keeping the ground game in check and closing quickly on short pass attempts.

With both the Vikings and Chargers featuring plenty of talent on both sides of the ball, creative coaching staffs and high expectations for the 2015 seasons, this NFC-AFC clash could prove to be one of the most competitive games in Week 3.

Location: TCF Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, Minnesota

Time: 12 p.m. CT/1 p.m. ET

TV: Channel 4 Fox WCCO (Local)

Week 2 Results and Recap

Ann Heisenfelt/Associated Press

The Vikings, who failed to gain any traction on offense or defense in Week 1, had the look of a completely different team against the Lions in Week 2. Minnesota played inspired football from start-to-finish, downing its divisional opponent by a final score of 26-16.

Behind running back Adrian Peterson, Minnesota drove down the field on its opening drive for the unit's first score of the season. Tight end Kyle Rudolph caught a laser pass from quarterback Teddy Bridgewater in the back of the end zone to put the Vikings on top 7-0 early.

Similar to the offense, the Vikings' defense came out of the tunnel inspired, frustrating a dangerous Matthew Stafford-led aerial attack and forcing multiple punts early on.

Bridgewater, who completed 14-of-18 passes on the day for 153 passing yards, added a second Minnesota touchdown to the scoreboard on a one-yard rush attempt early in the second quarter. The Lions, however, wouldn't be cast off so easily.

Minnesota and Detroit traded field goals before juggernaut wide receiver Calvin Johnson found the end zone on a controversial call late in the second quarter. The officials ruled that the Pro Bowl pass-catcher was able to get both feet down on the side of the end zone, cutting the Vikings' lead to seven points as the first half concluded.

The Lions opened the second half with the ball on offense and a chance to even the score and overcome the 14-point deficit the Vikings created during the first quarter. Cornerback Captain Munnerlyn, however, wasn't going to allow that to happen, as he forced veteran wide receiver Lance Moore to fumble following a short completion. Safety Andrew Sendejo recovered the loose ball, giving Minnesota's offense excellent field position and a chance to dramatically change the momentum of the game.

With Minnesota in good position to put more points on the scoreboard, Peterson fumbled for the first of three times in the game (two officially), and cornerback Josh Wilson recovered to negate any chance of the Vikings adding to their one-score lead.

Detroit, having a chance to knot the score at 17 once again, was stopped right in its tracks by Minnesota's defense. The Vikings received good field position after forcing a punt, which led to fullback Zach Line scoring the first touchdown of his career after Peterson nearly turned the ball over once again.

Vikings kicker Blair Walsh, who missed the ensuing extra point, later added a second field goal and Lions tight end Eric Ebron scored a garbage-time touchdown with little time left on the clock, as Minnesota went on to finish the game in the victory formation.

NFC North Division	W	L	T	PCT	DIF
Green Bay Packers	2	0	0	1.000	+18
Minnesota Vikings	1	1	0	.500	-7
Detroit Lions	0	2	0	.000	-15
Chicago Bears	0	2	0	.000	-33

News and Notes

Ann Heisenfelt/Associated Press

Jabari Price Returns from Two-Game Suspension

Prior to the opening of the 2015 regular season, second-year cornerback Jabari Price was dealt a two-game suspension for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy. This announcement followed Price pleading guilty in court following an arrest at the turn of the New Year for driving while intoxicated.

As Chris Tomasson of the Saint Paul Pioneer Press notes, the Vikings reinstated Price after completing his two-game penalty following Week 2.  A subsequent roster move was not required, as Minnesota had been playing with only 52 players after placing center John Sullivan on injured reserve (with a designation to return).

The former North Carolina Tar Heel and 2014 seventh-round selection will return to a cornerback group that has played well in his absence. Starters Xavier Rhodes and Terence Newman deserve praise for their performance against Detroit—the pairing were instrumental in only 16 of 27 targets to top receivers Calvin Johnson and Golden Tate resulting in a catch.

Slot cornerback Captain Munnerlyn, who was considered a potential "surprise cut" in August due to a lackluster performance in his first year with Minnesota, has been outstanding thus far in 2014.

A case could be made that his forced fumble early in the third quarter last weekend has been the biggest play of the year for the Vikings, and he has defended in pass coverage as well (or better) than both Rhodes and Newman despite this being a fatal flaw in 2014.

The box score results from Week 2 are bit misleading due to an exceedingly high number of pass plays. Quarterback Matthew Stafford threw the ball 53 times, but a strong pass defense led to many of his 21 incompletions failing to result in a positive game.

Price, who only played 47 snaps on defense during his rookie year (via Pro Football Focus) returned to Minnesota bigger and faster for his second year, and his physical improvements paid dividends on the practice field. There should be an expectation for him to see more time in coverage this season with superior results in a relief role.

It is worth noting, however, that Munnerlyn's standout play could limit his snaps, as his height (6'0") and length stereotype him as more of a slot cornerback in a Mike Zimmer defense. He received six reps as a slot cornerback in 2014 (via Pro Football Focus).

Lions' Golden Tate Says Vikings Played Dirty

If one player excels, the player on the opposite side of the ball from him is (more often not) failing. Detroit wide receiver Golden Tate was certainly not irrelevant against Minnesota, as he caught six passes for 80 yards, but these numbers could have been far better had it not been for the play of Newman and Munnerlyn.

In potentially related news, Tate recently sounded off about the Vikings playing dirty during the team's Week 2 matchup in Minnesota. Carlos Monarrez of the Detroit Free Press released Tate's statement:

"

One hundred and ten percent. After watching the film there were several holds, late hits that I thought should have been called. A couple of them I wouldn't be surprised if we turn them in (to the NFL).

But then again, that's part of playing on the road. You've got to control that by not making the game close and busting it wide open. So that's what we should have done better. But there were a few plays out there that I think were clear violations of this game.

"

Naturally, a conviction of this variety didn't go over well with Minnesota players and coaches, leading to multiple responses.

"That doesn't bother me. I know what kind of team we are," Zimmer said in response to Tate's claims (via Ben Goessling of ESPN). "We're not dirty."

Defensive end Everson Griffen, who was responsible for numerous pressures on Stafford throughout the afternoon, also said his piece on PFT Live this past Tuesday (via Pro Football Talk)

“No. We don’t take cheap shots,” Griffen said. “We are not that kind of football team."

Similar to Zimmer, Griffen simply denied the claims while noting the character and nature of his team and its coaching staff. The hulking pass-rusher even complimented the Lions' performance, taking the Andrew Luck route to trash talk.

“We are moving on from Detroit,” Griffen said. “Detroit played us hard and played us strong but we are moving on to San Diego.”

Even Detroit's head coach Jim Caldwell dismissed Tate's assertions, releasing a statement of his own through Justin Rodgers of MLive.com:

"

That's just the way our game is played. It's a tough, hard-nosed game.

The officials are there to keep those within the rules and when there's an infraction, they call it.

There was an infraction on the one that was out of bounds and they called it. I think they do a good job of that.

"

Props to Minnesota for taking the high road on this matter; it would have been very easy to aim some sort of "sore loser" shot in Tate's direction. While nothing is impossible in the NFL, it's hard to imagine the Vikings playing dirty on defense after being victims of the New Orleans Saints bounty scandal.

He may not play as often anymore, but linebacker Chad Greenway was there in 2009 and is still a leader on defense. It would be very shocking if the Minnesota's defense was proved guilty of playing with "dirty" ambition against the Lions.

Fumbling a Point of Emphasis for Adrian Peterson, Vikings

Superstar running back Adrian Peterson fumbled three times during Minnesota's Week 2 matchup with Detroit, raising significant concern regarding his ball security moving forward.

Had the Lions not bailed him out with an offside penalty (ridding the stat sheet of it ever happening as well) or failed to recover another, this game may have turned out much differently—and the Vikings are well aware of the potential consequences of this issue becoming a weekly occurrence.

According to Ben Goessling of ESPN, both Zimmer and Peterson have noted this issue as a point of emphasis during practice leading up to the team's Week 3 matchup.

Peterson, who struggled with fumbles early in his career, had seemingly gotten over his greatest rushing flaw in recent seasons.

During the first three years of his career, Peterson put the ball on the ground 20 times, with many of these instances having catastrophic ramifications—most notably his contribution to the Vikings' six-fumble performance during the 2009 NFC Championship game.

From 2010-11, Peterson seemingly fixed this issue, losing control of the rock only twice in 17 games. He also fumbled a total of nine times during a 31-game stretch from 2012-14, a less-than-ideal number but certainly not as great of an issue as it had been in the early stages of his career.

Peterson is well aware that this issue can't rear its ugly head again if the Vikings are to remain competitive throughout the 2015 season, which is why he and his coaches have placed an emphasis on fixing this problem immediately.

There is a very real chance that his absence from the field has contributed to his ball security issues and it may have played itself out over time. Given that the NFL season is only 16 games in length, there's no time to wait, as turnovers are a leading cause of earning a high draft pick in April.

Vikings Discontinue Relationship with Mascot

Earlier this week speculation circulated regarding the absence of long-time Vikings mascot, Ragnar. It was ultimately deduced that the Vikings and Ragnar were unable to to come to terms on a compensation contract due to the former mascot's very high financial requirements.

According to Ben Goessling of ESPN, Joe Juranitch, who is better known by this stage name, requested a $20,000 per-game salary—or $200,000 for eight regular season and two preseason home games—to continue "working" for the Vikings organization. He had previously earned $1,500 per game.

The fact that a mascot's financial compensation has been a debate topic among fans and analysts over the past week proves once again the NFL is king.

Bonus News and Notes

The following list is composed of general team information, updates and matchup-specific statistics relating to Minnesota's Week 3 contest with San Diego.

• Teddy Bridgewater was historically great versus Detroit (via Michael Rand, Minneapolis Star Tribune)
• Adrian Peterson comments on the running style of rookie Melvin Gordon (via Chargers.com)
• Mike Zimmer considers Philip Rivers one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time (via ESPN)
• Trae Waynes and Melvin Gordon realizing a dream (via Ben Goessling, ESPN)
• Chad Greenway adjusting to reduced role (via Chris Tomasson, Saint Paul Pioneer Press)
• Remembering Adrian Peterson's 296-yard performance (via Austin Belisle, Vikings Territory)
• Brief look at the history between Minnesota and San Diego (via Christopher Gates, Daily Norseman)

Latest Injury News

Ann Heisenfelt/Associated Press

In terms of total number of injuries, the Vikings continue to be a relatively healthy team in comparison to the rest of the league.

Including Phil Loadholt, John Sullivan and Josh Robinson—who do not appear on Minnesota's injury report due to their individual injury designations—only five contributors have missed practice this week.

This total excludes players such as Casey Matthews, Carter Bykowski and Gavin Lutman who were injured prior to the regular season.

However, three of the five injured Vikings are members of the offensive line, putting Minnesota in a difficult spot heading into Week 3.

Player	Position	Injury
Brandon Fusco	OG	Concussion
Shamar Stephen	DT	Knee

All injury information courtesy of Vikings.com

Assuming Brandon Fusco isn't cleared to play by Sunday, Minnesota will be forced to start a third backup offensive lineman against the Chargers.

With Loadholt and Sullivan already out indefinitely, the loss of Fusco could be a game-changing blow given this trio has been, arguably, the most-consistent members of an otherwise-subpar protection unit.

It certainly helps that Matt Kalil has performed much better this season. This actually may be an understatement given that he has yet to allow a sack or hit and a total of just two pressures (via Pro Football Focus).

Still, Minnesota has struggled to protect against blitz designs that target interior offensive lineman early in the season and being forced to start a trio of two backups and first-time starter (Mike Harris has been excellent, however) has catastrophic results written all over it—and this doesn't even include rookie T.J. Clemmings' spotty play at right tackle.

The Vikings are already forced to game plan around subpar pass-protection, which likely places an unknown level of limitations in play calling. Regardless of whether it is rookie Austin Shepherd or the recently acquired Jeremiah Sirles, who was previously a member of the Chargers chosen to replace Fusco if he is ultimately deactivated, Minnesota will have an even more difficult time working the ball downfield.

If San Diego manages to carry a two-score advantage into the fourth quarter, challenging the Vikings to throw the ball more frequently and deeper downfield, Fusco's absence could prove devastating. Intermediate and deep passing plays typically require five-step drop backs and more time to develop, which, in theory, becomes considerably more difficult to execute consistently and effectively with three replacement-level offensive lineman.

With all this said, Fusco did practice on a limited basis on Thursday after sitting out on Wednesday, meaning there is still is a solid chance he will be able to play this weekend. But, concussions are very difficult to project a timetable for, making this still a very real concern.

As for nose tackle Shamar Stephen, the only other listed player on Minnesota's injury report, he was a full practice participant on both Wednesday and Thursday. He will in all likelihood be available in his typical relief role come Sunday.

Key Matchups

Jim Mone/Associated Press

WR Mike Wallace vs. CB Brandon Flowers

Mike Wallace hasn't played poorly in his first two games with the Vikings—a 50.5 receiving yards per-game average is acceptable—but he hasn't been a difference-maker. This is more on the offensive game plan than Wallace, as he hasn't had much issues getting open.

In addition, Teddy Bridgewater has targeted him on 20 percent of his 50 pass attempts, which ranks second on the team to Kyle Rudolph.

But, Wallace has been targeted just once on a vertical route. Again, Norv Turner hasn't called many deep pass attempts, but the point remains that Wallace hasn't impacted games in the way he is capable of.

It won't be getting any easier this week either, as he likely will have Brandon Flowers following him around for most of the day.

Flowers is coming off a dreadful performance against the Cincinnati Bengals, allowing five catches and three touchdowns on seven targets while in coverage (via Pro Football Focus), but he remains one of the better cover men in the NFL.

His greatest weakness in coverage is his size (5'9"), and it cost him dearly against the Bengals. The three touchdowns he allowed were scored by players 6'2" or taller—Marvin Jones (6'2"), A.J. Green (6'4") and Tyler Eifert (6'6").

Wallace (6'0") doesn't have the same physical advantage, meaning he'll have to beat Flowers at his best. Minnesota has enough weapons on offense to throw away from Flowers, but Jason Verrett is emerging as one of the young cornerbacks in the game.

Minnesota needs Wallace to win this matchup to keep up with the Philip Rivers-led Chargers offense, as Adrian Peterson can't run the ball on every down. Breaking off his first long touchdown would be just icing on the cake.

FS Harrison Smith vs. Philip Rivers

Harrison Smith's role this Sunday is similar to Wallace's in that he has the potential to be a game-changer, but this is much easier said than done. The Vikings' safety will be watching Rivers all afternoon, keeping an eye out for indicators while primarily sitting back in zone coverage.

It has become an expectation that Smith will play well on every Sunday, which the Vikings will certainly take. What makes his matchup with Rivers important lies in his ability to create turnovers and Rivers' tendency to struggle with ball security from time-to-time.

Rivers is more often than not the reason why San Diego is able to win games, but his NFL-leading 18 interceptions in 2014 made his decision-making a liability at times.

In a matchup of teams with similar levels of talent, mistakes tend to be the difference. Smith has the ability to force these mistakes, and Rivers is as good of candidate to give him an opportunity to do so.

TE Kyle Rudolph vs. ILB Manti Te'o

Wallace is the Vikings' leader in receiving yards, but tight end Kyle Rudolph has quickly asserted himself as a go-to option and red zone threat. He leads the Vikings both in receptions (10) and targets (13) while being the recipient of Bridgewater's lone passing touchdown to date.

The man responsible for stopping him is a familiar face. Rudolph and linebacker Manti Te'o were teammates at Notre Dame for two seasons from 2009-10, playing in critical roles on opposite sides of the football. Since ascending to the NFL, however, this pair of former teammates have been heading in different directions.

Rudolph, despite missing a lot of time with injuries, has become a proven offensive weapon. Te'o, on the other hand, has had a subpar professional career to date. His strength in pass coverage that made him one of the best defensive players in college football from 2009-12 has yet to translate against NFL-level players.

San Diego has the necessary defensive back talent to keep Minnesota's wide receivers off the board, but this matchup is one the Vikings should have little issue exploiting. Rudolph boasts superior size, strength and athleticism in this head-to-head battle between former teammates and should have little issue making their post-game conversation a little awkward.

Matchup X-Factors

Tom Dahlin/Getty Images

Vikings X-Factor of the Week: LB Eric Kendricks

Per usual, there are plenty of players who could fill this role for the Vikings. Mike Wallace, Harrison Smith and Kyle Rudolph would work here as well, but rookie linebacker Eric Kendricks gets the nod due to maintaining a higher level of volatility.

Wallace, Smith and Rudolph are expected to play well and are paid accordingly—Smith will be. Kendricks, however, is a rookie playing under much lower expectations. He is obviously expected to play above replacement level, but his mistakes go hand-in-hand with his inexperience and are part of the development process.

Expectations for 23-year-old linebacker may not be as high as his peers, but that doesn't mean he is any less talented or capable of being a difference-maker. His first two games have been a bit of a struggle, as he has had issues with missed tackles and covering NFL tight ends—Vernon Davis and Eric Ebron aren't exactly easy matchups, though—and elusive running backs, specifically Theo Riddick.

He'll have a similar responsibility stopping running back Danny Woodhead this Sunday, and his usage should remain consistent with Week 2 (53-of-78 possible snaps—via Pro Football Focus), as the Vikings will spend plenty of time defending the pass in their nickel defense.

Kendricks' greatest strengths as a prospect were his fundamentals and elite covering ability. Neither of these two traits have shown up through two games, but this is likely more a product of adjusting to NFL speed than a lack of talent.

The Vikings proved capable of stopping the run last weekend, but they were exploited on underneath routes by Riddick and Golden Tate.

Woodhead and slot wide receiver Stevie Johnson will look to have similar success this Sunday, and Kendricks will certainly have a target on his back.

If he can make San Diego look foolish for challenging him through the skills that made him a first-round caliber talent in April's draft, the Vikings' chances of leaving TCF Bank Stadium with a 2-1 record will sky rocket.

Chargers X-Factor of the Week: RB Danny Woodhead

San Diego drafted running back Melvin Gordon in the first round back in April, but he hasn't been the Chargers' greatest weapon out of the backfield through two games this season.

Woodhead has totaled 10 receptions, 88 receiving yards, 78 rushing yards and a pair of rushing touchdowns so far in the early going. The 5'9" running back has played much bigger than his size for the San Diego, having success both as a change-of-pace rusher and receiver out of the backfield.

Aside from Rivers, he has been the offense's most consistent weapon, as Keenan Allen fell off the map against the Bengals following a huge Week 1 performance against the Lions.

As previously stated, Minnesota has struggled with running backs of Woodhead's variety, and San Diego head coach Mike McCoy won't waste anytime attempting to exploit this weakness.

Sunday is a matchup of X-Factors, as Kendricks and Woodhead should become acquainted with one another early in the game due to the their team roles and expected assignments.

It's unlikely that either player will end up on the front page of Monday's newspaper, but how great of an impact they have will quietly be critical in determining the winner of this contest.

Prediction: Vikings 24, Chargers 21

Tom Olmscheid/Associated Press

This game could really go either way, as both teams are fairly evenly matched across the board.

San Diego has an advantage at quarterback, as Philip Rivers is one of the very best in the league. Teddy Bridgewater is no slouch, but Rivers' experience, compete level and overall talent gives the Chargers a realistic shot to win every week.

Minnesota, on the other hand, appears to have more depth at their offensive skill positions. Adrian Peterson is similar to Rivers in that his level of talent makes Minnesota competitive in more games than not. The key difference, however, is the Chargers have the potential to take Peterson out of the game with their offense.

It is assumed that Peterson will receive a high volume of carries again this week, but Norv Turner will be forced to change his game plan if San Diego opens up a multiple-score lead in the second half.

Bridgewater has shown flashes of being able to lead a high volume passing attack, but his relative inexperience and essentially unproven downfield accuracy would put the Chargers in the driver's seat if this scenario becomes a reality.

Additionally, Minnesota's offensive line is not strong enough in pass protection to make this team competitive without deception.

The Vikings passing attack keys on the sheer fact that Peterson could run the ball on any down (that he is in the backfield). Forcing Minnesota into a one-dimensional situation—especially if Brandon Fusco is ruled out—is the greatest way to beat this team, and San Diego possesses the ability to execute this game plan.

Despite these concerns and multiple very realistic downfall scenarios, the Vikings will have home field advantage and proved against the Lions that shutting down the run is something that they are capable of.

Rookie running back Melvin Gordon has been solid through two weeks, but he is yet to show that he can be anywhere near as lethal in the NFL as he was at Wisconsin.

Rivers, for all his talent and accomplishments, remains susceptible to turning the ball over as well, and the Vikings have the perfect safety playing center field in Harrison Smith to force this issue.

With Xavier Rhodes expected to be in charge of Keenan Allen, who has consistently struggled to remain relevant when facing a top-tier cornerback, Rivers will have to target his other receiving options more than he'd like, which increases the likelihood of a bad decision.

With all of these variables considered, this game will almost certainly come down to which team makes fewer mistakes. Keep an eye on the turnover differential, as it's likely the greatest determiner of which team improves to 2-1 on Sunday.

Since the Vikings run an offense less susceptible to turning the ball over—even with Peterson's apparent ball security issues—they get the nod by a slim three-point advantage. This, however, would require kicker Blair Walsh to make a field goal this weekend, as I don't see Mike Zimmer calling and succeeding on three two-point conversion attempts.

Walsh has proven he possesses the ability to be a consistently successful kicker, and it's about time for him to break out of his kicking slump. He'll get it done this Sunday; Vikings win on a second-half field goal.

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

Find me on Twitter @RobertReidellBT for more Vikings news, analysis and discussion.