Vikings vs. Cardinals: What's the Game Plan for Arizona?

With just three days to prepare, the Arizona Cardinals will be solely focused on being ready to play on Thursday night against the Minnesota Vikings.

This is a pivotal matchup, as both teams are battling for position in the NFC playoff race. At 10-2, Arizona holds a two-game lead over the Vikings and Green Bay Packers for the second seed in the conference.

Without the time to script an elaborate game plan, what can the Cardinals do to give themselves the upper hand in such an important game?

Here's a look at a few things Arizona will no doubt be wary of come Thursday night.

Offensive game plan

Tom Gannam/Associated Press

First, some housekeeping. The Vikings have ruled out four defensive starters for Thursday night: Anthony Barr, Linval Joseph, Harrison Smith and Andrew Sendejo. Barr, Joseph and Smith are the three highest-graded players on Minnesota's defense, according to Pro Football Focus.

That's obviously a massive boost for Arizona's offense, particularly in the passing game, where Minnesota will be missing both starting safeties. 

We already know what Arizona is going to try to do offensively, namely try to drive the ball downfield while mixing in a run here and there. That hasn't changed all season and won't change during a short week.

Let's take a look at something that jumped off the screen during the Vikings' loss to Seattle last week. Here's a still frame of Seahawks running back Thomas Rawls taking a carry in the red zone.

Credit: NFL.com and FOX NFL Broadcast

Rawls actually broke two tackles and scored on this play. The Vikings defense did an altogether lousy job of tackling anyone wearing a Seahawks uniform, with Pro Football Focus putting their missed-tackle count at 13.

Offensive coordinator Harold Goodwin hasn't called for a lot of screens this year, but it'll be interesting to see if he adds one or two to the play sheet on Thursday night. The likes of David Johnson and John Brown could do a lot of damage against a defense that's struggling to tackle. 

Even if Arizona doesn't make a concerted effort to get the ball to their skill players in space, those guys should still be aware of Minnesota's recent woes and try to make something happen on their own. 

Defensive game plan

Ann Heisenfelt/Associated Press

Minnesota boasts both the league's leading rusher in Adrian Peterson and the league's 31st-ranked passing offense. It doesn't take a lot to figure out where Arizona's focus will be on Thursday night.

It sounds cliche, and maybe it is, but the biggest key for the Cardinals defense is to show up mentally ready to shut down the Vikings running game. The job will be a lot more manageable if they play with energy and enthusiasm.

Against the similarly styled St. Louis Rams last Sunday, Arizona did a great job winning the battle at the line of scrimmage and having the back seven swarm running back Todd Gurley. If they do those two things and all 11 players on the field are committed to tackling Peterson, they'll be able to keep him in check.

Quarterback Teddy Bridgewater is intelligent and accurate, but he has neither the weapons nor the inclination to beat teams with his arm alone. 

Key players and matchups

Ross D. Franklin/Associated Press

Arizona's pass rush vs. Minnesota's pass protection

Despite ranking 31st in pass attempts, the Vikings have given up the seventh-most sacks in the league. And it's not all thanks to their young quarterback. The offensive line has struggled to keep Bridgewater on his feet.

Can Arizona's defense take advantage of Minnesota's offensive line? Will James Bettcher even try? The Cardinals don't boast great pass-rushers, but Markus Golden and Dwight Freeney have at least been lively in recent weeks. 

Stefon Diggs vs. Patrick Peterson

The rookie wide receiver has been Minnesota's lone threat in the passing game, leading the team with 42 receptions and 626 yards. One would think Norv Turner will do what he can to keep Diggs away from Patrick Peterson as much as possible.

While the rookie remains raw and inconsistent on the perimeter, he can be downright scary when he gets the ball in his hands. Arizona's defensive backs will have to remain cognizant of where Diggs is on the field, particularly if he's not being shadowed by Patrick Peterson.

Ted Larsen and Bobby Massie

Via Pro Football Focus, only two players on the Cardinals offense managed to earn grades low enough against St. Louis that they were highlighted in red on the website: Larsen and Massie. They combined to give up more than half the hits and hurries Carson Palmer endured. 

Despite the absence of Linval Joseph in Minnesota's lineup, the Vikings still have plenty of talent along their defensive line. Brian Robison and Sharrif Floyd won't hesitate to push around the right side of Arizona's offensive line.

Prediction

Everything appears to be conspiring in Arizona's favor for this pivotal game. On a short week, the Vikings are coming off of their worst performance of the season and are missing more than a third of their starting defense.

Teams that fail to take advantage of opportunities such as these don't deserve a first-round bye in the playoffs. The Cardinals don't fit into that category, however. They'll rise to the occasion. 

Palmer in particular could be in line for a big night as he looks to bolster his MVP resume. He and Arizona's wide receivers should be able to provide some desert fireworks against a depleted Minnesota secondary.

We know the Cardinals need at least two wins to lock up the second seed in the NFC playoff race. They'll get one of those victories on Thursday night.

Final score: Arizona 24, Minnesota 13