Chargers vs. Vikings: 4 Player Matchups to Watch

This upcoming Sunday has Chargers and Vikings fans buzzing about their teams' potential for this 2011 season. 

The San Diego Chargers vs. Minnesota Vikings game is one of the big ticket games this opening week of the NFL season. It is a chance to see Adrian Peterson in his prime. Maybe the only chance San Diego fans will ever get, given that the Vikings only play in San Diego every eight years.

Both teams have multiple, perennial, Pro-Bowlers. Players like Philip Rivers, Antonio Gates, Bob Sanders, Adrian Peterson, Donovan McNabb, and Jared Allen will be showcasing their talents at Qualcomm Stadium as they try to get their respective teams off to a fast start.

Here is look at the match-ups that will decide the game this Sunday. 

Antonio Gates vs the Vikings' Defensive Scheme

Antonio Gates will be the key to the Chargers offense this season.

We all know what Philip Rivers will be giving the Chargers this season, but we aren't quite sure what Gates will bring to the field. He has been on and off the field over the past three seasons due to nagging injuries, but the for the Chargers to succeed in 2011, he must be present to take away the opponents ability to put a safety over the top on Vincent Jackson or stack the box against Ryan Mathews.

This Vikings game will be a microcosm of what is to come in this NFL season for the Chargers.

If Gates is limited by his toe, you will see the Vikings keying on the Chargers' wide receivers deep, forcing Rivers to make mistakes underneath. If he is 100 percent, then Gates will open up the Chargers' running game and deep passing game by forcing the Vikings to play the Chargers straight-up because they wont be able to just put a single safety or corner on Gates. He will burn them big if they do this, as many teams have learned throughout his hall-of-fame career.

Gates' Scenarios:

In Chargers Win: 9 rec, 103 yards, 1 TD 

In Chargers Loss: 4 rec, 66 yards, 0 TD

Adrian Peterson vs. the Chargers' Safeties

Adrian Peterson is in the spotlight for both teams in this match-up. He is easily the most important person in this game. The Chargers can only hope to contain him.

For the Vikings, they will be feeding Peterson the ball early and often. They had to take notice of the Chargers porous run defense in the preseason, and therefore will be looking to eat up clock and keep the ball out of Philip Rivers' hands.

They will try to accomplish this by giving Adrian 15-20 carries in the first half. Look for Peterson to get close to 35 carries if they are successful early.

For the Chargers, they have to be still hungover from Peterson's record-setting day back in 2007. They know that if they can stop Adrian Peterson, forcing McNabb to use his arm, they will have a good chance of winning the game.

Look for the Chargers to stack the box, forcing  the Vikings beat them deep with Percy Harvin and Bernard Berrian. Bob Sanders and Eric Weddle will be huge in this game. If they can't make tackles if, and when, Peterson breaks past the front line, the Chargers will be in trouble.

Peterson's Scenarios:

In Chargers Win: 25 carries, 110 yards, 1 TD

In Chargers Loss: 36 carries, 145 yards, 2 TDs 

Philip Rivers vs. the Vikings Pass Defense

Philip Rivers will begin his journey here. Not because he is any better this year. Not because he hasn't done this before. 

But because the eye of the nation is upon him and he finally has the tools around him to explode onto the scene. Analysts around the nation see him as an elite quarterback, but now is his time to be put on a show that has people regard him as the BEST in the league.

Players like Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, and Drew Brees have already peaked. Aaron Rodgers and Rivers are that next breed; It's their time now...

The Vikings will likely bring the heat against Rivers, forcing him into quick decision making. The pass rush will try to take advantage of an offensive line plagued by injuries as of late.

What will be more interesting, though, will be to see how the Vikings play Rivers in the secondary. They are going to have to put a safety over the top on Vincent Jackson and Malcom Floyd on some occasions. This is going to leave the Chargers' slot wide receivers and running backs open when they do so. Rivers must take advantage of this. Patrick Crayton, Vincent Brown (if not inactive), and Brian Walters will look to rack up receptions at the slot position.

The Chargers will look to attack early through the air and get off to a fast start. After the Cowboys' game, Chargers head coach Norv Turner had this to say about early game strategy: 

"I think it’s an attitude about coming out and executing early, but then it does have something to do with style, the play selection and what we’re doing. We’re throwing the ball more on first down. We’re throwing the ball more in the red zone.

“You’d like to continue to have balance, but early in the game it can be difficult to run. The other thing we've done that we haven’t done as well as I’d like early in games is we've played well on third down."

This is telling of things to come Sunday...

Rivers' Scenarios:

In Chargers Win: 30 for  36, 325 yards, 3 TDs

In Chargers Loss: 31 for 45, 345 yards, 2 TDs 2 INT 

Jared Allen vs Marcus McNeil

Jared Allen, the best defensive player on the Vikings' roster, will have to make a difference this Sunday if the Vikings are going to stand a chance of winning. The Chargers have struggled against elite pass rushers in the past, and will most likely put a tight end on Allen's side for most of the game to a least give him a chuck off the line.

Marcus McNeil is going to deal with Allen most of the game on Rivers' blind side. McNeil, coming off of foot surgery, did not play in a game the entire preseason. Even if he is healthy, look for the Vikings to attack his side early and for the Chargers to assist him as much as possible.

With Kevin Williams serving a two-game suspension, Allen will need to pick up the slack and make his presence known in the backfield during run plays too. Williams, a perennial Pro-Bowler, is their usual clog in the middle. Without him, and Ray Edwards, the Chargers may test his back-up, Letroy Guion, in the run game.

Allen's Scenarios:

In Chargers Win: 6 tackles, 0 sack, 1 TFL

In Chargers Loss: 7 tackles, 1.5 sacks, 2 TFLs