We’ve officially made it through the bye week, ladies and gentlemen, and now it’s time to focus on the NFC North-leading Minnesota Vikings making their way back to the football field. They’ll do just that on Sunday at U.S. Bank Stadium when they host the Arizona Cardinals. The Cardinals have had a bit of a rough go of things so far this season, as they enter this one with a record of 3-4 and in a tie for the bottom spot in the NFC West. However, they are coming off their biggest offensive performance of the season, as they put up 42 points on Thursday Night Football in a 42-34 defeat of the New Orleans Saints. Granted, they did get a pair of pick-sixes, but 42 points is still pretty impressive. The Vikings come into this one with a record of 5-1 and riding a four-game winning streak, capped off by their 28-16 victory over Miami in Week 6. The Vikings are winning games despite a great deal of inconsistency on both sides of the ball. Hopefully, the bye week has given them the opportunity to reflect on a few things and make the necessary changes if they’re going to make a serious run going forward. These two teams played in a thriller in Week 2 last season down in Arizona. The Vikings got themselves into position to give Greg Joseph a shot at a 37-yard field goal, but he pushed it wide to the right to preserve a 34-33 victory for the Cardinals. The Vikings are favored in this one, as our friends at the DraftKings Sportsbook have made them an early 5.5-point favorite. The over/under is currently set at 48, which is one of the higher numbers we’ve seen for a Vikings game over the past few weeks. SB NATION
Id like to see Cousins stay under center more and stop with the non-stop audibling... He is causing, in my opinion, to much last second snaps and a rush for the offense that isnt necessary. Seems like he's changing plays every other down, lol and its got to be causing some offensive players to have to think too much. Stay under center, keep it simple and trust your talent out there.
What to watch for from each Vikings defensive position vs Cardinals Going into week eight, the Vikings’ defense are 5th in points allowed and 14th in yards allowed with a lot of room for improvement. The unit itself has shown flashes of being great and a bye week to scout themselves and improve. As we move into the last 11 games of the season, here is what to watch for with each position group on defense. Defensive line: Is Danielle Hunter standing up or putting his hand in the dirt? Minnesota Vikings linebacker Danielle Hunter (99) sacks Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (12) during the fourth quarter of their game Sunday, September 11, 2022 at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minn. The Minnesota Vikings beat the Green Bay Packers 23-7. Packers11 19 The switch to a 3-4 has been a factor for Hunter’s slow start. Defensive coordinator Ed Donatell said he wasn’t concerned with Hunter’s slow start because it takes time when you transition from a 4-3 to a 3-4. His last game against the Dolphins was also his best statistically with six pressures and a sack. He was also used almost evenly with his hand in the dirt and standing up. That has helped him feel more comfortable. How Donatell uses Hunter moving forward will be interesting and it will tell us if he is truly uncomfortable standing up consistently. Linebackers: Will we see more of Brian Asamoah? Brian Asamoah Aug 20, 2022; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings linebacker Brian Asamoah (33) reacts after making a stop during the second quarter against the San Francisco 49ers at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports The Vikings third-round pick from this past draft, Asamoah was viewed as a long-term project that shouldn’t play much this season. He has eight snaps on defense this season and head coach Kevin O’Connell has spoken to the media about wanting to get him more involved on defense. Defensive coordinator Donatell confirmed that on Thursday when speaking with the media. With Jordan Hicks playing a very sporadic and inconsistent brand of football, giving Asamoah a chance would both help develop him for the future and give the Vikings a playmaker in space. Cornerback: Is Cam Dantzler developing into a star at cornerback? Sep 11, 2022; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings cornerback Cameron Dantzler Sr. (3) reacts late during the fourth quarter against the Green Bay Packers at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports When the Vikings spent two top 100 draft picks at cornerback, they were hoping the latter would become a serviceable player. He has become more than that this season. Dantzler has had a really good season thus far. There have been a couple of coverage busts but those communication issues will be fixed as the unit gets more comfortable in this new scheme. Per PFF, Dantzler has had two coverage grades of over 83 on the season and averages out at 70.6. He is also PFF’s 40th-best cornerback this season which should see improvement as the season progresses. With Patrick Peterson slowing down more and more, the emergence of Dantzler, who should see plenty of DeAndre Hopkins this Sunday, is a huge positive for the future of the Vikings. Safety: Harrison Smith still has it Oct 16, 2022; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Minnesota Vikings safety Harrison Smith (22) tackles Miami Dolphins tight end Mike Gesicki (88) during the second half at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rich Storry-USA TODAY Sports Despite the new scheme, Smith is still one of the best safeties in the National Football League and is proving it week in and week out. There are numerous examples of him still being great, including directing traffic on the backend. Smith still has some of his athletic prowess but that is bound to tail off at some point. His intelligence and football IQ have served him well so far and will continue to do so. He and Camryn Bynum will continue to be stalwarts on the back end but Smith communicating with his teammates on the back end has been key to their defensive success. Story originally appeared on Vikings Wire
A lucky azz break it avoided the SACK a TD was denied all they got was a fg a win for the defense Vikings 7 Cardinals 3
Pretty lame when you cant just talk some smack... Bradburry did nothing but flap his jaws.... very poor call.
