The Game: Minnesota at Arizona (-10)
Ten points is an odd line for two teams with these kinds of records. The Minnesota Vikings (8-4) are still in the NFC North race. The Arizona Cardinals (10-2) have already all-but locked up the NFC West and can seal the deal with a win tonight.
The History
For two teams that have both been around since 1963 there’s not a lot of shared history between the Vikings and Cardinals. They’ve only met 25 times total in 52 years with the Vikings holding a 15-10 advantage.
What is interesting is two of those meetings have been in the playoffs, with the Vikings winning both. The first was a 30-14 win back in Dec. 1974 and the next didn’t happen until Jan. 1999, a 41-21 Minnesota victory.
Tonight’s game will be the first meeting since Oct. 2012, which the Vikings also won 21-14. The last Cardinals victory in the series was a 30-17 win in 2009 in Arizona.
From Oct. 1983 to Oct. 1991 the two teams never played a single game, regular or postseason. They have never shared a division and have rarely been good (or bad) at the same time so this is year is an aberration in NFL history.
The Vikings on Offense
The Vikings’ offense is certainly not the team’s strength, even though they’ve invested a lot of money and draft picks into it over the last few seasons. The key player is obviously Adrian Peterson who has already surpassed 1,000 yards and averages 4.8 yards per carry. Peterson is headed for the Pro Bowl again and probably the Hall of Fame when he retires. Teddy Bridgewater is a talented young quarterback who just needs to keep developing. Luckily for him he has Norv Turner as an offensive coordinator, so the offensive issues that have them ranked 30th in the league will get better, probably as early as next year.
The Cardinals on Offense
Arizona has the most prolific offense in the NFL and while they’ll be a slowed a little with Chris Johnson and Andre Ellington both out. David Johnson has played well in relief and they should still be able to move the ball down the field with ease, thanks to three prolific receivers and quarterback Carson Palmer, who’s having the best year of his life.
The Vikings on Defense
Minnesota’s won games with their defense, though you wouldn’t know it from their ranking. The Vikings are currently the No. 15-ranked unit, but a lot of that has to do with the bad spots the inexperienced offense puts them in. It doesn’t help that Linval Joseph, Anthony Barr, Harrison Smith and Andrew Sendejo are all going to miss the game with injuries. Minnesota is down to two healthy safeties, with Robert Blanton also missing practice all week so the strength of the defense will be a weakness this week. Everson Griffen is quietly having another stellar season at defensive end with 7.5 sacks.
The Cardinals on Defense
Arizona is going to be hurting up front with defensive tackle Frostee Rucker missing the game. Starting cornerback Jerraud Powers will also sit out, but Ed Stinson is a solid back-up and with the issues Minnesota has pushing the ball downfield, may not be targeted much anyway. Arizona is the No. 4 ranked defense in the league and do it the old fashioned way, by playing their assignments. The Cardinals only have 19 sacks as a team, but have forced 19 turnovers. Patrick Peterson is the best cornerback in the league and he’s got maybe the best safety tandem in the NFL playing beside him in Tyrann Mathieu and Rashad Johnson.
The Pick: Teams of this caliber and a spread that large should make anybody nervous, especially this late in the season. Still, the Cardinals look like they’re in Super Bowl shape and the Vikings have been their own worst enemy trying to close out games and the season. Arizona is going to win the game, but the question is by how much. I’ll go with the spread. Cardinals 34, Vikings 24
