NFL Preview: Minnesota Vikings host Arizona Cardinals
After both the Minnesota Vikings and the Arizona Cardinals went on extended play-off runs last season, many would have been looking at their week 9 matchup on Sunday, 7 November, with great interest. But
after lacklustre starts for both sides, this matchup has lost a good deal of its original allure.
Previous meetings and recent games
The Minnesota Vikings circus marches on as they have been embroiled in just about every possible league controversy one could think of. They seemed determined to remain in the headlines for all the wrong
reasons over the last week when they decided to waive receiver Randy Moss, who they had only recently picked up from the New England Patriots for a third-round draft pick a few weeks earlier. The Vikings are far from accomplishing anything close to what they
did last season when they went all the way to the NFC championship game, and are currently 2-5.
Life has been tough in Arizona as, even in retirement, Kurt Warner is proving how valuable he was to the team, as the Cardinals' offence has not been nearly as explosive as it was with him under center.
The Cardinals head into Sunday's matchup in third place in the NFC West with a record of 3-4.
The last time the Vikings and the Cardinals met was in week 13 of last season – a game which the Cardinals won 30-17.
How they matchup
Last season this was a matchup of two future Hall of Fame quarterbacks – Warner and Brett Favre. Although Favre is back, he's no longer producing the kind of Hall of Fame form that he did last year. The
tendonitis in his elbow no longer seems to be bothering him, but Favre continues to nurse two broken bones in his foot as well as a nasty gash on his chin which he suffered in the Vikings 28-18 loss to the New England Patriots.
On the opposite side, the Cardinals have had quarterback trouble all season. Derek Anderson is expected to get the starting job back after rookie Max Hall struggled in his three starts.
The one advantage which the Cardinals do have is receiving. With Steve Breaston back from injury, he will take some of the pressure off Larry Fitzgerald and give Anderson another solid receiving option.
The Cardinal's receiving advantage is, however, canceled out by the Vikings' star running back Adrian Peterson who currently leads the NFL in rushing.
The Cardinals also have a defence that is in the bottom half of the NFL including a 29th ranked run defence.
What to expect
With so many distractions surrounding the Vikings it's hard to imagine just how much worse things will get. Well, here's a prediction: Favre's consecutive games started streak will eventually come to an
end, Brad Childress will get fired, and the Vikings won't win another game this season
– not against the Lions, not even the lowly 0-7 Buffalo Bills, and certainly not against the Cardinals. That's a pretty hard fall for a team that finished 12-4 last season, but their season has been a disaster so far and it's going to get worse before
it gets better.
Prediction: Cardinals win 33-17.
Tags: