Patriots QB Tom Brady will be looking to air it out this weekend.
UPDATE: Adrian Peterson will not be playing in this Sunday's Game because of legal issues.
The New England Patriots and the Minnesota Vikings are throwing down in Minnesota, after the Viking smeared the St. Louis Rams 34-6, and the Patriots came up lame against the Dolphins, 33-20. Will the Patriots fall to 0-2 in 2014, or will the Vikings get beat and prove their win in St. Louis was just one bad team beating another? We will find out Sunday at 1 p.m., est. at TCF Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.
The game can be watched online via live stream below (free with subscription), or on the CBS Television network.
For the Patriots to beat the Vikings this Sunday, Tom Brady is going to have to do better than 29-56 for 249 yards like he did against the Dolphins. He was sacked four times, was in distress most of the game, and fumbled the ball 2 for two losses. The offense needs to find their rythmn,and the o-line has to set the tone to give Brady time to get the ball down field. To put points on the board, if they have to the type of offense they did last week, they are going to need more from their receiving core.
Kenbrell Thompkins had 5 receptions for 37 yards, and Danny Amendola had 3 catches for 16 yards. They will need to do better if the Patriots are going to get it done offensively.
Vikings' Adrian Peterson Indicted for Negligent Injury of Child, Won't Play Sunday Against Patriots
On defense, the Patriots better find a way to fill the gaps in their run defense, because Knowshon Moreno had a 100+ game against them last week, so Adrian Peterson surely intends to take even more yards from them this week. Linebacker Jerod Mayo will want to stop Peterson, so if he keeps up his great play from last week. He had 10 tackles and 1 sack that backed up Miami for 9 yards. He will need help this week from some of his teammates, if he wants to have any shot at stopping Peterson, though.
The Vikings surprised some people in their win over St. louis, especially becuase it was an all-aroud win on both sides of the ball.
The defense shut down the Rams' offense, limiting them to just 6 points. New D coach Mike ZImmer brought creativity to his play calling, and the Viking brought a lot of varied pressure situations all game long. Defensive End Griffen Everson had 2 sacks on his own, and the Vikings unit as a whole put the St. Louis qb down 4 times. Upfront the defense stood up, too, and smothered the St. Louis running backs.
For the offense, Matt Cassel got it done when it mattered, throwing 25 balls and completing 17 of them. He had two fumbles, but he also had two touchdowns. Adrian Peterson had 21 carries for 75 yards, but caught 2 passes for 18 yards. Wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson ran for 102 yards on three carries, and scored a touchdown, so the Vikings called a variety of plays.
To catch the game online, you can check out NFL Sunday Ticket. If you want to listen on the radio, the Vikings can be heard on KFAN AM 1130, and the Patriots broadcast on 1080 WTIC AM. The game will be on the Fox Television Network with a 1 pm EST kickoff.
