There are several reasons to expect the Minnesota Vikings to win today’s game against the Seattle Seahawks at U.S. Bank Stadium. At 0-2 motivation will be high for the Vikings who have lost two road games by a total of four points.
The winless Vikings could have even more “want” than the 1-1 Seahawks. It’s likely that part of the extra energy for the Purple will come from the frenzied fans. Always boisterous, the “crazies” will be back in U.S. Bank Stadium for the first time since 2019 and primed to cheer on a victory.
The Seahawks, featuring quarterback Russell Wilson, use a no-huddle offense. That means Wilson and teammates will have to contend with an avalanche of noise as they try to call and change plays at the line of scrimmage. Advantage to the home team in disrupting tempo and plays.
The Seahawks gave up 182 rushing yards last Sunday to Derrick Henry from the Tennessee Titans in a 33-30 loss. Running back Jonathan Taylor had a combined 116 yards in rushing and receiving for Indianapolis when the Colts lost to Seattle in the opening game for both teams. Minnesota’s superb running back Dalvin Cook might have a big day today, and when he rolls the Vikings usually do, too. Yes, expect Cook to play despite missing practice time with an ankle injury.
The Vikings have several new starters among their 22 starting players. The NFL preseason was shortened to three games this year to accommodate the new 17-game regular season schedule. The Vikings newcomers didn’t play all that much in preseason as the coaches looked to develop depth. Now in regular season game No. 3 familiarity with teammates can help produce a win.
Minnesota can match Seattle’s overall talent, or better it. Both teams are skilled enough to compete most Sundays, but iffy to make the playoffs. On a day when the Vikings are playing at home and need a first win, they figure to make a million Minnesotans happy despite Seattle being about a 2.5 point favorite.
Worth Noting
Seattle’s Pete Carroll was the Vikings’ defensive backfield coach from 1985-1989, and at 70 is the oldest head coach in the NFL.
It was 60 years ago this month the Vikings played their first regular season game in franchise history and to the surprise of everyone defeated the Chicago Bears at Metropolitan Stadium in front of a modest crowd of 32,236. Fran Tarkenton, writing in his 2009 book Everyday Is Game Day, described the stunning upset “as the greatest” in NFL history. “For the Vikings to prevail in this historic debut by the score of 37-13 was nothing short of preposterous,” the Hall of Fame quarterback wrote.
The Vikings were an expansion team and Tarkenton was the team’s rookie third round draft choice. Tarkenton came off the bench to throw for 250 yards and four touchdowns on September 17, 1961. The Vikings were a group of castoffs and untested rookies, while the Bears were among the NFL’s bluebloods. Minnesota had lost all five of its preseason games, including a 30-7 thrashing by the Bears before 12,500 fans in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Look for the Minnesota Twins to evaluate in spring training whether Nick Gordon can play shortstop. It will be a surprise if regular shortstop Andrelton Simmons, 32, returns to the club. It’s not known how ready top prospect Royce Lewis will be following ACL rehab this year.
Twins legend Rod Carew, who had a heart saving transplant in 2016, turns 76 on Friday.
Rick Oliva, son of Carew teammate Tony Oliva, is running for city council in Bloomington. Tony has campaign signage on his car.
Relatives of the late Bobby Marshall from Minnesota and elsewhere attended a celebration event Friday at the University of Minnesota. Publisher Norton Stillman from Nodin Press and author Terry McConnell hosted a gathering to celebrate the new book Breaking Through the Line, telling the story of the extraordinary Marshall who was the first African American to play in the NFL following a great career with the Gophers.
The Minneapolis native was an All-American defensive end in 1905 and 1906 for the Gophers. He was the first African American from the Big Ten to become an All-American in football. He also starred in baseball and track at Minnesota before playing for multiple NFL teams.
Was there a more miscalculated coaching decision yesterday than P.J. Fleck’s directive to have the Gophers trying to make a first down from their own 29-yard line on fourth down? Leading 3-0 in the second quarter the coach decided his lethargic offense could gain one yard against Bowling Green. The Falcons held and went on to score their first touchdown in what ended as a 14-10 victory.
The Falcons, a 31-point underdog, had every right to feel insulted and motivated by Fleck’s decision. Their defense surprised and out schemed Minnesota on a day that could only be described as a setback for the Gophers’ program now in its fifth season under Fleck. Minnesota, now 2-2, entered the game coming off a crisp 30-0 win over Colorado and had its fan base dreaming about taking an 8-1 record to Iowa November 13.
The Minnesota Wild opens training camp at 9 a.m. Thursday at TRIA Rink at Treasure Island Center in St. Paul. The training camp roster consists of 53 players, including the following 19 players that participated in the Tom Kurvers Prospect Showcase:
Forwards: Caedan Bankier, Adam Beckman, Matt Boldy, Mitchell Chafee, Damien Giroux, Ivan Lodnia, Bryce Misley, Pavel Novak, Marco Rossi and Nick Swaney. Defensemen: Calen Addison, Fedor Gordeev, Daemon Hunt, Carson Lambos, Kyle Masters and Ryan O’Rourke. Goaltenders: Dereck Baribeau, Hunter Jones and Trevin Kozlowski.