Game Summary
After losing last week for the first time in 5 weeks, the Minnesota Vikings (10-2) will return home to take on the Cincinnati Bengals (9-3) this Sunday, December 13. Kickoff at Mall of America Field is set for noon.
This will be just the 11th meeting between the 2 teams with both teams having 5 wins in the previous 10 matchups. The last time the Vikings played the Bengals was in 2005, when Minnesota lost 37-8 in Cincinnati. Next week the Vikings will go back on the road for the first of 2 consecutive nationally televised games, taking on the Carolina Panthers on NBC Sunday Night Football.
Key Links
Vikings at Bengals Press Release (PDF)
Latest Vikings Depth Chart
Broadcast Info
TV: WCCO Channel 4 in the Twin Cities
Play-By-Play: Greg Gumbel Analysts: Dan Dierdorf
Sideline Reporters: None
RADIO: KFAN-AM 1130/KTLK 100.3-FM
Play-by-Play: Paul Allen Analyst: Pete Bercich
Sideline Reporter: Greg Coleman
Pre-Game Show: 10 a.m. CST
KFAN and KTLK serve as the flagship stations for the 74-station, 6-state Minnesota Vikings Radio Network. Click here to view all stations on the Vikings Radio Network.
What To Watch For
- If the Vikings win, it will be the team’s 20th win in the last 25 regular season games.
- Sunday’s game will feature the 2 of the 3 most dangerous running back/wide receiver duos in the NFL, with Vikings RB Adrian Peterson (1,103 rush) and WR Sidney Rice (1,036 rec.) accounting for the most rushing-receiving yards by a RB and WR in the NFL and Bengals RB Cedric Benson (969) and WR Chad Ochocinco (910) ranking 3rd.
- With a 100+ passer rating, Favre can move into sole possession of the Vikings record for the most 100+ games in a single season. Favre currently has 8 games in 2009 with a 100+ rating, which is tied with Daunte Culpepper (2004 and 2000) and Randall Cunningham (1998) for the most in a single season.
- WR Percy Harvin needs just 15 rushing yards to break the team record for the most rushing yards by a rookie WR (Bob Grim - 127 in 1971). Harvin currently has 113 rushing yards.
- Harvin is 242 yards short of passing RB Adrian Peterson’s record for most combined yards in a rookie season (2,021). Harvin has 1,780 on the season thus far.
Stats of the Week
- The Vikings, who currently rank 3rd against the run in 2009, have allowed just two 100-yard rushers in the last 60 regular season games. The current streak of not allowing a 100-yard rusher is now at 35 games, the longest active streak in the NFL.
- TE Visanthe Shiancoe eclipsed the team record for the most receiving TDs in a single season by a Vikings TE when he caught his 9th of the season last week at Arizona. Shiancoe now has 16 receiving TDs in the last 2 seasons, the 3rd-most of any player in the NFL.
- QB Brett Favre crossed the 3,000-yard passing mark last week, giving him his 18th consecutive season and his 18th overall season with at least 3,000 yards passing, both NFL records.
- Favre’s streak of passing attempts without an INT ended at 159 last week, which ranks as the 3rd-best in Vikings history. He has just 5 INTs on the season, the least among QBs with 250 passing attempts.
Vikings Big Days vs. Bengals
- DE Jared Allen had 2.5 sacks on Bengals QB Carson Palmer while a member of the Kansas City Chiefs on 10/14/07.
- QB Brett Favre threw for 339 yards on 31-of-43 (72.1%) passing, 3 TDs, and a passer rating o 108.6 on 12/3/95 vs. the Bengals as a member of the Green Bay Packers. It was part of month where Favre threw for 1,233 yards and 10 TDs on directing Green Bay to three victories and earning NFC Offensive Player of the Month.
- Favre came off the bench on 9/20/92 to relieve Don Majkowski for the Packers in a game against Cincinnati at Lambeau Field. Favre led a pair of TD drives in the final 8:00 of the game to claim a 24-23 win, throwing his first career NFL TD to Sterling Sharpe and hooking up with Kitrick Taylor on a 35-yard TD with :13 remaining for the gamewinning score.
- P Chris Kluwe, then a rookie, booted 3 punts for an average of 46.7 yards and a net of 41.7, including a long of 52 and 2 inside the Bengals 20-yard line the last time the two teams met on 9/18/05.
- LB Ben Leber notched a sack of QB Gus Frerotte at Cincinnati on 9/8/02.
- CB Benny Sapp had 5 tackles, 1 pass breakup and 1 of only 3 sacks in his career vs. Cincinnati while playing for Kansas City on 1/1/06.
- RB Chester Taylor while playing for Baltimore rushed for 139 yards and 1 TD on 23 carries, including a 47-yard scamper against the Bengals on 12/5/04. Taylor also caught 3 balls for 25 yards on the day.
- DT Pat Williams has had a number of big days against the Bengals. As a member of the Buffalo Bills, Williams recorded a career best 3.0 sacks as Cincinnati on 12/6/98. Williams also tallied 8 tackles with 2 for a loss against the Bengals on 10/5/03 while he was with the Bills.
- Williams had a solid day in his one appearance versus the Bengals (9/18/05) as a Viking, recording 10 tackles and 1 stop for a loss.
- CB Antoine Winfield has also produced vs. the Bengals while with the both the Bills and Vikings. Winfield notched a game-high 12 tackles and 0.5 TFLs against Cincinnati while with Buffalo on 10/5/03 and recorded 9 tackles – all solo stops – against the Bengals in his one appearance against the team as a Viking (9/18/05).
Vikings vs. Bengals Series Notes
- The Vikings and Bengals have split their all-time regular season series with 5 wins apiece.
- The Vikings are 4-0 against the Bengals at home.
- The teams last met in 2005, with the Bengals topping the Vikings 37-8.
- Besides back-to-back Minnesota victories in 1989 and 1992, the 10- game series has alternated winner and loser.
- The Vikings have 3 players on their roster with strong ties to Cincinnati: DE Ray Edwards grew up in Cincinnati, while FB Naufahu Tahi was on the Bengals practice squad for 10 weeks in 2006 and S Madieu Williams spent 4 seasons with the team from 2004-2007.
- Vikings defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier also held the same position for the Bengals for the 2003 and 2004 seasons.
- This will be Head Coach Brad Childress’ first game against the Bengals since taking over in 2006.
A Win Would...
- Give the Vikings their 2nd-consecutive postseason berth.
- Give the Vikings their most regular season wins in a season since 2000, when the team finished 11-5.
- Improve the Vikings record at Mall of America Field to 7-0 in 2009.
- Give the team its 9th consecutive regular season home victory, dating back to the 2008 finale against the N.Y. Giants.
- Improve the Vikings record against the AFC to 3-1 this season.
- Give the Vikings their 20th victory in the last 25 regular season games, dating back to 2008. The Vikings are 19-5 in the last 24 games.
- Improve the Vikings all-time record against the Bengals to 6-5 and 5-0 at home.
Keep An Eye On...
- With 2.0 sacks, DE Jared Allen can tie his total from last season (14.5), the 7th-best single season sack total in Vikings history.
- With 2.5 sacks, Allen can climb into the Vikings top 5 for most sacks in a single season. Allen has 12.5 on the year and Carl Eller’s 15.0 in 1969 and 1976 rank 5th).
- With 9 receptions, WR Bernard Berrian will have 250 for his career.
- With a 100+ passer rating, QB Brett Favre would move into sole possession of fi rst place for the most games with a 100+ passer rating in a single season in Vikings history. Favre shares the record with Daunte Culpepper (2004 and 2000) and Randall Cunningham (1998), with 8 games thus far in 2009.
- If he doesn’t throw an INT, Favre will move into sole possession of the team record for the most games in a single season without an INT. Currently Favre has 8 games without a pick, which is tied with Daunte Culpepper (2004) and Warren Moon (1995) for the most.
- With 2 more completions, Favre will have 6,000 for his career (regular season only).
- WR Percy Harvin needs 242 combined yards to surpass RB Adrian Peterson’s record-setting 2,021 combined yards in 2007. Harvin is currently in 2nd place in Vikings history for combined yards (rushing, receiving, kick returns, punt returns) as a rookie with 1,780.
- With 4 receptions, Harvin can move into 2nd place in team history for the most receptions as a rookie. Harvin, who currently has 48 receptions, trails Paul Flatley and Sammy White, who both rank 2nd in Vikings annals with 51 receptions during their rookie seasons.
- With 2 points, K Ryan Longwell can move into 16th place all-time for most points scored. Longwell’s 1,469 points currently ranks 17th, and Pat Leahy’s 1,470 ranks 16th.
- With a rushing TD, RB Adrian Peterson can set a career high and tie the team record for the most rushing TDs in a single season (13; has happened 3 times). Peterson currently ranks 4th in Vikings history with 12 rushing TDs on the year.
- With a rushing TD, Peterson can move into a tie for 7th place among all players for most rush TDs in the first 3 NFL seasons. Peterson’s 34 career rushing TDs ranks 8th and Terrell Davis’ 35 (‘95-97) ranks 7th.
- With 100+ rushing yards, Peterson can pick up his 20th career game of 100 or more yards. That would tie Terrell Davis (1995-97) for the 5th-most 100-yard games in the first 3 NFL seasons.
- With 10 rushing yards, Peterson can move into 9th place in the NFL for the most rushing yards through 3 seasons. Peterson currently ranks 10th with 4,204, and Emmitt Smith’s 4,213 yards in his fi rst 3 years ranks 9th. With 119 rushing yards, Peterson can move into 8th place (Barry Sanders-4,322) for most rushing yards in first 3 NFL seasons.
- With 2 catches, TE Visanthe Shiancoe will have 150 for his career.
