Following back-to-back home victories, the Minnesota Vikings (2-1) hit the road to play the Denver Broncos (3-0) in their 2nd of 3 consecutive games against AFC West opponents. The matchup is scheduled to kick off at Sports Authority Field at Mile High at 3:25 CT p.m.
RB Adrian Peterson, despite only having 31 yards in Week 1, leads the NFL with 291 rushing yards on 59 carries (4.9 avg). Peterson has rushed for 100 yards in 2 straight games and found the end zone twice in Week 3, tying him with WR Randy Moss for 2nd in team history with 93 career TDs. In the past 2 games the Vikings have held opponents to 15.0 points per game and 128 rushing yards (2.9 avg) on 44 carries. In that same span, the Vikings have forced 5 turnovers (3 FRs, 2 INTs), including a 91-yard INT return TD from LB Chad Greenway.
NATIONAL TELEVISION: FOX (Ch. 9 in the Twin Cities)
Play-by-Play: Kevin Burkhardt Analyst: John Lynch
Sideline: Pam Oliver
NATIONAL RADIO: WESTWOOD ONE
Play-by-Play: Dan Miller Analyst: Mark Malone
Pre-Game/Halftime Show: Scott Graham
LOCAL RADIO: KFAN-FM 100.3/KTLK-AM 1130
Play-by-Play: Paul Allen Analyst: Pete Bercich
Sideline Reporter: Greg Coleman
Pre-Game Show: Mike Mussman – 1:30 p.m. CT
KFAN and KTLK serve as the flagship stations for the 72-station, 5-state Vikings Radio Network.
NORSEMAN NOTABLES
• RB Adrian Peterson has recorded back-to-back 100 yard rushing games for the 1st time since Weeks 12 and 13 of 2013. He has 4 games of 100 rushing yards in his last 8 contests.
• LB Chad Greenway intercepted his 10th career pass vs. San Diego (9/27) and returned it 91 yards for his 2nd career TD. Greenway is 7th in team history among LBs with 10 career INTs.
• DE Everson Griffen is tied for 5th in the NFL with 3.0 sacks and has at least a half sack in all 3 games in 2015. Griffen has 4 TFLs in the 1st 3 games, including 3 vs. San Diego (9/27).
• S Harrison Smith leads the Vikings with 28 tackles and has 1 TFL and 1 FF in 2015. Since entering the league in 2012, Smith is the only player in the NFL with at least 10 INTs and 4 sacks.
• With a .700 win percentage (7-3), the Vikings have the highest home win percentage all-time among teams playing in a temporary stadium.
• Peterson, with 93 career TDs, tied WR Randy Moss for 2nd all-time in team history. They trail WR Cris Carter (110) for the most in Vikings history.
• FB Zach Line has 2 career carries and 2 rushing TDs, scoring each of the past 2 games.
• Archie Manning, Broncos QB Peyton Manning's father, finished his career with the Vikings playing in Minnesota in 1983-84.
• CB Trae Waynes, who was selected 11th overall in the 2015 NFL Draft, saw his 1st action on defense vs. San Diego (9/27) and led the team with 2 passes defensed and added 4 tackles.
• DT Tom Johnson corralled his 1st sack of the season in Week 3, giving him 7.5 sacks since joining the Vikings, the 6th most among DTs dating back to the start of 2014.
• T T.J. Clemmings is 1-of-2 rookies to start the 1st 3 games of the 2015 season at offensive tackle (Donovan Smith, TB).
• The Vikings are tied for the 2nd-fewest penalties as team with 18 through 3 games and are tied with Kansas City for the fewest offensive penalties (5) in the NFL.
VIKINGS-BRONCOS CONNECTIONS
• Denver Broncos OLB coach Fred Pagac spent 8 seasons with the Vikings
(2006-13), serving as the LB coach for 7 of those years and the defensive coordinator in 2011.
• Broncos DB coach Joe Woods served in the same role for the Vikings from 2006-13.
• Vikings Special Teams Coordinator Mike Priefer served in the same role for Denver from 2009-10.
• Vikings OL Coach Jeff Davidson was the 5th round 1990 NFL Draft pick by Denver and started at LT and LG for the Broncos from 1991-92.
• Vikings DL Coach Andre Patterson served in the same role for the Denver Broncos from 2005-06.
NFL CONNECTIONS
• The Vikings selected Broncos OLB Shane Ray's father as a 5th-round pick in the 1981 NFL Draft.
LOCAL CONNECTIONS
• Broncos T Ryan Harris is a St. Paul, Minnesota native. Harris attended
Cretin-Derham Hall HS and was named to the 2003 Minnesota Vikings All-State team his senior year.
• Vikings T Jeremiah Sirles hails from Lakewood, Colorado and attended
Bear Creek HS where he excelled in basketball and track in addition to football.
COLLEGE CONNECTIONS
• 5 players on roster for Sunday are from the University of Florida: Vikings
DT Sharrif Floyd (2010-12), Vikings DE Justin Trattou (2007-10), Broncos
WR Andre Caldwell (2003-07), Broncos C/G Max Garcia (2012-14) and
Broncos OLB Lerentee McCray (2008-12).
• Vikings WR Stefon Diggs played at Maryland with Broncos NT Darius Kilgo from 2012-14.
• Vikings 2015 1st-round pick CB Trae Waynes played at Michigan State with Broncos WR Bennie Fowler from 2012-13.
• Vikings CB Jabari Price played at North Carolina with Broncos NT Sylvester Williams from 2011-12.
• 6 players for the Vikings and Broncos played at Notre Dame: Vikings S
Harrison Smith (2007-10), S Robert Blanton (2008-10), C John Sullivan (2003-06), TE Kyle Rudolph (2008-09), Broncos S David Bruton, Jr.
(2006-09) and Broncos T Ryan Harris (2000-05).
• Vikings S Andrew Sendejo and Broncos TE/FB James Casey were teammates at Rice from 2007-08.
• Vikings CB Captain Munnerlyn and Broncos S Darian Stewart played for South Carolina together from 2006-08.
VIKINGS-BRONCOS SERIES NOTES
• The Vikings are currently 7-6-0 all-time against the Broncos, including a mark of 3-3 in games played at Denver.
• The Broncos have won the last 2 games by a combined 6 points.
• It is the 1st matchup between the 2 teams when they both have a winning record since 2003 when the Vikings were 5-0 and Broncos were 5-1. The Vikings improved to 6-0 after a 28-20 win in Minnesota.
A WIN WOULD...
• Give Mike Zimmer a 10-10 record as a head coach.
• Bump Teddy Bridgewater's record as a starting QB to 9-7 (.562).
• Be the 1st 3-game win streak for the Vikings since 2012.
• Improve the Vikings road record to 1-1 on the season.