Change is in the air, specifically in Minnesota, Cleveland and London, England.

Wherever you are tuning in from on Sunday to watch the Vikings face the Browns at 8:30 a.m. CT (2:30 p.m. London time) at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, things will look vastly different than they did just a few days ago.

If you're in London, you might partake in watching the "Changing of the Guard" at Buckingham Palace. Both the Vikings and the Browns will experience their own versions of the formal British ceremony this week; Minnesota's offensive line has been decimated with injuries, so much so that the Vikings projected starting five up front for the 2025 season (LT Christian Darrisaw, LG Donovan Jackson, C Ryan Kelly, RG Will Fries and RT Brian O'Neill) has yet to play a single snap together, forcing the team to navigate on the fly each week.

The Browns are also going through their own difficulties on the offensive line, as Cleveland lost a pair of tackles (Jack Conklin to a right elbow injury and Dawand Jones with a season-ending knee injury) in the team's first three games. To help shore up its O-line, Cleveland acquired a familiar face to Vikings fans – T Cam Robinson – in a trade with Houston on Monday. Conklin was listed as a limited participant in practice on Wednesday and Thursday.

That's not the biggest change Cleveland has made this week, though, as the Browns announced Wednesday that rookie Dillon Gabriel will replace 40-year-old Joe Flacco at quarterback.

Gabriel not only offers more mobility under center and a faster arm (he had a PFF passing grade of 90.1 during the preseason when having less than 2.5 seconds to throw), he's left-handed (more on that below). Although Gabriel could show some promise on Sunday against Minnesota, Vikings Defensive Coordinator Brian Flores is 9-1 all-time (as a head coach and a coordinator) when facing rookie quarterbacks.

Let's see who the experts are picking to win the game:

Vikings 20, Browns 17 – Pete Prisco, CBS Sports

The Vikings have issues on offense, with injuries to the offensive line. That's not a good thing against that Browns defense. I think Gabriel will play well enough and the defense will keep the Browns in it.

Vikings 20, Browns 14 – Bill Bender, Sporting News

The Vikings overseas tour continues in London.

Vikings 23, Browns 14 – Vinnie Iyer, Sporting News

The Vikings stay across the pond with a skip over from Dublin after a rough offensive time against the Steelers. The Browns defense isn't a fun follow-up with Myles Garrett.

5 of 5 experts pick the Vikings, NFL.com

Analysis from NFL.com's Genaro Filice:

One month into the season, Cleveland could have the best defense in football. The Browns allow the fewest yards per game and yards per play, while ranking second (behind Seattle) in Defensive DVOA. Yet, the team sits in the AFC North cellar at 1-3 because of a woefully inept offense that has more turnovers (eight) than touchdowns (six). This explains why Cleveland ranks 24th in scoring defense, a misleading statistic that could erroneously suggest Jim Schwartz's group isn't getting the job done. This also explains why Cleveland is making a change at quarterback, benching 40-year-old Joe Flacco and turning to third-round pick Dillon Gabriel. What does all of this mean for Sunday's London tilt vs. Minnesota? Well, with the Browns facing an injury-riddled Vikings offensive line, Myles Garrett, Maliek Collins and Co. should wreak havoc once again. However, I anticipate Cleveland will continue to struggle offensively, with a rookie quarterback making his starting debut against Brian Flores' brain-scrambling defense. Expecting a low-scoring affair on foreign soil, I'll give an extra edge in the acclimation department to Minnesota, which is playing its second straight game across the pond following last Sunday's three-point loss to Pittsburgh in Dublin.

5 of 7 experts pick the Vikings, Bleacher Report

Bleacher Report analysis by Moe Moton:

On Wednesday, the Cleveland Browns benched Joe Flacco for Dillon Gabriel, who will make his first NFL start in London, which is a tough curveball for a rookie.

With Gabriel under center, Vikings Defensive Coordinator Brian Flores will make it difficult for Cleveland to establish its rhythm in the passing game.

The Browns only hope of covering or pulling off a victory is if rookie running back Quinshon Judkins has a strong outing against the Vikings 24th-ranked run defense. Minnesota should be prepared for him.

Bleacher Report analysis by Brent Sobleski:

Myles Garrett probably entered this week's preparation licking his chops because the Vikings offensive line isn't healthy enough to hold up against the Browns defense.

With left guard Donovan Jackson [recovering from a wrist injury], center Ryan Kelly in the league's concussion protocol and right tackle Brian O'Neill dealing with a knee issue, Minnesota's front five will almost certainly be overwhelmed by the No. 1 defense's ferocious front.

Garrett will be deployed to find the weak link and feast throughout the afternoon, of course.

6 of 7 experts pick the Vikings, The MMQB

7 of 10 experts (1 of 11 total had not submitted) pick the Vikings, ESPN

6 of 7 experts pick the Vikings, The Athletic

Thought from The Athletic's J.J. Bailey:

The Vikings are among the teams that are teetering and drew the worst possible card in Week 5. Cleveland has assembled a defensive front that all but eliminates the run, to the degree to which last week's Lions performance of 3.8 yards per carry and -0.17 EPA per rush was actually a curve-setting success. It cannot be overstated how much better the Browns are at getting into opposing backfields than everyone else.

The league average defense allows 1.28 yards before contact per carry this season. The Packers, ranked third, cut that number in half, allowing 0.63 yards before contact. The Broncos are even better at 0.59. The Browns' mark is -0.14, meaning they're just as much a part of opposing backfields as the running backs themselves.

Cleveland is sixth in pressure rate and third in sack rate, which means Carson Wentz will need to maintain his thus far unflappable performance while under duress if the Vikings are going to score.

5 of 6 experts pick the Vikings, USA Today

More on left-handed quarterbacks

Roughly 10 to 12 percent of the world's population is left-handed (including yours truly), but that exclusive club is even more rare amongst NFL quarterbacks. Gabriel will become just the 38th left-handed QB to appear in an NFL game in league history and is one of three active quarterbacks, joining Miami's Tua Tagovailoa and Atlanta's Michael Penix, Jr. (all three will start on Sunday, too). Gabriel is also the first QB in NFL history to make his first career start in an international game.

This season marks the 34th in team history the Vikings will face at least one lefty QB during game action (including the postseason). That number drops to 14 seasons when Minnesota has played against two or more left-handed quarterbacks, either as a starter or just appearing in game action (including playoffs).

That total is reduced even further – down to just 10 seasons – when the Vikings have squared off against two or more lefty QBs who started the game. It occurred in:

– 1973: Bobby Douglass (Chicago; Weeks 2 and 11); Jim Del Gaizo (Green Bay; Week 3 (his first career NFL start)).

– 1976: Jim Zorn (Seattle; Week 10); Ken Stabler (Oakland Raiders; Super Bowl XI).

– 1978: Zorn (Seattle; Week 6); Stabler (Oakland; Week 16).

– 1992: Boomer Esiason (Cincinnati; Week 4); Steve Young (San Francisco; Week 15).

– 1994: Scott Mitchell (Detroit; Week 2); Esiason (New York Jets; Week 12); Young (49ers; Week 17).

– 1995: Mitchell (Detroit; Weeks 2 and 13; Young (San Francisco; Week 16).

– 1996: Mitchell (Detroit; Weeks 1 and 15; Esiason (Arizona; Week 14).

– 1997: Mitchell (Detroit; Weeks 12 and 16; Young (San Francisco; Week 15 and NFC Divisional Round game).

– 2006: Mark Brunell (Washington; Week 1); Matt Leinart (Arizona; Week 12).

– 2025: Michael Penix, Jr., (Atlanta; Week 2); Dillon Gabriel (Cleveland; Week 5).

Series Notes

The Vikings and Browns have met 17 times in their history, with Minnesota holding a 12-5 lead in the series. Minnesota claimed the lone postseason matchup between the two teams with a 27-7 victory in the 1969 NFL Championship Game at Metropolitan Stadium (the Vikings then fell to the Kansas City Chiefs 23-7 in Super Bowl IV).

Of the 17 previous meetings, seven have come on the road, with Minnesota winning five times. The two victories by the Browns in Cleveland were in 1967 (a 14-10 win) and in 1989 (a 23-17 victory in overtime).

Cleveland has also won two of its previous three games against the Vikings, winning 31-27 in 2013 and 14-7 in 2021, both times in Minnesota. The lone Vikings victory in that span occurred in familiar territory in 2017, as Minnesota rolled to a 33-16 win over the Browns in London (at Twickenham Stadium).

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