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News | Minnesota Vikings – vikings.com

Vikings least-penalized team in NFL

The Vikings (5-2) return home Sunday to host the Rams (4-3) at noon (CT) in a rematch of the 2014 season opener, a 34-6 win by Minnesota in St. Louis to begin Head Coach Mike Zimmer's tenure.

Here are 10 numbers of note about the matchup and series...

6 — ranking for the Rams defense in total yards allowed per game (328.1), which is followed by the Vikings (334.0); Minnesota ranks ninth in passing yards allowed per game (229.3), which is followed by St. Louis (10th in NFL with 230.0 passing yards allowed/game)

7 — combined runs of 40 or more yards this season between Adrian Peterson (43-yard TD, 48-yard TD, 75-yard run) and Rams rookie Todd Gurley, who leads the NFL with breakaways of 52, 55, 48 and a 71-yard TD; Gurley leads the league with 115 rushing yards per game, and is followed in the category by Peterson (90.4)

9 — special teams touchdowns by the Vikings since Mike Priefer arrived as special teams coordinator; the total is tied for the most in the NFL since 2011; the Vikings have returned two blocked punts (last year against Carolina), four kickoffs and three punts for TDs, including last week's 65-yard punt return by Marcus Sherels; St. Louis has a 75-yard punt return by Tavon Austin and has allowed a 57-yarder this season

Look back on images from past games between the Vikings and the Rams.

10 — catches by Vikings rookie Stefon Diggs that have gained 20-plus yards since Week 4, when Diggs debuted in Denver; the explosive plays are the most in the NFL in that span and include a 20-yard completion and a 40-yard touchdown that occurred on the game-tying drive Sunday in Chicago; Diggs has been nominated for Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Week for Week 8 (vote for Diggs **here**)

25.9 — third-down efficiency (22 of 85) by the Rams this season, which ranks last in the NFL; Vikings opponents have converted 32.9 percent of the third downs (28 of 85) they've faced, the fifth-stingiest allowance in the NFL

39 — penalties against the Vikings, which is the fewest in the NFL this season; the offense (12) and special teams units (three) have drawn the least ire from officials this season; the NFL average number of penalties called on teams is 54.5; the Rams have had 56 penalties assessed this season 

45 — career games of 100 or more rushing yards by Peterson out of the 110 he's played; Peterson has hit triple digits 40.9 percent of the time he's taken the field and posted 212 yards against St. Louis in 2012

70.6 — percent completion rate opponents have had against St. Louis this season; Teddy Bridgewater is at 64.5 percent (136 of 211) through seven games this season; Rams starter Nick Foles has completed 58.7 percent of his passes (110 of 187); Vikings opponents have fired at a rate of 63.6 percent

158.3 — maximum NFL passer rating hit by Bridgewater during Minnesota's final two possessions in Chicago, when the second-year QB led the Vikings to 10 points; Bridgewater was 6-of-7 passing for 106 yards and the 40-yard TD to Diggs, a performance that earned him a nomination for the Castrol Edge Clutch Performer of Week 8 (vote for Bridgewater **here**)

19,782 — days between this week's game and when the teams met for the first time, a Sept. 10, 1961 preseason contest that was the first appearance by the Vikings franchise in Minnesota; the teams have met 43 times in the regular season or postseason since, with the Vikings holding a 25-16-2 edge in the series

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