Vikings at Cardinals: Preview and prediction

Can the Cardinals dismantle the depleted Vikings? We preview and predict.

The Arizona Cardinals will host the Minnesota Vikings in a battle on Thursday, that will have serious playoff implications for both teams as they try to continue to make noise in the NFC. The Cardinals are playing for a chance to put a stranglehold on their division and a the No. 2 seed in the NFC while the Vikings are looking to stay alive in the race for the NFC North.

Last week against the St. Louis Rams on the road, the Arizona Cardinals were lights out offensively and defensively, as they throttled the Rams 27-3. The defense has been playing with a passion to keep teams out of the end zone, and the offense has been on a path to putting up big numbers. With a depleted Vikings team coming into town, the Cardinals are looking to feast on Minnesota.

The Vikings meanwhile got a hard dose of reality last week, when the Seattle Seahawks came into Minnesota and absolutely trounced the Vikings. They got blown out of the building and the offense and defense looked bad. This week, the Vikings are going to have to go at against a top offense in the NFL, while missing all of their defensive studs. It’s going to be up to Teddy Bridgewater and Adrian Peterson to keep pace on offense.

The Cardinals defense has gotten better against the run, and are beginning to look like a truly dominant defense. With a focused passion and energy, the Cardinals are going to look to force Bridgewater into turnovers and hope that they can stop Peterson on the ground from making any big plays.

On offense the Cardinals will take the top off the defense of the depleted secondary for the Vikings, who are missing Harrison Smith and their other safeties. Watch Carson Palmer try and find his speedy receivers John Brown and J.J. Nelson deep, as they look to hit the Vikings with the knockout blow.

Pick: Arizona 42, Minnesota 10