It’s working, too, as opposing QBs are completing a mere 53.9 percent of their passes with nine touchdowns and eight interceptions in those hurried situations.
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Week 14 of the National Football League regular season kicks off tonight with the Vikings at the Cardinals. Palmer has a deep group of wide receivers at his disposal, led by veteran Larry Fitzgerald, and rookie running back David Johnson did well with the opportunity he got in Week 12 (120 total yards and a receiving touchdown). Arizona is now in first place in the NFC West, and is now on a six-game winning streak.
“That’s the mindset of a player that wants to be great”, Peterson said.
Minnesota’s defense had given up 20 points to 9 opponents but has allowed 30 points or more in two of its past three games.
Vikings fans were frustrated last week because Peterson only got eight carries, but that’s what happens when you’re down by 28 points in the second half.
He has 31 scoring passes on the year, breaking Kurt Warner’s single-season franchise record.
Last time out for Arizona, they cruised to a comfortable 27-3 victory over the St. Louis Rams, while covering in the game as a 3.5-point favorite. This is that next game, “you’ve got to win” game type of feel that we’re going into this game with because we know where they sit, and we can think about that because this game is that important.
Peterson should prove the difference, and Minnesota’s goal will be to ensure that he has at least 20 touches as they have gone 8-0 this season when the star running back has had at least 17 rushes.
The Vikings may not look like they can beat the Cardinals, who boast the league’s best offense and the fourth best defense. The Vikings nearly won even though they didn’t have safeties Harrison Smith and Andrew Sendejo, linebacker Anthony Barr and nose tackle Linval Joseph…. The Vikings come in much like the Cardinals were in the beginning of the season, beating up on bad teams, struggling with the good, but still making a game out of it. Minnesota is down to two healthy safeties, with Robert Blanton also missing practice all week so the strength of the defense will be a weakness this week.
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The Vikings (8-4) visit Arizona (10-2) on Thursday night. If the Vikings want to have any chance against the Cardinals, they have to put everything aside and move on from this issue. The play looked busted as Palmer rolled out to avoid the pressure, but Brown turned on the jets and burned the Vikings secondary for the big score. The victor will have a huge playoff slot advantage, so this will be a huge game for the two division leaders. There is still some football to play before the playoffs, but it would be hard to consider this Arizona squad anything less than a legitimate Super Bowl contender.
