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Gameday: Vikings at Jacksonville
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> Line: Jaguars by 2½
> Series: Vikings lead 2-1
> Last: Vikings 27, Jaguars 16
(11/28/04 at the Metrodome)
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THREE THINGS TO WATCH TODAY
1 Getting offensive After averaging 32.3 points in a three-game span, the Vikings were held to 13 last Sunday in a loss at Tampa Bay. Most disturbing was a second-half output in which the Vikings generated no points and ran a total of 20 plays, including only seven in the fourth quarter. Running back Adrian Peterson was held to less than 100 yards rushing for the first time in four games, did not touch the ball in the final quarter and exchanged words with position coach Eric Bieniemy during the Vikings' final offensive drive, one in which Peterson sat out. Of course, that came against the fifth-rated defense in the NFL. The Jaguars defense isn't in the same class, surrendering 328.2 yards per game and ranking 18th in the NFL. Look for Peterson to have a role for all four quarters.
2 A 1-2 punch The Vikings are considered to have one of the NFL's best running back duos with Peterson and Chester Taylor, but Jacksonville isn't far behind. Unlike in Minnesota, where Peterson gets the bulk of the carries, Maurice Jones-Drew and Fred Taylor split things right down the middle. Both have 115 rushing attempts, combining for 915 yards. Taylor (416 yards) does not have a touchdown, but Jones-Drew (499) makes up for that with 11, a total that is tied for the NFL lead. Five of those have come in the past two games. Considering the Vikings are second in the league against the run, the Jaguars might try to get their running backs involved by passing to them. Jones-Drew is second on the Jaguars with 31 receptions for 586 yards; Taylor, who was slowed in practice this week because of a neck injury, has 13 catches for 79 yards.
3 Becoming a trend A tight end has been his team's leading receiver against the Vikings in three of the past four games, including last Sunday when the Buccaneers' Jerramy Stevens caught six passes for 84 yards. The Jaguars will be the latest opponent to test a linebacker corps that lost standout middle linebacker E.J. Henderson for the year in the fourth game of the season. Tight end Marcedes Lewis is third on the Jaguars with 22 catches for 306 yards and two touchdowns. A first-round pick by the Jaguars out of UCLA in 2006, Lewis is a former basketball player who presents a big target at 6-6, 275 pounds.
GAMEBREAKER: One guy who could change everything
Bernard Berrian, Vikings This looks to be a good matchup for Berrian, whose average of 20.2 yards per catch ranks first in the NFL among receivers with at least 30 receptions. The Jaguars pass defense is ranked 18th in the league -- three spots ahead of the Vikings -- but they have given up 31 plays of 20-plus yards. That is tied with Philadelphia for 28th in the league. Vikings quarterback Gus Frerotte likely will try to add to that figure by looking deep for Berrian a few times.
KEY STAT
10-0 Jacksonville's record at home against NFC teams since Jack Del Rio took over as head coach in 2003. The Jaguars are 15-6 overall against the NFC under Del Rio, and quarterback David Garrard is 7-0 against the conference.
IN FOCUS
Road sacks The Vikings have had no problems getting to opposing quarterbacks at home this season, recording 22 sacks in five games. It has been a different story away from the Metrodome. The Vikings have only four sacks in five road games, and right end Jared Allen has accounted for the only two by the defensive line. Linebacker Chad Greenway and cornerback Antoine Winfield have the others. David Garrard has been sacked 26 times this season -- tied for sixth most among quarterbacks -- but given the Vikings' track record that is no guarantee they will get to him.
JUDD'S PICK
Vikings 27, Jaguars 21 The Vikings, who had every opportunity to beat Tampa Bay last Sunday, are going against a team (4-6) that has issues after an 11-5 finish in 2007. The Vikings are 0-4 outdoors, but the Jaguars' lack of success at home (1-4) means the Vikings should have an excellent opportunity.
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A knee-irked reaction - November 22, 2008
A knee-irked reaction - Have we fantasy geeks evolved so dramatically as a species in two years that we can only muster a collective shrug at Maurice Jones-Drew's kneel-down Sunday at the 1-yard-line? In 2007, when Brian Westbrook pulled the same trick, the fantasy football community nearly melted the Internet's tubing with sob stories and "How could he do that to us?" rants. But after Sunday, when MJD helped the Jaguars control the clock in the final minute and get the victory by taking a knee a foot in front of the goal line, there were millions of geek heads nodding in approval. "Yeah, good idea. Smart move. It's OK if it cost me six fantasy points." Have we fantasy freaks lost our freakiness? Have the geeks gone mild? More
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| Date/Opponent | Time | W | L | Score |
| Sep 13 - at Cleveland | 12:00 PM | 1 | 0 | 34-20 |
| Sep 20 - at Detroit | 12:00 PM | 2 | 0 | 27-13 |
| Sep 27 - vs. San Francisco | 12:00 PM | 3 | 0 | 27-24 |
| Oct 5 - vs. Green Bay | 7:30 PM | 4 | 0 | 30-23 |
| Oct 11 - at St. Louis | 12:00 PM | 5 | 0 | 38-10 |
| Oct 18 - vs. Baltimore | 12:00 PM | 6 | 0 | 33-31 |
| Oct 25 - at Pittsburgh | 12:00 PM | 6 | 1 | 17-27 |
| Nov 1 - at Green Bay | 3:15 PM | 7 | 1 | 38-26 |
| Open | ||||
| Nov 15 - vs. Detroit | 12:00 PM | 8 | 1 | 27-10 |
| Nov 22 - vs. Seattle | 12:00 PM | 9 | 1 | 35-9 |
| Nov 29 - vs. Chicago | 3:15 PM | |||
| Dec 6 - at Arizona | 3:15 PM | |||
| Dec 13 - vs. Cincinnati | 12:00 PM | |||
| Dec 20 - at Carolina | 7:20 PM | |||
| Dec 28 - at Chicago | 7:30 PM | |||
| Jan 3 - vs. NY Giants | 12:00 PM |
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