Game 1: 7 p.m. today • TCF Bank Stadium
TV: Ch. 11 (100.3-FM, 1130-AM)
about the vikings
Mike Zimmer makes his head coaching debut. … Vikings were 5-10-1 last season. … Matt Cassel will start at QB, with rookie Teddy Bridgewater expected to get some snaps with the first team. … Offensive coordinator Norv Turner was Oakland's head coach in 2004-05. … S Robert Blanton (hamstring) and TE Chase Ford (foot) are out. … RB Adrian Peterson is not expected to play. … Safety will be a position worth watching. With injury issues, Zimmer brought in veteran Chris Crocker during the week. … New starters on defense include rookie first-round draft pick Anthony Barr (OLB), DTs Linval Joseph and Sharrif Floyd, DE Everson Griffen, MLB Jasper Brinkley and CB Captain Munnerlyn. … Said Zimmer: "We will be very, very basic in everything we do. We are trying to evaluate our players on their athletic ability."
about the raiders
Oakland was 4-12 in 2013. … General Manager Reggie Mc-Kenzie and coach Dennis Allen enter their third season of the rebuilding project and were active in March's free agency period. … Matt Schaub was obtained from Houston for a fifth-round pick to be the starting QB. Oakland also took QB Derek Carr out of Fresno State in the second round (36th overall). … Former Jacksonville star Maurice Jones-Drew signed and joins Darren McFadden at RB, while ex-Packer James Jones was signed at WR. … The Raiders grabbed LB Khalil Mack with the fifth overall draft choice and added veteran free agent linemen Justin Tuck (Giants), LaMarr Woodley (Steelers) and Antonio Smith (Houston) to beef up their defense. … TE Brian Leonhardt is a Spring Lake Park and Bemidji State alum who spent last year on the practice squad. … CB DJ Hayden (foot), S Usama Young (quadriceps), G Lucas Nix (knee), TE David Ausberry (knee), LB Kaluka Maiava (hamstring), G Lamar Mady (ankle) and CB Keith McGill (groin) are out.
