Raiders Prepare To Host Adrian Peterson And Vikings In Week 10
By Abraham Gutierrez
After having their two-game win streak snapped by the Pittsburgh Steelers on a last second field goal, the (4-4) Oakland Raiders will try and get right back on the win column as they return home to host the surprising (6-2) Minnesota Vikings.
The O.co Coliseum in Oakland, California, will be the site for this interconference clash of teams looking to make a playoff push. Opening kickoff is scheduled for Sunday at 4:05 p.m. ET and it will be broadcast live on FOX.
Minnesota Vikings 2015 NFL Season Record
The Vikings are one of the most pleasant surprises of the season, as they come in sitting in second place in the NFC North and winners of four straight ballgames. Under second-year head coach Mike Zimmer, the Vikes are undefeated at home (4-0) and are 2-2 on the road.
Minnesota is also perfect against divisional opponents this season at 3-0 and has gone 2-1 versus non-conference foes like the Raiders. Led by perennial Pro Bowl running back, Adrian Peterson, this team is coming off an impressive (21-18) victory over the St. Louis Rams, as "AD" ran for 125 yards on 29 carries and a score.
Vikings On Offense
The Vikings offensive coordinator is a man who's very familiar with Raider Nation, as former San Diego Chargers head coach Norv Turner leads Minnesota's offense. Under his tutelage, the Vikings start Week 10 ranked sixth in rushing yards per game (132.8), 23rd in points scored (21.0), but a whopping 30th in both, total yards (321.6) and passing yards per game (188.9).
Vikings On Defense
The Vikings defensive coordinator is George Edwards, as he also enters his second year with the organization. Under Edwards' guidance, Minnesota has become one of the most feared defenses in all of football. The Vikings "D" comes in ranked second in points per game (17.5), sixth against the pass (220.6), seventh in total yards (332.2), and their weakest area is stopping the rush, where they rank 19th in the National Football League surrendering 111.6 yards per contest.
Vikings Players To Watch
Offensively, running back Adrian Peterson (758 yards on 169 carries and 4 TD) is always the player to watch anytime the Minnesota Vikings step on the field. After missing seemingly all of last season, the former NFL Most Valuable Player hasn't missed a step, coming into Week 10 leading the National Football League in rushing yards and tied for 10th in rushing scores. "AD" has been on a tear this season, eclipsing the 100-yard rushing mark in four games, including two straight heading into this week's showdown in the East Bay.
Defensively, Del Rio and his coaching staff will have to gameplan for Minnesota's pass rush, particularly on keeping close tabs on middle linebacker Eric Kendricks (42 tackles and 4 sacks) and defensive end Everson Griffen (22 tackles and 4.5 sacks). The rookie out of UCLA comes in leading the team in tackles and is second in sacks behind the sixth-year pro out of USC.
Vikings vs. Raiders 2015 NFL Week 10 Lines
According to NFL Week 10 betting oddsmakers, no matter who starts under center, the Oakland Raiders will be the team to beat at home when the Minnesota Vikings invade the O.co Coliseum. Opening lines for this contest have the Silver and Black [-2½] listed as two-and-a-half point favorites against the visiting Vikes [+2½], while the OVER/UNDER is set at a combined total of 42½ points.
Abe Gutierrez's (Twitter: @GutierrezAbe) passion led him to ditch law school journey in order to launch his own publishing company. His expertise make him a valued addition to Examiner.com, AXS.com and the CBS-Sports family. Some of his work can be found on CBS-Miami (Dolphins), CBS-LosAngeles (Chargers), CBS-BayArea (Raiders), CBS-NewYork (NY Jets), CBS-TampaBay (Buccaneers), AXS.com, aExaminer.com and other online publications.
