Division Leading Vikings & Cards Clash in the Desert

QB Kurt Warner Arizona Cardinals NFL 2008 Week 15 Minnesota Vikings (8-5) at Arizona Cardinals (8-5) | NFL 2008 Week 15 Analysis, Preview & Prediction

This game is a match-up of two first-place teams with 8-5 records.

The Minnesota Vikings have a one-game lead on Chicago in the NFC North after winning last week against the Lions. The Vikings scored 10 fourth-quarter points to earn a 20-16 come-from-behind win at Detroit.

The two clubs also presently hold the #3 and #4 NFC playoff seeds and would host games on Wild Card Weekend if the postseason started today.

The Cardinals are officially NFC West champions after their division-clinching 34-10 win over the Rams last week at home.

The Vikings can clinch the NFC North title with a victory over the Cardinals coupled with a Chicago Bears loss against the Saints.

Minnesota Vikings (8-5) at Arizona Cardinals (8-5)

Through 13 games, the Cards and Vikings have one common opponent -- Carolina. The Vikings won at home (20-10 Week 3) while Cards lost at Carolina (27-23 Week 8).

Last week's victory gave the Cardinals their first playoff berth since 1998, a division championship for the first time since 1975 when they were in St. Louis and the NFC East, and assures the Cardinals of its first home playoff game since 1947 in Chicago.

The Cardinals head into week's game with the NFL's highest scoring offense (372 points), second-best passing offense and sport the 4th-best offense overall. The Minnesota Vikings are the NFL's 6th ranked running offense and second-best run defense in the NFL.

The Vikings are currently on a 3-game winning streak and winners of 7 of their last 9 games. The Minnesota Vikings (8-5) play their final road game of the NFL 2008 regular season.

The Cardinals are 5-1 at home this season after beating the Rams 34-10 last week and have won eight of their last nine games at home. The Cardinals loss to the NY Giants (11/23/2008) is the Cardinals only blemish at home this season. With 34 points at home last week, the Cardinals have now scored 415 points at home in their last 14 home games dating back to 2007. Their 29.6 points per game average over that span ranks as the highest in the NFL.

Vikings vs Cardinals Series

This is the 21st meeting between the Cardinals and the Vikings. This game marks the Minnesota Vikings first visit to University of Phoenix Stadium and first visit to Arizona since 2003.

The Vikings hold an 11-9 advantage in the series and have won six of the last seven meetings between the two teams. The Cardinals have just two victories over the Vikings dating back to 1991.

The last time these two teams met was on November 26, 2006 in Minnesota. With 412 yards of total offense, the Vikings defeated Arizona 31-26.

Offensively the Vikings were led by QB Brad Johnson, who threw for 271 yards and 3 TDs on 27-of-41 passing. His 271 yards moved him into 37th place in NFL history with 28,208 passing yards, which surpassed Ron Jaworski's 28,190. Johnson became only the 38th QB in NFL history to reach 28,000 yards.

RB Chester Taylor ran for 136 yards and a TD on the day. It was his 4th 100-yard day in his first season as a Viking, which set a then team record for the most 100-yard games in the first season on the team, breaking Chuck Foreman's record of 3 in 1973. Taylor also set a new team record for the most rushing yards in the 1st quarter when he gained 66.

Johnson found 8 receivers on the day, with his favorite target being WR Marcus Robinson, who finished with 7 catches for 82 yards. Robinson caught one of the 3 passing TDs, along with WR Billy McMullen and TE Jeff Dugan. It was Dugan's first TD as a Viking.

TE Jermaine Wiggins caught 6 passes and WR Travis Taylor also pulled in 5 of Johnson's passes.

Defensively, S Dwight Smith had a big day as he picked off Cardinals QB Matt Leinart twice. DEs Ray Edwards and Jayme Mitchell each collected half a sack, while CB Antoine Winfi eld led the team with 10 solo tackles.

K Ryan Longwell, also in his first season as a Viking, connected on a 40-yard FG and was 4-for-4 on PATs. P Chris Kluwe punted 5 times for an average of 42.8 yards per punt.

NFL 2008 Week 14: Minnesota Vikings 20, Detroit Lions 16

Last week the Minnesota Vikings defeated division rival Detroit 20-16 in Detroit.

After trailing the entire game against the winless Lions, the Vikings scored twice in the 4th quarter to grab the victory. With the win, the Vikings retained the top spot in the NFC North at 8-5, one game ahead of the 7-6 Chicago Bears.

Minnesota ended its 2008 divisional schedule with a respectable 4-2 record, and the team is now 5-1 since the bye weekend.

Despite a slow start in the first half, the Vikings offense found its rhythm scoring on 3 of its 4 possessions in the 2nd half, including 2 drives of 10 plays or more and a 90-yard touchdown drive.

After starting QB Gus Frerotte left the game shortly before halftime with a lower back injury, QB Tarvaris Jackson led the Vikings on two touchdown drives and another that resulted in a field goal. Jackson completed 8 of 10 attempts for 105 yards and a touchdown -- good for a 143.8 QB rating. His TD pass came on an 11-yard strike to TE Visanthe Shiancoe, who led all receivers on the day with 5 catches for 65 yards.

The Vikings other touchdown came when RB Chester Taylor, playing in his hometown, scampered for 17 yards into the end zone. He ran for 27 yards on 6 carries (4.5 average) and also caught 2 passes for 26 yards.

RB Adrian Peterson again rushed for over 100 yards (8th time this season) which tie a Viking team record. Peterson finished the day with 102 yards on 23 carries (4.4 average) and remains the NFL's leading rusher (1,413 yards).

The Vikings defense limited the Lions to only 16 points and a single TD.

The Vikings defense put the clamps on the Lions in the red zone as they surrendered only 6 points off 3 Lions possessions inside the 20-yard line.

Vikings defenders also stopped the Detroit Lions on two 4th down attempts. The Vikings 2nd ranked rushing defense held the Lions to 76 yards rushing. Lions QBs Daunte Culpepper and Drew Henson were sacked 4 times, twice by DE Jared Allen. Allen's sack total now sits at 12.5 on the season, which ties for most sacks among defensive linemen and defensive ends and ranks 4th overall in the NFL. DE Ray Edwards and DT Ellis Wyms recorded the other sacks. DT Kevin Williams led the team with 9 tackles (5 solo, 2 for a loss) while LB Chad Greenway had 8. \

K Ryan Longwell converted both field goal attempts, including one from 50 yards out. Longwell is 5-for-5 this season from 50 plus yards and is tied for 5th in the NFL in scoring. KR Darius Reynaud for the second week in a row took a kickoff back for 40+ yards when broke up the middle for 43.

NFL 2008 Week 14: Arizona Cardinals 34, Saint Louis Rams 10

Arizona scored TDs on its first 2 drives to take the early lead and a pair of 2nd half defensive TDs put it out of reach.

Kurt Warner threw for 279 yards and set the club's single-season record for completions with a 22-37 effort.

Anquan Boldin became the first player in Cardinals history to record four 1,000-yard campaigns and moved into 3rd on the team's all-time receptions list.

Defensively, MLB Gerald Hayes forced Steven Jackson fumbles on the first two drives of the second half while DT Darnell Dockett & CB Dominque Rodgers-Cromartie each scored their first career touchdowns.

The Cardinals scored quickly as Kurt Warner marched the Cardinals 76 yards in 10 plays and RB Tim Hightower rushed for his 10th TD. The next Cardinal drive ended when Larry Fitzgerald caught a 10-yard scoring pass from Warner capping a 6-play, 63-yard drive.

Warner's only mistake of the game came on the next series when he was intercepted by Ron Bartelt. Bartlett returned the INT 24 yards to the Cardinals 6 which resulted in the Rams only touchdown of the day -- a 3-yard Marc Bulger to Jackson pass.

The Arizona Cardinals then added a pair of Neil Rackers field goals (44, 22 yard) to take a 20-7 halftime lead.

The Rams opened the 2nd half by advancing to the 24 and looked ready to make it a one score game. However, Hayes forced a Jackson fumble that fellow LB Karlos Dansby recovered to kill the drive.

On the 2nd play of the next Rams drive, Hayes again forced a Jackson fumble and Dockett not only recovered but returned it 11 yards for a touchdown.

Josh Brown's 51-yard FG with 10:21 left made it 27-10 and it remained that wait until late in the 4th.

With 3:11 left in the game and the Rams threening on the Arizona 10, Rodgers-Cromartie intercepted a Bulger pass near the goal line and returned it for a franchise record-tying 99 yards TD.

MINNESOTA VIKINGS (8-5)

  • - Vikings QB GUS FREROTTE is 8-3 as a starter this year. Frerotte has 7 TD passes in past 3 games against the Cardinals, including 3 in their last meeting
  • - RB ADRIAN PETERSON has 961 rush yards (120.1 per game) & 6 TDs in past 8, including 6 100-yard games. Since entering NFL in 2007, averages 102.0 rush yards per game, most in NFL
  • - In his only start vs. the Cardinals (11/26/06), RB CHESTER TAYLOR rushed for 136 yards & 1 TD. Aims for 4th in row with TD
  • - Including playoffs, WR BERNARD BERRIAN has 20 TD catches & 14 have been 30 or more yards

  • Vikings lead the NFC in rush defense allowing only 73.3 yards per game. DE JARED ALLEN has 55.5 sacks since 2004, most in NFL. Allen has 10.5 sacks in past 8 games, including 2.0 last week. Had sack in only game vs. Cardinals S DARREN SHARPER had 2 INTs in 9/24/00 game vs. Cardinals (with the Green Bay Packers). Has 49 INTs since 2000, most in NFL. CB BENNY SAPP has INT in 2 of past 3. LB BEN LEBER had 2 FFs in last meeting. DE RAY EDWARDS had 0.5 sack in last game vs. the Cardinals

ARIZONA CARDINALS (8-5)

  • - The Cardinals clinched their first division title last week since 1975.
  • - The Cardinals lead the NFL ins scoring averaging 28.6 points per game
  • - QB KURT WARNER has 103.5 passer rating in 2 starts vs. the Vikings, completing 40 of 53 (75.5 pct.) for 490 yards. In starts with 15 or more attempts & 100.0 or more rating (including playoffs), his teams are 35-3 (.921)
  • - RB TIM HIGHTOWER leads NFL rookies with 10 rush TDs & set club rookie record. RB-KR J.J. ARRINGTON had 99-yard KR-TD in last meeting (6 KR, 220 yards, 36.7 avg.)
  • - WR ANQUAN BOLDIN had 9 catches for 140 yards & 1 TD in last meeting. Leads NFL with 11 receiving TDs. Has 1,004 receiving yards for team-record 4th 1,000-yard season.
  • - WR LARRY FITZGERALD had 11 catches for 172 yards in last meeting vs. hometown team.
  • - WR STEVE BREASTON has 28 catches for 402 yards (100.5 per game) & 1 TD in past 4 at home
  • - In last meeting, S ADRIAN WILSON had 99-yard fumble recovery for a TD. Is 1 of 4 active Ss with 15 or more INTs (18) & 15 or more sacks (18.5). Rookie CB DOMINIQUE RODGERS-CROMARTIE tied team record with 99-yard INT-TD last week. DT DARNELL DOCKETT had 11-yard fumble recovery for a TD last week. LB KARLOS DANSBY had 2.0 sacks in only career meeting.

PREDICTION: Arizona Cardinals 38 Minnesota Vikings 31

The Cardinals 4th-ranked offense lines up against the Vikings 8th-ranked defense, while the Cardinals 10th-ranked defense takes on the Vikings 18th-ranked offense. The Vikings currently have the 6th-ranked rushing offense and the 2nd-ranked rushing defense.

All of the above would normally lead to close fought game with each team scoring between 17 and 24 points.

But that should not be the case this week as this game is destined to be a shootout. The winner of this game may literally be the one to score last before the clock runs out.

With 279 passing yards last week against the Rams, Kurt Warner has now thrown for 4,020 yards so far this season, the fifth-highest total in NFL history through 13 games. Only Rich Gannon, Drew Brees (2) and Tom Brady have thrown for more yards in the first 13 games of a season. Brees has accomplished the feat twice, including this season. The NFL record for passing yards in a season is 5,084, established by Dan Marino in 1984.

Expect a big day from Kurt Warner, yet again and a Cardinals 38-31 victory at home.

Division Leading Vikings & Cards Clash in the Desert - NFL 2008 Week 15