Cardinals at Vikings
John Skelton returns to his role as Arizona's starting quarterback when
the Cardinals visit the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday in a battle of
playoff contenders. Skelton won the job from Kevin Kolb coming
out of training camp, but promptly sprained his ankle in Week 1. Kolb, a
big reason for the Cardinals' 4-0 start, injured his ribs in Arizona's
19-16 overtime loss to Buffalo last week and is expected to miss
6-to-8 weeks. The Vikings were allowing only 15.8 points per game
before getting thrashed at Washington 38-26, so a better defensive
effort is expected from sack specialist Jared Allen and Co.
TV: 1 p.m. ET, FOX. LINE: Vikings -6.5, O/U 40
ABOUT
THE CARDINALS (4-2): Arizona yielded 22 sacks in the last three games -
and an NFL-high 28 this season - and must brace for Allen, who has a
sack in each of the last four games among Minnesota's 15 sacks.
One way to keep the Vikings from pressuring Skelton is to jump-start the
NFL's No. 27 rushing offense at 83.2 yards per game, although Minnesota's
No. 11 rushing defense (96.0) may have something to say about that. Undrafted rookie William Powell, the third-string running back, had 70 yards on 13 carries last week in his first start. Arizona's No. 3
defense is third in sacks with 19, led by linebacker Daryl Washington's
four. The Cardinals are also eighth in the league with a plus-4 turnover
margin.
ABOUT THE VIKINGS (4-2): Minnesota also must do a better
job of protecting its quarterback as Christian Ponder has been sacked
13 times, tied for 11th-most in the league. Ponder went down
four times last week, but did have time to complete 11 passes for 133
yards to Percy Harvin, who leads the NFL with 49 receptions. Minnesota's
other top offensive weapon - running back Adrian Peterson - is
seventh in the NFL with 499 yards, and leads the league's No. 8 rushing
attack which produces 126.8 per game. The Vikings have lost five fumbles
- seventh-worst in the NFL - and must do a better job protecting the ball against Arizona's opportunistic defense.
EXTRA POINTS
1. Skelton is 8-4 as a starter.
2. Ponder didn't throw an interception in his first four games this season but has thrown four in his last two contests.
3.
The teams have met four straight seasons with Minnesota winning three,
including a 34-10 victory in 2011 when Peterson rushed for three
touchdowns and 122 yards.