Minnesota Vikings: 3 Bold predictions vs. Raiders, Week 3
Before the Minnesota Vikings host the Oakland Raiders on Sunday afternoon in Week 3, here are three bold predictions ahead of the game.
With the third week of the 2019 NFL regular season officially among us, the Minnesota Vikings will return home for their first matchup of the year against an AFC opponent on Sunday afternoon in Minneapolis.
The Vikings will welcome the Oakland Raiders into the hostile environment that is US Bank Stadium at noon on Sunday in Week 3 of the regular season schedule. At home this season, Minnesota is 1-0 after taking down the Atlanta Falcons in the regular season opener during action in Week 1.
The Vikings return back to their home field after falling to NFC North opponent and their bitter rivals the Green Bay Packers during the second week of the year last Sunday at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
With the loss to Green Bay, Minnesota dropped back down to the .500 mark in the 2019 campaign, moving to 1-1 on the season while sitting tied with the Chicago Bears (1-1 overall) in third place in the NFC North standings.
In the game against the Packers in Week 2, which saw Green Bay edge by Minnesota 21-16 to remain a perfect 2-0 on the year, the Vikings fell behind their division opponent early on in the contest and weren’t able to climb back into the game the rest of the way en route to the loss.
Minnesota allowed Green Bay to jump out to an early in the game a week ago, seeing the Packers rattle off 21-straight unanswered points to carry a 21-0 lead in the blink of an eye.
The Vikings were able to shut down the Packers for the remainder of the game, while scoring 10 points in the second quarter and six more in the third quarter, but were unable to steal the game on the road.
With the exception of that opening period to kick off the game in Week 2, Minnesota returned to the team we saw in the season-opening win over Atlanta in Week 1, displaying its dominant defense for the final three quarters against Green Bay.
As the Vikings enter Week 3 against an Oakland team that will come into the game at 1-1 on the year, it will be important for Minnesota to get back to the way we saw it play in its lone win of the regular season thus far. Being back at home in Minneapolis will likely help in getting the Vikings back on track.
Before the contest gets underway at US Bank Stadium on Sunday, let’s take a look at three bold predictions for the Vikings as they host the Raiders in their second home game of the season.