Here's The Situation: Jets

When you're on a team like the Vikings, you can't take any opponent for granted. Heck, it's the NFL. No one can take any opponent for granted. It's a tough league to win in, and if you overlook anyone, it's going to inevitably bite you in the rear end.

That said, the Jets are a terrible football team, and when the Vikings players and coaches started studying them on film, they have to be thinking to themselves 'this is a game we are going to win'. Granted, they need to play well, and Percy Harvin will be a factor, yet when it's all said and done, if the Vikings do the following, they should beat the Jets (finally).

Stop the running game: The Jets do one thing very well, and that's run the ball. Chris Ivory and Chris Johnson are both very good, and if the Jets can sustain drives by running the ball, they'll be able to hang around. If they hang around, they'll get a belief that they can win their first road game all year. Belief is a powerful thing, folks, and it's something you want to eliminate early. Load the box, stop the run, and make Geno Smith throw the ball. When he does...

Limit Percy Harvin: You can make the argument that Harvin is already limited by his quarterback, but still, letting him loose in the secondary is a pretty dumb idea. Other than Harvin there's not one guy on the Jets receiving corps that worries me, and I like the Vikings secondary matchups here. Xavier Rhodes has become a shutdown corner, so the plan to me is simple. Put Rhodes on Harvin, put Captain Munnerlyn on Eric Decker, and take your chances everywhere else. Geno Smith is erratic and rattles easily, so solid pressure won't give him time to go past his top two targets, anyway.

Start fast again: I know getting two blocked punts returned for scores isn't going to happen again, but the Vikings offense and defense can combine for a fast start to get the team an early lead. The Jets have a good defense, but it's one you can move the ball on. A quick scoring drive on offense and a couple of three and outs by the defense would be optimal, and set the tone for the game. An early 10-0 or 14-0 lead would force the jets out of their run first offense, and the potential for it getting ugly would increase exponentially.

Don't gamble on defense: The one thing about the Jets offense is that eventually, they're going to make a mistake. They're -11 in turnover ratio, and at some point, either early, middle, or late (usually a combination), the Jets will make a mistake and turn the ball over. be patient, play your game, and when GENO offers up a gift, accept it.

Win the field position battle: Both of these offenses have struggled in 2014, but the Vikings are starting to show some late season signs of life. Still, both New York and the Vikings have stout defenses, and I don't see either offense mounting 12 play, 80 yard touchdown drives consistently. When you combine the Jets penchant for a turnover, and the Vikings ability to not turn the ball over (2 INT in last five games) makes me think the Vikings will have an opportunity to play on a much shorter field than the Jets will. That means they'll have more opportunities to get in the end zone, and need to take advantage of those opportunities when they arise.

I really like Minnesota's chances here. The Jets are down, the Vikings seem to be in a bit of a groove, and they're coming off a nice win against the Panthers last week. Let's hope they keep the good times rolling.