Miami Dolphins at Minnesota Vikings: Key information and first quarter discussion

It’s nearly game time, ladies and gentlemen, and for the first time in over a month we fans of the Minnesota Vikings don’t have to wait extra time to see our team in action. Things will be kicking off in less than an hour at U.S. Bank Stadium as the Vikings play host to the Miami Dolphins in a huge contest for both teams.

Here is everything you need to know about today’s game.

Time: Sunday, 16 December, noon Central time

Location: U.S. Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, Minnesota

Television coverage: WCCO-4 in the Twin Cities, CBS affiliates throughout the country, DirecTV Ch 706

Radio coverage: Vikings Radio Network, Sirius Channel 105, XM Channel 232

Line: Minnesota -7.5, Over/Under 44.5

Prediction: Vikings 27, Dolphins 20

Three keys

1) Get Dalvin Cook involved early - The Dolphins are one of the worst defenses in the NFL against the run, 29th overall, and they’re even worse on the road. Part of the reason that John DeFilippo was let go earlier this week was because this team didn’t run the football, and this game would appear to be a good one to try to get it going. If the Vikings can get Cook (and/or Latavius Murray) going early, they could really keep Miami’s defense off balance.

2) Get after Ryan Tannehill - Tannehill missed several games earlier this season with an injury, and is currently dealing with an ankle issue that has limited him in practice all week. That could hamper his mobility, and if the Vikings’ front four can go on the attack early, they could slow down the Miami offense considerably.

3) No mistakes - It seems like we say this every week, but the Vikings need to limit the number of mistakes they make. The Dolphins’ defense has generated more turnovers than any defense in the NFL, but one of the players that’s responsible for that, cornerback Xavien Howard, will not suit up for today’s game. The Vikings need to take care of the football, and if they can do that, there should be a clear path to victory for the purple.

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As we always do, we will have a new Open Thread firing up at the start of each quarter, so keep your eyes out for that. Here’s hoping for a good, solid football game that ends with our favorite team getting themselves back on the right track.

SKOLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL VIKINGS!!!!