Everything to Know about Vikings-Chargers
Nate Powalie
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The Minnesota Vikings need a win. This guide, in particular, will look forward to the upcoming Week 3 showdown on Sunday between the Vikings and the Los Angeles Chargers at U.S. Bank Stadium.
Everything to Know about Vikings-Chargers
To go into detail, this media guide will look at the basic information to know ahead of the game, as well as how the game can be viewed, streamed, or listened to, as well as a projected weather forecast for fans to know before they come into the game, statistical leaders for both teams and score projections from some of our staff here at VikingsTerritory.
For betting information, the Associated Press has the early draw line for the game here.
But now, it’s time for the full details of the Minnesota Vikings Media Guide as we look forward to Week 3 of the NFL season.
General Information for the Minnesota Vikings Media Guide
Game: Los Angeles Chargers (0-2) @ Minnesota Vikings (0-2)
When: Sunday, September 24, 1 PM ET (12 PM CT)
Where: US Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Forecast outside stadium: 62 degrees, 60% chance of rain showers, 14 MPH winds
Where to watch: FOX KMSP Channel 9, or live stream on Fubo, YouTube TV Sunday Ticket
More Details
Overall, both teams are coming out of the gate a little disappointing. But we won’t focus too much on the negatives. Sure, the Vikings and the Chargers may be off to an 0-2 start. But history proves that just because a team loses its first two games doesn’t mean their playoff hopes are immediately dead in the water. If a team starts a season 0-3, that is a whole different ballgame. So, yes, this game would be considered a must-win for the Vikings and the Chargers.
One thing to watch for is what kind of game this will turn out to be. To do that, let’s detail some of the big names to keep an eye on.
Key Players to Watch in the Week 3 Edition of the Minnesota Vikings Media Guide
Both teams have explosive offenses, with two of the premier quarterbacks in the league. This media guide will look at a couple of players on both sides, not just for each team’s offense but also for the defense.
Of course, no Minnesota Vikings Media Guide would be complete without mentioning quarterback Kirk Cousins. Cousins, now in his 12th season in the NFL, is off to an impressive statistical start despite the team’s 0-2 blemish. Through two games, Cousins has completed just under 73% of his passes (64-of-88) for 708 yards and a 6-to-1 touchdown-to-interception ratio.
The 708 yards through the air are second-best in the NFL behind Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who has 715. The six passing scores tie with Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love for the league lead, while the 72.7% completion rate is third-best behind Buffalo Bills gunslinger Josh Allen (76.9%, tops) and Baltimore Ravens QB Lamar Jackson (74.6%, second). Those stats are for the throwers who have attempted at least 45 passes.
Another stat to keep an eye on is the struggles of the Chargers’ defense. They have surrendered the most yards per game and highest passing yards per game through two contests (438.5 YPG, 333 passing yards per game, respectively.).
Another guy often mentioned in a Minnesota Vikings media guide is fourth-year star wideout Justin Jefferson. Jefferson is already leading the league in receiving yards with 309 through two contests and is second in catches with 20. With an average of just under 15.5 yards per catch, Jefferson is one of the more dynamic receivers in the league.
Minnesota Vikings Media Guide: Defensive Stars for the Purple and Gold
Flipping to the other side of the ball, one guy already seeing a lot of action through the first two weeks is safety Camryn Bynum. The third-year pro leads the squad and is tied for fourth overall in the NFL with 25 total tackles. He’s coming off of a 15-tackle performance in last Thursday’s loss in Philadelphia. He likely will draw an intriguing match-up against an exciting Chargers receiving core in Keenan Allen, Mike Williams, and Joshua Palmer.
Staying in the secondary, another guy to watch will be rookie corner, Akayleb Evans. A recent Vikingswire article notes that Evans has surrendered eight receptions on 14 targets, which would make him one of the better cornerbacks in the NFL.
Evans is proving to be a very versatile secondary player who can cover receivers well and step up when needed in run coverage. Williams and Allen will prove to be another difficult test for the rookie, however.
Minnesota Vikings Media Guide: LA Chargers Big Names
Now, for the first time in this Minnesota Vikings Media Guide, we turn to the opposing squad: the visitors, the LA Chargers.
Of course, the first name people turn to when discussing the Bolts is quarterback Justin Herbert. The fourth-year pro from the University of Oregon is already cementing himself as a big-play kind of QB who is not afraid to be a dual-threat option.
Through two games, Herbert is 50-of-74 passing for 534 yards and a 3-0 touchdown-interception ratio. He has 17 rushing yards, but pressure does appear to rattle him, as he has already been sacked six times in the early going.
If the Vikings can create some pressure early, it may very well be a long day for Herbert.
In the receiving corps, Mike Williams will be a name to watch. Despite being more of a No. 2 option than Keenan Allen, Williams can do some major damage on offense. The former Clemson Tiger already has two 1000-yard receiving seasons under his belt, and through two games in 2023, he has 12 catches for 128 yards.
Sure, he might not be quite the guy Allen is, but Williams can still hold his own and be the lights-out wide receiver LA can rely on for big plays.
Now for the Chargers defense, and one name to watch for is safety Derwin James. The hard-hitting safety from Florida State already has 17 tackles and a pair of pass deflections to his credit through the first two weeks.
Meanwhile, on the edge, Joey Bosa lurks. The d-end is coming off of a 2-sack performance against the Titans in Nashville last week.
Score Predictions from Staff in Minnesota Vikings Media Guide
For the VikingsTerritory Staff insert in the Minnesota Vikings Media Guide, we go over our score predictions here. While the scores may be all over the place, one common theme appears. We’re all picking Minnesota to win.
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