Vikings-Bengals Preview

In my opinion, this is a must-win game for the Purple today. The Bengals are the last true quality test that the Vikes will get before the playoffs (You never know how that last game against the Giants will be played). If they lose today, legitimate questions will start being raised as to whether or not they can beat the top teams. They need to prove that the loss in Arizona last week was just a bump in the road, not a sign of things to come. Here's how I see the game playing out:

-The Bengals will have a tough time moving the ball against the Vikings defense. Cincinnati likes to run first and the Vikings are one of the best at stopping the run. The Vikings defense will prevail in that battle at home. Cincy's offense will be forced to be one-dimensional and the Bengals don't have enough weapons in the passing game, other than Chad Ochocinco. Carson Palmer is a very good quarterback, but he will face a lot of pressure all day long from the best defensive line in football.

-The Vikings have too many weapons on offense. Even though Percy Harvin is out today, the Purple can still beat you in so many ways. Expect TE Visanthe Shiancoe to see more looks on third down with Harvin out. The man to watch today, however, is Adrian Peterson. I keep saying he is due for a break out game and it has to come sometime. The reason it may today is that the Vikes have been talking all week about getting back to running the ball. Even though the Bengals are one of the top teams in the league at stopping the run, expect a heavy dose of Adrian Peterson today. The Vikings O-Line and AD have something to prove this week.

-CB Antoine Winfield finally returns this week (It's actually true. I just checked the list of actives/inactives). The Vikes had been surviving without their Pro Bowl corner until last week. However, Arizona had the weapons in Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin to exploit Winfield's absence. It will really help to have Winfield back to cover Chad Ochocinco today. Also, the Bengals don't have enough other weapons in the passing game to attack the Vikings. Winfield's presence will be huge because he will hold Cincy's big play threat in check.

-The Vikings are at home, where they are 6-0. That will be a huge factor in this game. The Vikings play much better at the Dome, particularly their front four. Jared Allen and Williams Wall are able to get better jumps when the opponent has to deal with the noise. If this game were in Cincy, the Bengals might win. They won't win in Minnesota.

-One note to point out is that the Bengals are catching the Vikings at a very good time. Rookies Jasper Brinkley and Jamarca Sanford are making their first career starts on defense today at linebacker and safety. Percy Harvin is out. The Vikes are coming off their first loss. However, this is the type of game that championship teams find a way to win, and that is what I believe the Vikings are. The Vikes are at home and they should come out with some fire and anger today, after showing little last week in Arizona.

Prediction:

Vikings 24, Bengals 16

SKOL.