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The Arizona Cardinals are set to play the Minnesota Vikings in their second preseason game Saturday night. Let's look at both teams and their history and more.
The history:
The two teams have played each other eight previous times in the preseason -- four in Minnesota and four times where the Cardinals were the home team. The Vikings lead the preseason series 5-3, but are only 2-2 at home against the Cardinals in the preseason. In the regular season, the Vikings lead 13-10 and 2-0 in the postseason.
It will be the first time meeting in the preseason since 2004.Minnesota won that game 23-6.
The Cardinals have not beaten the Vikings since 2009.
Stats:
The Vikings are a different team this season. They have a new coaching staff, as Leslie Frazier was fired and Mike Zimmer replaced him. His new offensive coordinator is Norv Turner. But looking at last year's numbers, the Vikings were better than Arizona in some ways.
The Vikings scored more points in 2013. They were 14th in the league in points score (391) and the Cardinals were 16th with 379. Minnesota had 23 rushing touchdowns to Arizona's 12, but had only 18 passing scores, while Carson Palmer and the Cardinals scored 24.
The difference between the two teams was defensively. Arizona had the league's number one rushing defense, the seventh best scoring defense and sixth best defense in yards allowed. Minnesota had the league's worst scoring defense, allowing 480 points last season. They allowed a league-high 37 passing touchdowns. They were the second-worst team in yardage allowed.
Arizona was -1 in turnover ratio. Minnesota was -12.
Connections:
Each team as players that once played for the other team. The Cardinals have tight end John Carlson, who played the last two seasons for Minnesota.
Defensive tackle Anthony McCloud was in training camp last year with Minnesota, but was cut.
The Vikings have linebacker Jasper Brinkley. Brinkley signed a two-year contract with the Cardinals last offseason and started the first four games. But with both Karlos Dansby and Daryl Washington, Brinkley was relegated to special teams and was released in the offseason.
They also have tight end Kory Sperry, who was with the Cardinals last season and the last part of 2012.
Aside from that, Cardinals receivers Larry Fitzgerald and Michael Floyd both grew up in Minnesota.
Cardinals CBs coach Kevin Ross was a coach for the Vikings from 2003-05 and Vikings RBs coach Kirby Wilson was the Cardinals RB coach from 2004-06.
