Mike Zimmer’s defense finished No. 2 against the pass last season and did so despite facing top tier quarterbacks like Drew Brees, Ben Roethlisberger, Matthew Stafford, Matt Ryan, Cam Newton, Jared Goff and Kirk Cousins.
Aaron Rodgers was a non-factor because he broke his collarbone against the Vikings, who also lucked out with games against Andy Dalton, Brett Hundley, Mitch Trubisky, Joe Flacco and DeShone Kizer, all of whom were really bad last season.
This season’s schedule promises a bunch of extremely tough matchups and a handful of games that Zimmer’s defense should dominate. We’ve gone ahead and ranked Minnesota’s opposing quarterbacks, starting at the top with Rodg…. Tom Brady.
1. Tom Brady, Patriots
Brady has never lost to the Vikings, boasting a 4-0 record with 1,000 passing yards, nine touchdowns and just one interception.
2. Aaron Rodgers, Packers
Like it or not, Rodgers has pretty much owned Minnesota in his career, winning 12 of 19 regular season games while throwing for 39 touchdowns and just six interceptions.
3. Drew Brees, Saints
Does everyone remember how Brees sliced and diced the Vikings in the second half of the Vikings-Saints playoff game last season? If not for the Minneapolis Miracle, Brees might’ve led New Orleans back to the Super Bowl. The man has thrown for at least 4,300 yards in 12 straight seasons, and there’s no reason to think he won’t be elite again in 2018.
4. Russell Wilson, Seahawks
It was a down year for Seattle last season and it might be again in 2018, but Wilson still found a way to pass for 34 touchdowns and just 11 interceptions in 2017. He’s 3-0 in the regular season with eight touchdowns and no interceptions against the Vikings in his career.
5. Matthew Stafford, Lions
Stafford is routinely above 300 yards passing but he has yet to do so against Zimmer’s Vikings. That said, he’s a dangerous division foe.
6. Carson Wentz, Eagles
Minnesota might be glad to see Wentz rather than Nick Foles, who torched them in last season’s NFC title game. Prior to tearing his ACL last season, Wentz was tracking towards an MVP trophy.
7. Jared Goff, Rams
The Vikings shut Goff and the Rams down at U.S. Bank Stadium last season, but it was his first as L.A.’s full-time starter and he finished with 3,800 yards, 28 touchdowns and just seven interceptions. The Rams are loaded and Goff has a year under his belt, meaning there’s no reason the 2016 No. 1 overall pick won’t make another big jump this season.
8. Jimmy Garoppolo, 49ers
Garoppolo led the 49ers to five straight wins to finish last season and he averaged 300 yards per game. He’s a fantasy football darling who the Vikings will see right away in Week 1.
9. Sam Bradford or Josh Rosen, Cardinals
The ex-Vikings quarterback is competing for the starting job with Rosen, the first-round pick from UCLA. Bradford can be very good but Minnesota’s defense should be able to slow him, or Rosen, down.
10. Ryan Tannehill, Dolphins
Miami lost Jarvis Landry in free agency to the Browns and this is Tannehill’s first year back from an ACL tear.
11. Sam Darnold, Josh McCown or Teddy Bridgewater, Jets
A rookie, a 39-year-old veteran or the former fan favorite in Minnesota. Either way, the Jets aren’t expected to be very good.
12. Mitch Trubisky, Bears
He struggled mightily as a rookie and the Vikes’ defense might be even better this season. Good luck, Mitch.
13. Josh Allen or Nate Petermann, Bills
Allen is the big rookie from Wyoming whose drawn comparisons to Ben Roethlisberger. Petermann threw five interceptions in the first half of his first NFL game, so not a lot to be concerned about in the Week 3 game against Buffalo.
Did we get it right? Let us know in the comments sections on Facebook and Twitter.
