Purple Podcast: Previewing Vikings-Broncos, getting to Peyton Manning

PREDICTION: Denver appears vulnerable as Minnesota brings a power ground game and an ascending young defense to town. They present a huge challenge for a Vikings team that is now on a roll. They easily had their best outing Sunday night in Detroit while both Kubiak and Manning believe they have found a little something in the pistol formation. The Broncos also stopped a 2-point conversion run, keeping them ahead 14-12 early in the third quarter.

Two undrafted free agents, five years apart, Norwood and Fowler have shown flashes of being suitable targets for Manning’s short passes.

Most teams would love to have this imbalance if it meant Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders were in charge of the bulk of their yard-gaining, but for a franchise that’s steadily possessed an array of options for Manning to throw to, the lack of proven weaponry behind their starting wideouts is curious.

“I think (Sambrailo) looked at the sidelines and everybody said, ‘No, ‘” Kubiak said. “We need to be smart, too”.

“You just have to be hungry”, defensive end Everson Griffen said.

“Our responsibility is get to the ball on defence”, Bruton said.

Despite its issues at quarterback in between Jake Plummer and Manning, Denver’s had quality wideouts for the most part, from Rod Smith to Brandon Marshall to Brandon Lloyd.

Design and call more outside running plays that put let the back have to make the play happen.

Manning’s passer rating of 83.3 is 24.5 points lower than his average since coming to Denver in 2012. “That’s a pretty good combination, so I think you’ll continue to see him to be involved in this offense”. “There’s still room for improvement”. Are we going to see something new out of our offense this week? Into thin air and the rowdy cauldron of Sports Authority Field goes Bridgewater, whose 16th start promises to be his most demanding road test yet. The Broncos earned that distinction by giving up a league-leading 176.3 passing yards per game.

If the Vikings are forced to throw to get back into a game, you are taking away their best offensive weapon.

“We know that those guys play extremely well at home”, Bridgewater said Wednesday. In addition, receiver Charles Johnson is suffering through a tough rib injury-and as of Thursday, neither receiver had participated in practice.

On the eighth question, he began story time when asked about a few of his highlights in the Broncos’ victory over the Detroit Lions. But he feels it will get easier over time. The Broncos rank 31st in yards (171) and sit tied for last in yards per carry (2.6).

In a video posted on denverbroncos.com, Texas natives Denver Head Coach Gary Kubiak, Defensive Coordinator Wade Phillips and Von Miller, as well as DeMarcus Ware, who played nine seasons in Dallas, weighed in on Peterson. They have arguably the best running back in the game in Adrian Peterson and a very tough defense.

Still, it’s the Jets, a fierce AFC East rival, and Miami would fall deep in the division cellar if it does not get going. But they will have to play great to beat the Broncos. But the Broncos use a lot of personnel as well.

But Manning draws from the deepest reservoir of quarterbacking gumption, experience that still makes him unsafe if no longer explosive. Having the perennial Pro Bowler back has helped the Vikings’ offense, but Bridgewater’s maturation in reading the defense at the line of scrimmage has also helped. “He asked whoever kept the stats, I can’t remember if it was Rudi or whatever, and he goes, ‘Come on guys, give ’em the stats, look on the bright side”.