The Minnesota Vikings host the Arizona Cardinals at the U.S. Bank Stadium in Week 8. The Vikings will try to preserve their immaculate home record while aiming for their sixth win of the season. If they succeed, the Vikings will continue to dominate the NFC North and remain within striking distance of the Philadelphia Eagles in their conference. Here are our Minnesota Vikings Week 8 predictions as they take on the Cardinals.
The Vikings are well rested following their Week 7 bye. Minnesota had won four straight games before the break, the most recent of which was a 24-16 triumph over the Miami Dolphins. Only time will tell whether coach Mike McDaniel's team can continue where they left off.
Meanwhile, the Cardinals are riding high after defeating the New Orleans Saints 42-34 last week. In that game, the returning DeAndre Hopkins collected 10-of-14 targets for 103 yards.
With all these in mind, here are our four bold predictions for the Minnesota Vikings in their Week 8 game against the Cardinals.
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4. DeAndre Hopkins will burn the Vikings secondary for 100+ yards
The Cardinals' passing offense has been quite erratic this year, largely thanks to the absence of ace WR DeAndre Hopkins. Recall that he was suspended for using performance-enhancing substances. Hopkins reclaimed his rightful role as Cardinals QB Kyler Murray's favorite player in Week 7. It goes without saying that the Vikings have a strong chance of halting the Cardinals' passing attack if they can stop Hopkins on Sunday.
Of course, that's actually easier said than done. Take note that Hopkins had a 48 percent target share last week. We expect him to enjoy around the same number in Week 8. This means that the Vikings secondary will have its work cut out as they aim for win No. 6. We expect CB Patrick Peterson to line up opposite Hopkins, which should be a very good matchup. Peterson has done well this season with one INT and seven pass defenses. Still, he'll have his hands full against Hopkins, who should record over 100+ yards again.
3. Za'Darius Smith devours Kyler Murray for 1.5+ sacks
The Minnesota Vikings are 5-1 right now. That's thanks in large part to a defense that bends when needed but never breaks. The defense has several incredibly important components, and none of them have been doing better than Za'Darius Smith. In fact, according to PFF, he was the fourth-best defensive player in the National Football League after week six.
The highest-graded defenders from Week 6 💪 pic.twitter.com/JPi6W05nlG
— PFF (@PFF) October 18, 2022
Smith was outstanding in the Vikings' last game. He was consistently in the backfield, recording 11 pressures and two sacks on the day. Needless to say, the Vikings have gotten a lot out of Smith after signing him in the offseason. He is a leader on the defense with a relentless motor that keeps opposing quarterbacks up at night. After suiting up for the Green Bay Packers for three seasons, he is swiftly becoming a fan favorite in Minnesota. Kyler Murray is quaking in his boots at the prospect of being on the receiving end of at least one Za'Darius Smith sack in Week 8.
2. Dalvin Cook goes over 90+ yards and gets another TD
During Minnesota's Week 6 win over Miami, RB Dalvin Cook carried 13 times for 77 yards. He also had a touchdown while receiving his lone target for six yards. That was a pretty good day for Cook despite the fact that 53 of his 77 yards came on a touchdown rush in the fourth quarter.
In Week 8, we expect Cook to have another solid showing. Given Arizona's 12th-ranked rush defense, we expect the Vikings to give Cook more-than-usual chances to put up ground yardage. The last time he went upwards of 90 yards was back in Week 5 against the Bears, but we feel he should be in great form here once again. We also see him breaking into the endzone for his fifth TD of the season.
1. Kirk Cousins and his receivers go for over 250+ yards
Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins has struggled with reads this season. Too many times, he has made inaccurate and hasty judgments. During the first four years of his Vikings employment, he made these with greater consistency. In 2022, anyone who watches Cousins can sense that he isn't totally comfortable with this scheme yet. We feel, however, that the bye week boosted his confidence and should help the offense run more smoothly against Arizona.
Keep in mind as well that the Vikings' greatest chance to exploit the Cardinals is through the passing game. So far this season, the Cardinals rank 29th in pass defense, and their secondary isn't very good. The Vikings can take advantage of three really excellent wide receivers in Justin Jefferson, Adam Thielen, and K.J. Osborn. We expect them to combine with Cousins to put up over 250+ air yards in this contest.
Cousins also has a favorable matchup against Arizona this week. Again, the Cardinals' defense has struggled against quarterbacks this season. In terms of fantasy football metrics, they have surrendered 18-plus points to four different QBs this season. That's a good sign for Cousins as they try to nail win No. 6.
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