No one has taken on adversity better than the Minnesota Vikings and Denver Broncos this season. The two teams were counted out early, but they have persevered and started epic comebacks that no one saw coming. After a 1-4 start, the Vikings have won five straight, and they've done it under circumstances that no one could have predicted they would succeed under, but more on that later.
The Broncos started off even worse, at 1-5. They haven't lost in over a month, though, and are currently riding a three-game winning streak. Someone's Cinderella story will end (or at least be halted) this week, though, as the Vikings and Broncos play each other during Sunday Night Football. This article will explain how you can watch the game.
When and where is Sunday Night Football?
The Vikings have the longest winning streak in the NFL, and the Broncos are tied for the second-longest such streak. They will meet head-to-head in Denver, Colorado, at the Broncos home. The game will be at Empower Field at Mile High. Kickoff is at 8:20 p.m. ET on Sunday, Nov. 19.
How to watch Vikings vs. Broncos
The Sunday Night Football game will be broadcast on NBC. You can also stream the game using fuboTV. Mike Tirico will be the play-by-play commentator and Cris Collinsworth will provide color commentary. Melissa Stark will be the sideline reporter.
Date: Sunday, Nov. 19 | Time: 8:20 p.m. ET
Location: Empower Field at Mile High — Denver, Colorado
TV channel: NBC | Live stream: fuboTV (click for a free trial)
Odds: Broncos -2.5 O/U 42.5
Vikings storylines
Over the offseason, the Minnesota Vikings moved on from a lot of their veteran players. It seemed to signal a rebuild, and that thought was seemingly proven true in the early part of the 2023 season. The Vikings lost their opener to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as well as the following two games. Making a playoff push after starting off 0-2 is rare, but doing so after starting off 0-3 is almost impossible. The Vikings are doing just that, though, and their five straight wins put them in second place in the NFC North.
Even through their early season losses, the Vikings offense always impressed. Kirk Cousins and Justin Jefferson proved why they are one of the best quarterback/receiver pairings in the league, but their connection was interrupted when Justin Jefferson was put on the injured reserve because of a hamstring injury. Jefferson is set to return now, but it will be without his quarterback.
Kirk Cousins tore his Achilles tendon in Week 8 and is out for the season. Joshua Dobbs has been his replacement, and his young stint in Minnesota has been a thing of beauty. Dobbs was traded for after Cousins' injury to be the backup, but presumed starter, Jaren Hall, was injured during his first start. The Vikings were down when Dobbs entered the game, and the former Cardinal led an epic comeback. He followed that up with a similarly impressive win over the New Orleans Saints, where he threw for 268 yards. Dobbs didn't even know a lot of his teammates during his first win, but everyone in Minnesota definitely knows him. The quarterback is quickly turning into a folk hero for Minnesotans, and now he will have arguably the best receiver in the NFL to throw passes to.
Broncos storylines
Even though the Vikings are on fire, the Broncos won't be an easy win for them. A team that seemed destined to tank as a newfound spark under Sean Payton and the Broncos are trying to make a late playoff push of their own. It will be tough, as only three teams that started their season 1-5 have made the playoffs, but the Broncos are a different team than they were at the start of the season.
The Broncos defense was historically bad to start the year. They gave up 70 points to the Miami Dolphins in one of the worst games in franchise history. Sean Payton has always been applauded as a great coach, though, and rebuilds take time. The Broncos are turning things around, and that is most true on the defensive end. In fact, the Broncos have the fewest touchdowns allowed since Week 6.
Furthermore, the Broncos' defense has forced nine turnovers in their last two games. Those games were against the Kansas City Chiefs and Buffalo Bills, the two teams many fans would argue are the two best offensive teams in football. Their run defense is vastly improved, but it is the passing defense that is such a strength. Patrick Surtain is arguably the best cornerback in the NFL, and Ja'Quan McMillian and Fabian Moreau have been great since surpassing Damari Mathis on the cornerback depth chart. Their secondary will get even better this week, as Kareem Jackson will make his return from suspension.
The Broncos' offense hasn't been too shabby, either. The Russell Wilson experiment was a disaster last year, but the former Seattle Seahawks' quarterback already has more passing touchdowns this season (18) than he did all of last year (16). Courtland Sutton, his top target, has stepped up in a big way recently. Sutton has scored in four straight games, and he had one of the best catches of the year last week.
After such horrible starts, a loss going forward will be devastating for either team's playoff hopes. That is sure to make for an exciting Week 11 matchup, though, especially during a prime-time broadcast.
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