Viktor
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- Mar 19, 2019
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5. Reclaim the pigskin
The Vikings may have opened on their home turf, but they didn't play Sunday's game on their terms.
Minnesota trailed time of possession by a whopping 41:16 to 18:44. The lopsided imbalance resulted in part from mistakes at critical junctures that prevented the defense from getting off the field.
Stacking games of poor possession times can have residual effects on a defense, and the Vikings would like to avoid that from happening early this season. Minnesota ranked 26th in average time of possession (28:50) last season.
Indianapolis tied for 14th a year ago with an average of 30:02 and won time of possession against Jacksonville 33:23 to 26:37 last week.
Vikings-Colts Connections
Rhodes played for the Vikings from 2013-19. He was drafted by Minnesota in the first round of the 2013 NFL Draft and made three Pro Bowls.
Colts defensive line coach Brian Baker was an assistant with the Vikings from 2001-05 (defensive line in 2001 and 2004-05; linebackers from 2002-03).
Indianapolis defensive backs coach/cornerbacks Jonathan Gannon was the assistant defensive backs/quality control coach in Minnesota from 2014-17.
Indianapolis defensive backs coach/safeties Alan Williams was Minnesota's defensive coordinator from 2012-13.
Professional Connections
Vikings Offensive Coordinator Gary Kubiak was a senior personnel advisor from 2017-18, and quarterbacks coach Klint Kubiak was an offensive assistant/quarterbacks from 2016-18 in Denver, overlapping from 2017-18 with Colts offensive line coach Chris Strausser, who was an assistant offensive line coach in 2017 and offensive line/tackles coach in 2018.
College Connections
Colts defensive quality control coach David Overstreet II coached Vikings cornerback Mike Hughes at Garden City (Kansas) Community College in 2016.
Vikings LB Anthony Barr (2010-13) and LB Eric Kendricks (2011-14) overlapped with Colts DT Eli Ankou (2013-16) at UCLA. Vikings running backs coach Kennedy Polamalu was UCLA's running backs coach from 2014-15 and offensive coordinator in 2016.
Bradbury teamed with Hines at N.C. State.
Minnesota LB Ryan Connelly and Taylor overlapped at Wisconsin.
Vikings RG Pat Elflein and DE Jalyn Holmes were teammates of Colts S Malik Hooker, DT/DE Tyquan Lewis and WR Parris Campbell during parts of their careers at Ohio State.
Minnesota DE Ifeadi Odenigbo and Indianapolis LB Anthony Walker teamed together at Northwestern.
Vikings DE D.J. Wonnum and Colts DT Taylor Stallworth were teammates at South Carolina.