The Minnesota Vikings are rolling into their second preseason game already banged up, a rough start after their 13-10 win over the New York Giants. Keeping players healthy was priority number one, and they flat-out failed on that key last week, with injuries popping up on that MetLife Stadium turf. Today, against the Baltimore Ravens at U.S. Bank Stadium, they just have to make it through clean.
The Backup QB Battle Is Heating Up
With Kyler Murray sidelined, all eyes are on the backup quarterback situation. J.J. McCarthy is set to get the start, but his numbers against the Giants weren’t great. Honestly, he didn’t get a ton of help out there. Carson Wentz, though, got extended run last week, partially because Max Brosmer went down. Wentz could absolutely make a strong push for that #2 spot. This isn’t just a scrimmage; it’s a real battle, and how these guys perform today will tell us a lot about what the coaching staff is thinking.
Special Teams Flags Need a Major Cleanup
Last week, we saw the same old special teams issues that plagued them all last season. It felt like there was a flag on practically every single play, especially on punt returns. Seriously, they even got a flag on a fair catch punt return. That’s next-level frustrating. A lot of these penalties came from guys fighting for the bottom spots on the roster, but these are exactly the kind of mistakes that absolutely crush you later on. They have to clean this stuff up, starting today, if they want to build any kind of momentum.
The Vikings are hosting the Ravens today, Saturday, August 22, 2026, at noon Central time. The game is inside, so no weather worries, and you can catch it on FOX 9 or NFL+. Plus, the new general manager, Nolan Teasley, is hopping on the KFAN broadcast for the entire third quarter. It’ll be interesting to hear what the new guy in charge has to say as the team tries to tighten things up.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Daily Norseman.
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