Jake Locker is not expected to start on Sunday at Minnesota, meaning Matt Hasselbeck is back in the saddle at quarterback for the Titans. Hasselbeck, who lost the quarterback competition during training camp, did not look particularly sharp against the Texans on Sunday, but to his credit, no one has this season. On the bright side for the Titans, Chris Johnson finally eclipsed the 100-yard mark, rushing for over 140 yards against Houston. For the Vikings, the story has been defense. Sitting comfortably in first place in the NFC North, Minnesota ranks in the top 10 in three of the four major defensive categories, including up 18.0 points per game in 2012.
THE GAME
When the schedules came out and it was determined who the starting quarterbacks would be for the Titans and Vikings, this game had plenty of meaning. First round quarterback selections from the 2011 NFL Draft would be starting in year two, with Christian Ponder earning the reigns in Minnesota, and Jake Locker taking over in Tennessee. Locker however is expected to be a no-go on Sunday after a brutal hit against the Texans that left him out of the game with a shoulder injury. Ponder has done exactly what the Vikings needed him to do: protect the football. Through four games, the second-year quarterback has not thrown an interception. The good news for Ponder and the Vikings is they will be facing a Titans defense that hasn’t stopped much of anything in 2012. The Titans rank dead last, giving up nearly 38 points per game this season, to go along with well over 400 yards of total offense. Have fun and enjoy this one, Christian.
WHAT TO WATCH
Judging by the first four weeks of the season, the Titans are going to have to score in bunches to win games this season. With a defense ranking at the bottom of the NFL in almost every major category, Tennessee will have to control the football and score. To achieve that, Chris Johnson has to get going. The Titans were right where they wanted to be last Sunday against the Texans, trailing 14-7 in the third quarter and moving the football with balance. However, an interception and two quick scores put the game away before the fourth quarter even started. This will be an interesting matchup of two feature backs that still want to prove they have plenty left in the tank after spectacular starts to their respective careers. Adrian Peterson seems to be proving that point. Chris Johnson still has some work to do to win over the Tennessee faithful.
PREDICTION
The Vikings are 5.5 point favorites, and it’s probably because most people are not sold on Minnesota being true contenders this season. The interesting dynamic here is that in the Titans three losses this season, they have been outscored by an average of over 24 points per game. Even in the Titans win in week three, the defense still gave up 41 points. If you’re taking the Titans in this one, you’re taking the Titans to win the game. Even with the improvement in the run game last week in Houston, the Titans have not shown any fight whatsoever in the second half of games outside of the Detroit win. The safe bet here is to take Minnesota.