NFL Preseason Week 1: Brad Childress and the Vikings are in Indianapolis this evening to face the Colts and new Head Coach Jim Caldwell. The start time for tonight's preseason battle is 7:30pm ET. Online bookmaker SBGglobal.com has the visiting Vikings listed as a -2 against the favorite in their NFL Preseason Week 1: Minnesota Vikings vs Indianapolis Colts NFL Picks, Odds & Predictions.
The biggest question for the Vikings entering training camp, and now their first preseason game, is how the passing game will perform. Minnesota pursued Brett Favre in the off-season but could not convince him to come out of retirement, leaving the team with journeyman passer Sage Rosenfels and the inconsistent Tavaris Jackson.
Most reports coming out of the Vikings' training camp in regard to the pass offense are not good. Even Jackson indicated that there a number of questions to be answered before the pass game can be considered a sufficient compliment to Adrian Peterson and the ground attack.
"We've got to find ourselves," Jackson said. "When we have to throw the football, can we throw it? Not just on running downs and first downs. When we have to throw the football late in the game, can we do it? We've just got to try and get to that level and be consistent."
Childress also expressed his concerns about the situation, suggesting that the passing game is nowhere near where it needs to be.
"We have a lot of work to do in all areas," Childress said. "Whether it's throwing it, route running, protection, blitz pickup, breaking and beating man to man…we have a long way to go to be happy with the passing game."
The work will continue tonight as Rosenfels gets the start in Indy. Jackson will also see time, despite his knee injury, and is rumored to be the starter when the Vikings take on the Chiefs in their second preseason game on the 21st.
Minnesota Vikings +2 (-110), Over 36 (-110), -135 (Moneyline)
Indianapolis Colts -2 (-110), Under 36 (-110), +115 (Moneyline)
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