Preseason Vikings Vs Broncos

  

Action photos from the Broncos' preseason opener against the Vikings. 1 / 78 Celebrating running back Phillip Lindsay (2)'s touchdown in the second half vs. Gabriel Christus/© Gabriel Christus/Denver Broncos 2 / 78 Wide receiver Isaiah McKenzie (16) celebrates after scoring a touchdown on a punt return during the NFL preseason. Watch Minnesota Vikings quarterback Trevor Siemian's highlights from preseason week 1. Watch Minnesota Vikings quarterback Trevor Siemian's highlights from preseason week 1. As the Vikings open the preseason Saturday, they'll line up across from the quarterback whose unlikely rise to the starting job fueled the team's trip to the NFC Championship Game last season. Broncos highlights Aug 11, 2018 Watch highlights from the preseason Week 1 matchup between the Minnesota Vikings and Denver Broncos.

The Minnesota Vikings will head to Denver, Colorado to take on the Broncos in week 1 of the NFL Preseason schedule. This game will be more like a glorified scrimmage as both teams will be facing a different team for the first time since training camp began. Many of the starters will see limited action in this game.

A quick look back at last year’s fate of both teams could be helpful in determining who will have the upper hand in this game. The Vikings came out of nowhere last season to capture the NFC North Division crown with a 13-3 record. Denver, meanwhile stumbled to a last place finish in the AFC West, finishing the season with a 5-11 record. The Broncos come into this game as the small -1 favorite over the Vikings.

Vikings Camp Getting Testy

Broncos

The Minnesota Vikings have lofty goals in 2018, and it appears that the competition in camp is in line with these goals. Earlier this week head coach Mike Zimmer had to bench Stefon Diggs and Xavier Rhodes for repeated trash talking against one another. The two players returned to practice on Friday, and compared their actions to a “family feud.”

The Vikings will be unveiling new quarterback Kirk Cousins on Saturday night in Denver. Cousins comes to the Vikings after a solid career with the Washington Redskins. Cousins is not expected to play more than two series in this game, leaving Trevor Siemian to get a majority of the reps. Minnesota should feature another very strong defense in 2018, and points will be hard to come by against them.

Keenum Takes Over in Denver

Former Vikings quarterback, CaseKeenum will be taking over the starting job with the Denver Broncos. Keenum had the best season of his career in 2017, leading the Vikings to the NFC Championship game. Keenum signed with the Broncos this offseason after it was clear that the Vikings were going a different direction with Cousins. He will have plenty of motivation in this game, although will likely only play a few series.

One of the biggest question marks for the Broncos in 2018 will be their defense. Denver gave up 22.9 points per game last season, which had them in the bottom third of the league. Linebacker Von Miller is expected to suit up on Saturday night, and he remains the leader of the Broncos defense. Many players will use the preseason as an audition to show coach Vance Joseph that they should make the opening day roster.

Vikings Beat the Broncos

It can be hard to predict what will happen in week 1 of the preseason, but Vikings coach MikeZimmer has had great success in the past. Zimmer’s teams are 12-5 against the spread in preseason games, and the matchup clearly favors them in this one.

The Broncos don’t have a clear number two quarterback, and that will hurt them after Keenum leaves the game. Minnesota has their sights set on a Super Bowl berth in 2018, and they will be prepared and ready to go in this one. Bet the Minnesota Vikings +1 to defeat the Broncos on Saturday night.

DENVER -- Kirk Cousins was perfect in his cameo, and then kicked back and watched two former Broncos quarterbacks tear apart their old teammates.

Cousins completed all four of his passes in the Vikings' 42-28 exhibition victory Saturday night, including a 1-yard touchdown strike on a quick slant to Stefon Diggs .

'I think it was a smooth first drive but it is a small sample size and the next couple of weeks will be a good test for us,' Cousins said.

Diggs called it a good first step.

'He's a good quarterback,' Diggs said. 'He makes some great throws.'

Case Keenum wasn't nearly as sharp in his Denver debut, completing just 1 of 4 passes for 5 yards spanning two drives.

'It's just frustrating not playing well and you don't have a chance to bounce back from it,' Keenum said.

Cousins was the crown jewel of this year's free-agent class of quarterbacks, signing an $84 million, three-year deal in Minneapolis. That meant Keenum was out two months after leading the Vikings to the NFC championship, and he signed a $36 million, two-year deal with Denver.

The Broncos then traded their starter, Trevor Siemian, to the Vikings to serve as Cousins' backup -- so long as he beats out Kyle Sloter, another former Denver QB.

That left Paxton Lynch and Chad Kelly vying for No. 2 duty in Denver.

So, this preseason opener was filled with quarterback intrigue.

After Cousins' single series -- one in which he didn't have to face Von Miller -- Siemian led Minnesota on three scoring drives, most notably a screen pass to Roc Thomas that beat the blitz for a 78-yard score .

Siemian was 11 of 17 for 165 yards, two TDs and an interception against his old team.

'It was a little weird for sure, but good to see old buddies,' Siemian said.

Lynch, the former first-rounder twice beaten out by Siemian in Denver, was just 6 of 11 for 24 yards and an interception.

'Obviously I'm upset,' he said.

Despite 17 yards passing overall in the first half, the Broncos only trailed 24-14 at halftime thanks to Isaiah McKenzie's 78-yard punt return for a TD and rookie Royce Freeman's 23-yard TD scamper -- Denver's only first down before halftime.

Just when the crowd was starting to lament losing Siemian and Sloter, in came Kelly to fire up the crowd.

Kelly threw a 36-yard touchdown pass to tight end Matt LaCosse. Amid chants of 'Kelly! Kelly!' he also drove Denver 85 yards in 11 plays, capping the drive with a 19-yard strike to running back Phillip Lindsay to put the Broncos on top 28-27 with 10 minutes remaining.

Broncos

Sloter, who was cut by Denver a year ago, responded by throwing a 9-yard touchdown pass to Chad Beebe with six minutes left to put the Vikings back on top. His strike to Jeff Badet for the 2-point conversion made it 35-28.

Safety Jack Tocho picked off Kelly at the Denver 30-yard line with 5:23 left, and Sloter sealed it with a 14-yard bootleg for the score.

Sloter was 9 of 11 for 69 yards and Kelly was 14 of 20 for 176.

Lynch might be losing in his battle to be the backup, but he insisted he's 'excited for Chad.'

Preseason Vikings Vs Broncos History

'Chad's been playing really well and he deserves that,' Lynch said. 'He's a good kid.'

Broncos coach Vance Joseph wasn't quite ready to elevate Kelly to No. 2 QB, saying he had to study the film.

'Obviously, Case is the starter, so that's my main concern,' Joseph said. 'Chad has played well. He played well tonight, outside of the one interception, which led to a score for those guys. He's a guy that plays with a lot of confidence. That's a good deal.'

MCKENZIE MAGIC

Joseph's faith in McKenzie finally paid off with his punt return for a score.

'Huge for him,' said Joseph, who stuck with McKenzie last year despite a half-dozen fumbles. 'He's obviously a talent. His issue last year wasn't talent. It was more decision-making. We're helping him fix that so he can help us win games.'

NATIONAL ANTHEM

Preseason Vikings Vs Broncos

Linebacker Brandon Marshall and wide receiver Demaryius Thomas weren't with their teammates on the sideline for the national anthem. They emerged from the tunnel behind the Broncos' bench after the anthem was over.

'We didn't know about that,' Joseph said. 'But it's their right.'

INJURIES

Vikings Schedule

Broncos S Jamal Carter (hamstring), CB Marcus Rios (hip) and TE Austin Traylor (right shoulder) got hurt.

Vikings Vs Broncos Preseason

NEXT UP

Broncos Against The Vikings

Vikings: Host Jaguars on Aug. 18.

Broncos: Host Bears on Aug. 18.

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