FanPost

Things to look for v Minnesota



DL Play - There's a lot of young athletic big men on this rotation. Inexperience in the NFL leads to getting pushed around a lot, but this unit has upside. Freshness due to a deep rotation could translate into blown up backfields late in games, but frankly, if the DL doesn't come to play from the start, Adrian Peterson will run All Day on them.

Run Game - Ryan Matthews has the burst to do damage if given a crease. But Id like to see him get lower to finish runs. He runs real upright, great when he has daylight, but I'm not convinced fumbling is not an issue and that his running style isn't the culprit. But for SD it's more about blocking - Matthews and Tolbert have been crushed for a loss far too often, going back to last year. This OL unit is not going to maul everyone, and rather than consistent push and 4-8 yard gains, we'll probably see loads of short failed plays dotted by some that work, and open up big holes (a few? more?).

Donald Butler - Is Butler an NFL caliber linebacker? I feel confident Takeo Spikes is solid against the run, but can either guy cover? (Can Bob Sanders for that matter?) Or I guess the question is, could this defense get any worse in pass coverage at the LB position? I don't think so. TE and RB have killed them over the middle, Butler will be tested a LOT by the west coast offense.

Vikings west coast offense - i personally believe this defense is well suited to disrupt the short pass and timing routes, with tough physical corners in Cason and Jammer. If AP has room to run though, it won't matter. Hopefully we'll see him get bruised around a bit. Go bolts!

This FanPost was written by a member of the Bolts From The Blue community and does not necessarily reflect the views of the Bolts From The Blue editors or SB Nation.