The Broncos (3-6) were his longtime team, as a player, assi

MINNEAPOLIS â�� The Minnesota Vikings needed to refresh their offense after that flop of a finish to last season, and coach Mike Zimmer sought another experienced confidant.Adding Gary Kubiak to the staff has clearly changed the dynamic around this team for the better.â��Gary has been tremendous. Itâ��s probably the best thing thatâ��s ever happened to me since Iâ��ve been here,â�� said Zimmer, whoâ��s hardly prone to hyperbole.More Vikings coverageTop Tweets: Twins report to spring training (and weâ��re not at all jealous)U.S. Bank Stadium to host Johnnie-Tommie football finaleBack to play-calling, Vikings' Kubiak ‘never lost the joy'Vikings hire Dom Capers as senior defensive assistantVikings post-Super Bowl 2020 mock draft roundupThough he has the lower-profile title of senior adviser and assistant head coach and works from the press box during games, Kubiak has not escaped attention in Minnesota. The resume of a former NFL quarterback Karl Mecklenburg Color Rush Jersey featuring 11 years as an offensive coordinator in the league, 10 seasons as a head coach and four Super Bowl rings came with instant credibility. His collaborative, unassuming approach as a mentor to offensive coordinator Kevin Stefanski and a support for quarterback Kirk Cousins has been well-received around the team.The proof of a positive impact can be found in the production, too. The Vikings (7-3) are fourth in the NFL in yards per play (6.1) and ninth in points per game (26.2) after ranking 19th in both of those categories last year.This week, Minnesota hosts Denver, shining an even brighter spotlight on Kubiak. The Broncos (3-6) were his longtime team, as a player, assistant, coach and adviser. After spending the last two years, largely for health reasons, as a draft consultant to president of football operations John Elway, Kubiak was considered a https://www.broncosfanstore.com/Tom-Jackson-Jersey favorite to return to the sideline this season as new coach Vic Fangioâ��s offensive coordinator.They werenâ��t able to work out the particulars, though, leading Kubiak to the Vikings. Zimmer fired offensive coordinator John DeFilippo with three games left on the 2018 schedule, making Stefanski his fourth play caller in six year.Zimmer long respected the scheme that Kubiak directed in Denver. Outside zone running and play-action passing with multiple tight ends were among the tenets that have proven to be ideal fits for Cousins, running back Dalvin Cook and a mobile offensive line that frequently struggled with both run blocking and pass protection in the prior system. Zimmer even said during the offseason that he found listening to Kubiak discuss strategy â��almost romantic,â�� with the 63-year-old immediately re-energized by his 68-year-old colleague in a game that has increasingly given big-time jobs to up-and-comers Dennis Smith Jersey a generation behind them.Though itâ��s been two decades since the Broncos won back-to-back Super Bowls with this scheme, the creativity of Stefanski and the adaptability of Kubiak have helped the Vikings keep it relevant. Kubiak, who declined interview requests this week, told Zimmer that maintaining the legacy of the system was important to him when he was hired last winter.â��Heâ��s open to anything that looks like it makes sense,â�� Zimmer said. â��I think thatâ��s just the type of guy he is.â��ALLENâ��S TOWNBroncos quarterback Brandon Allen, who won his first NFL start in the teamâ��s most recent game on Nov. 3 against Cleveland, might just be the fill-in between original starter Joe Flacco and second-round draft pick Drew Lock. Heâ��s aiming to make moving him back to the bench as difficult as possible for the Broncos' brass.â��I think playing well does that,â�� said Allen, who Terrell Davis Color Rush Jersey last started a football game on Jan. 2, 2016, for Arkansas in the Liberty Bowl.Flacco hurt his neck last month and was placed on injured reserve. Lock, the rookie from Missouri, recently returned to practice after missing three months with a sprained thumb.LOOKING FOR AN EDGEThough three-time All-Pro outside linebacker Von Miller has only four sacks for the Broncos this year, the Vikings are plenty wary of the pass rush danger they present, particularly with Fangio in charge. He was Chicagoâ��s defensive coordinator for the last four seasons, and the Bears had their way with Cousins and the Vikings in 2018. The last time Minnesota played Denver was in 2015, a 23-20 loss on Oct. 4 to the eventual Super Bowl champions.Though tight end Kyle Rudolph has four touchdown catches in the last four games, he has been and will continue to https://www.broncosfanstore.com/Steve-Atwater-Jersey be a key blocker in this scheme.â��I definitely feel more equipped than I did four years ago,â�� Rudolph said.FANTASTIC FANTRookie tight end Noah Fant just had a breakout game for the Broncos, with a 75-yard touchdown catch against the Browns. Fant became the first rookie with a scoring reception of at least 75 yards since Tampa Bayâ��s Tyji Armstrong went for 81 yards in 1992. Allen became the first quarterback with a touchdown throw that far in his first NFL start since Robert Griffin IIIâ��s 88-yarder in 2012 for Washington.DEFICIENCY ON DEFENSEAfter setting an NFL record in 2017 by allowing a third-down conversion rate of 25.3% that was the lowest since the league started tracking the statistic in 1991, the Vikings again finished first in that category in 2018 with an allowance of 30.5%. This season, however, theyâ��ve fallen to 16th in John Elway Jersey the league at 38.7%. On plays with third-and-10 or longer for the opponent, theyâ��re down to 23rd in NFL at 22.9%. Dallas went 3 for 3 in those situations last week against them.TARGETING TIMWith Tim Patrickâ��s return from injured reserve this weekend, the Broncos will finally see the big wide receiver set theyâ��ve been eager for since trading Emmanuel Sanders to San Francisco. Patrick, who missed eight games with a hand injury, is 6-foot-4 and 212 pounds, the same height and just four pounds lighter than leading receiver Courtland Sutton.â��He has sure hands,â�� Sutton said. â��The dude knows what heâ��s supposed to be doing, and he makes plays, which is something every offense needs. Itâ��s exciting to have him back because he does so much. He can run plays from the slot because heâ��s shifty. He can go make the big play https://www.broncosfanstore.com/hoodie on the sideline because heâ��s a big guy. Heâ��s fast and heâ��s smart. Everything that you want out of a receiver his size, he does it, and he does it really, really well.â��DENVER (3-6) at MINNESOTA (7-3)Sunday, 1 p.m. EST, CBSOPENING LINE â�� Vikings by 10½RECORD VS. SPREAD â�� Broncos 5-4, Vikings 6-4SERIES RECORD â�� Tied 7-7LAST MEETING â�� Broncos beat Vikings 23-20, Oct. 4, 2015LAST WEEK â�� Broncos had bye, beat Browns 24-19 on Nov. 3; Vikings beat Cowboys 28-24AP PRO32 RANKING â�� Broncos No. 26, Vikings No. 7BRONCOS OFFENSE â�� OVERALL (27), RUSH (16), PASS (28).BRONCOS DEFENSE â�� OVERALL (4), RUSH (17), PASS (4).VIKINGS OFFENSE â�� OVERALL (8), RUSH (3), PASS (17).VIKINGS DEFENSE â�� OVERALL (13), RUSH (7), PASS (18).STREAKS, STATS AND NOTES â�� Broncos have won past three games in interconference series, with most recent win by Vikings at Denver Broncos Hats Metrodome in 2003. … Vikings offensive adviser Gary Kubiak one of four assistants on team who spent majority of NFL coaching career with Broncos. Kubiak was head coach of Broncos in 2015-16, working for team for 15 years and playing for them for nine seasons. … Vikings fifth in league with average of 18.7 points allowed per game. Broncos sixth at 18.2. … Broncos head coach Vic Fangio was previously defensive coordinator for Bears, who held Vikings to average of 15 points and 216 yards in two games in 2018. … Broncos start stretch with four of next five games on road. … Broncos QB Brandon Allen will make second career start, after replacing injured Joe Flacco in previous game and leading win over Browns. His 125.6 passer rating was third highest for debut in Broncos history. … Broncos TE Noah Fant, Denver Broncos T-Shirts who had first 100-yard game against Browns, has 23 receptions, most by rookie TE in team history. … Broncos DE Derek Wolfe has five sacks in past four games, one short of career high for season, set as rookie in 2012. … Vikings QB Kirk Cousins has 124.4 passer rating and 1,702 passing yards over past six games, both best in league over that span. … Vikings RB Dalvin Cook has 991 rushing yards, nearing teamâ��s first 1,000-yard rusher since Adrian Peterson in 2015. Cook has 1,415 yards from scrimmage, most in Vikings history through 10 games. … Vikings 16th in third-down defense, with 38.7% conversion rate allowed. They led league in 2017 (25.3%) and 2018 (30.5%). Vikings third in NFL in goal-to-go defense, with 53.9% touchdown rate allowed. … Fantasy Tip: Vikings TE Kyle Rudolph, though targeted only 19 times for Denver Broncos Customized Jerseys total of 15 catches and 112 yards, has four TD receptions and one 2-point conversion in past four games.