NFL.com and NFL Network reporter Ian Rapoport has his thoughts on the game:
Week 8 primer:
» Ranking games in order of intrigue
Why this game is intriguing: One of the NFL's best running backs vs. the NFL's third-best team against the run. In today's NFL, there are plenty of high-flying aerial showdowns. But a true grind fest, like Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Minnesota Vikings, is rare. The still-soaring Vikings are beyond being the NFL's surprise team. Even though Christian Ponder threw for just 58 yards with two interceptions last Sunday, the Vikes secured a home victory over the Arizona Cardinals. That's a sign of a good team, not a fluky one. It sure helped to have still-rehabbing Adrian Peterson bust out for 153 yards on the ground. But the feisty Bucs present a challenge this week, even if Minnesota's in the coveted position of being the home team in a Thursday night game. Tampa Bay has more than its share of near-misses this year, and in a battle of two of the NFL's youngest teams, anything can happen. This is a game that, before the year, would never have seemed appetizing. Now, I'll be camped in front of my TV for it.
On Twitter:#TBvsMIN