Last meeting
Minnesota WR Marcus Robinson had three touchdowns as the Vikings defeated the Browns3, 24-12, on Nov. 27, 2005.
Streaks
The Vikings have won three in a row and own a decisive 9-3 overall series lead.
Keep your eye on ...
Brett Favre's throwing shoulder: By opting to forgo retirement for another season, Favre made the risky decision to come back despite a partial tear in his rotator cuff. While RB Adrian Peterson will remain the focal point of Minnesota's offense, Favre will be counted on to make key throws throughout the season, starting with Cleveland.
Who starts for the Browns at quarterback: Coach Eric Mangini says he has determined which signal-caller will start for the Browns, but he won't reveal that to the public. His hope is that keeping the announcement a secret will hinder the Vikings' defensive gameplan. We'll find out Sunday.
Cleveland's remade defense: When Mangini became the Browns' coach in the offseason, he began cleaning house on the defensive side of the ball, bringing in four new starters with him from the Jets. The unit performed well at times during the preseason, but gets a stiff test against the Vikings' talented offense.
Did you know?
Favre has thrown at least three touchdown passes in three straight contests against the Browns. ... Vikings DE Jared Allen has 57.5 sacks since 2004 -- the most in the NFL over that time span. ... Browns DT Shaun Rogers leads the league with eight blocked field goals since 2004.
