The Sports Xchange

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. — Two weeks ago, the Minnesota Vikings were 0-1, outscored, outclassed and seemingly out of answers to explain how they looked in a 20-3 loss at San Francisco. Today, the 49ers are a reeling 1-2 team while the Vikings are 2-1 and heading to Denver with a recipe they think can take down Peyton Manning and the unbeaten but beatable Denver Broncos on Sunday.

Coach Mike Zimmer dropped that subtle belief into this week’s conversation when asked how important the pass rush will be against Manning and his patchwork offensive line.

“He gets the ball out really quick,” Zimmer said, before reminding reporters of a key meeting the two had years ago when Zimmer was Cowboys defensive coordinator. “I played him in Dallas when they were 10-0 and we beat them. So there’s a lot of different ways. He gets the ball out quickly. It may be a different plan this week. We’ll just have to see.”

The Vikings have five sacks in the past two weeks, but their punishment of Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford and San Diego Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers goes way beyond the sacks. Stafford had to have X-rays on his chest and ribs following a 26-16 loss, while Rivers was sacked four times and shaken up on one of the additional 12 hits he took.

“We knew that Rivers liked to set up and step into his throws at five yards behind the center,” said linebacker Anthony Barr, the one responsible for a strip-sack and the second-half hit that rattled Rivers and forced the Chargers to take a time out. “Our goal was to get as many people to that spot around his legs and make him uncomfortable. We did that a lot (Sunday).”

Normally, sacking Manning is wishful thinking. But this isn’t a normal year. With five different starters up front, even Manning’s quick mind hasn’t been fast enough to avoid eight sacks and an unusual amount of punishment. So keep an eye on right end Everson Griffen, who leads the Vikings with three sacks and will be facing off against rookie second-round draft pick Ty Sambrailo.

In the secondary, the Vikings got good news Monday when their top cornerback, Xavier Rhodes, passed the first test of the NFL’s concussion protocol. Rhodes missed the second half on Sunday and was replaced by rookie first-round draft pick Trae Waynes, who played well in his first regular-season NFL snaps.

“I think (Rhodes) should be good to go,” Zimmer said.

If that’s the truth, look for Rhodes to continue shadowing the most dangerous receiver. In this case, that would be Demaryius Thomas.

Offensively, the challenge might be even stiffer than facing Manning. And certainly more painful for quarterback Teddy Bridgewater.

Broncos defensive coordinator Wade Phillips runs a 3-4 defense that owns an elite pair of edge rushers (Von Miller and DeMarcus Ware) and a strong trio of cover corners (Aqib Talib, Chris Harris Jr. and Bradley Roby). The offensive line has played well the past two weeks, but this will be its first road game since the opener. And it also will be Denver, which will be much louder and hostile than San Francisco.

The Vikings, however, believe they have the antidote for an aggressive blitzing defense. His name is Adrian Peterson. And in those pair of double-digit wins, he ran for 260 yards and two touchdowns on 49 carries (5.3). As a team, the Vikings ran 73 times for 362 yards (5.0) and five touchdowns the past two weeks to move to No. 3 in the league in rushing.

Meanwhile, Bridgewater got a win last week despite completing only 13 passes for 121 yards, an interception and a 50.9 passer rating.

“I do like the physical nature of our team the last couple of weeks,” Zimmer said. “Football has been around so long, and it always comes down to a physical game at the end. I want us to continue that way. I hope that is our identity going forward, but we’ll see. We have a long way to go.”

But a huge step would be taken with an upset over a beatable Broncos team on Sunday.

INJURY NOTES: Rhodes (concussion) was a full participant in practice Wednesday and should play. … WRs Charles Johnson (rib) and Jarius Wright (hand) sat out Wednesday’s practice and are uncertain for Sunday. … DE Justin Trattou (ankle) is not expected to play. … SS Andrew Sendejo (leg) didn’t practice Wednesday. If Sendejo can’t play, Robert Blanton, who started 13 games a year ago, will step in. … LB Audie Cole (ankle) was limited in Wednesday’s practice.

SERIES HISTORY: Vikings lead series, 7-6. In Denver, the teams are 3-3 against each other. In the last meeting, the Broncos led by 16 with five minutes left, but the Vikings tied it up when Tarvaris Jackson threw two touchdowns passes to Bobby Wade and the team converted both two-pointers. But Denver won in overtime, 22-19. In the last meeting, the Vikings were victims of Tim Tebow’s magic act of 2011. Tebow orchestrated his fourth fourth-quarter comeback of the season as the Broncos dropped the Vikings to 2-10 with a 35-33 victory. Of course, it helped that rookie Christian Ponder threw the interception that led to the game-winning field goal as time expired.

GAMEPLAN: The Vikings have the two main strengths to overcome the immense disadvantages of playing on the road against Peyton Manning and the No. 1 defense in the league. They have the unpredictable pass rush and the power running game to compete with an undefeated Broncos team that’s very much beatable. Coach Mike Zimmer’s aggressive blitz schemes, including the successful double A-gap look, were dominant at home the past two weeks. So was the league’s No. 3 running attack, which pounded out 362 yards and five touchdowns (5.0) on 73 carries over two games. If the Vikings can take that with them on the road, they have a chance. If they can’t run the ball or push Manning off his delivery spot, it could get ugly quickly.

MATCHUPS TO WATCH:

–Vikings OTs Matt Kalil and T.J. Clemmings vs. Broncos OLBs DeMarcus Ware and Von Miller. Kalil has played well through three games after a horrendous 2014 season. His knee appears to finally be sound again, but Ware, who has 3.5 sacks, will be Kalil’s toughest test to date and probably all season considering it’s a road game. Clemmings, the rookie right tackle, has struggled in pass protection but was solid in the running game the past two weeks. He’ll need a balanced attack to have any chance of stopping Miller coming quick off the right side. Both tackles, especially Clemmings, will have extra help as the Vikings continue to use their two- and three-tight end formations.

–Vikings CB Xavier Rhodes vs. Broncos WR Demaryius Thomas. Rhodes left last week’s game with a concussion late in the first half. The injury appeared to be more serious as Rhodes’ neck was bent backward in a collision with safety Andrew Sendejo. But Rhodes passed the first test in the concussion protocol on Monday and was cleared to practice on Wednesday. If he has a setback and can’t play, rookie first-round draft pick Trae Waynes would step in, but, unlike Rhodes, he wouldn’t shadow Thomas. The Vikings run defense, pass rush and a healthy Rhodes are three keys to being able to compete with the Broncos on Sunday. The pass rush is rolling and the Broncos haven’t topped 70 yards rushing and rank last in the league in average yards per carry (2.6). The third key may depend on Rhodes’ health and availability.