Vikings have intriguing Week 1 matchup vs. Bengals

The Vikings play the Bengals in Cincinnati to to open the 2021 season.

Normally, when you play a team that finished 4-11-1 the season before, that seems like an easy win.

The Bengals aren’t your average “bad’ team, though. They are absolutely loaded with young talent led by quarterback Joe Burrow, who was on pace for 4,300 passing yards and 20 passing touchdowns before tearing his ACL in Week 10.

Burrow has some weapons offensively, too, with Joe Mixon at running back, and Tee Higgins and this year’s No. 5 pick Ja’Marr Chase at wide receiver.

It will also be a reunion of sorts for both sides. Vikings coach Mike Zimmer was the defensive coordinator for the Bengals from 2008-2014. The Bengals have former Vikings first-round draft pick Trae Waynes on the team, while the Vikings have Mackensie Alexander, who is back with the Vikings have spending last season with the Bengals.

The Vikings are 2.5-point favorites in this game.

Minnesota is 7-6 all-time against Cincinnati with the last game coming in 2017 where the Vikings won 34-7 behind 114 receiving yards from Jerick McKinnon.

You can check out the Vikings’ full schedule here.