Banged-up Vikings stay abroad to face Browns in London matchup of struggling offenses

Minnesota (2-2) vs. Cleveland (1-3) in London.

Sunday, 9:30 a.m. EDT, NFL Network.

BetMGM NFL Odds: Vikings by 3 1/2.

Against the spread: Vikings 2-2; Browns 2-2.

Series record: Vikings lead 12-5.

Last meeting: Browns beat Vikings 14-7 in Minneapolis on Oct. 3, 2021.

Last week: Vikings lost to Steelers 24-21 in Dublin, Ireland; Browns lost at Lions 34-10.

Vikings offense: overall (23), rush (20), pass (24), scoring (10).

Vikings defense: overall (7), rush (24), pass (3), scoring (9).

Browns offense: overall (27), rush (30), pass (20), scoring (31).

Browns defense: overall (1), rush (1), pass (4), scoring (24).

Turnover differential: Vikings even; Browns minus-6.

Vikings player to watch

RT Justin Skule. Injuries have ravaged what the Vikings were counting on to be an upgraded offensive line this season, with RT Brian O’Neill (knee) the latest to be sidelined and three starters unavailable this week. Skule struggled in pass protection while subbing for LT Christian Darrisaw in the first two games, and the Browns led by four-time All-Pro Myles Garrett have one of the best defensive fronts in the league.

Browns player to watch

Rookie QB Dillon Gabriel will make his first NFL start, replacing an ineffective Joe Flacco. The third-round pick showed quick decision-making and some mobility in two preseason games and has seen mop-up duty in two regular-season games. Gabriel becomes the 41st starting quarterback since the Browns returned in 1999, the 12th since Kevin Stefanski became coach in 2020 and the fifth in 10 games going back to last season.

Key matchup

Vikings DL Jonathan Allen vs. Browns LG Joel Bitonio. Allen has forced 183 quarterback pressures since 2021, the 10th most by a interior pass rusher according to the NFL’s Next Gen Stats and has five tackles for no gain or a loss as a run defender. Bitonio has allowed a pressure on just 4% of his pass blocks, fifth lowest in the league. He has not allowed a sack this season or more than five pressures in any game since last year’s opener. Allen, who has yet to have a sack in his first season with the Vikings, is fourth on the team with 18 tackles.

Key injuries

Vikings: In addition to O’Neill, C Ryan Kelly (concussion) is out indefinitely and LG Donovan Jackson (wrist) will miss at least one more game along with QB J.J. McCarthy (ankle). OLB Andrew Van Ginkel (neck) will also miss his second straight game and third in four weeks. Kelly’s backup, Michael Jurgens (hamstring), was held out of practice on Wednesday, but the Vikings are hoping he’ll play. RB Aaron Jones (hamstring) and LB Blake Cashman (hamstring) remain on injured reserve.

Browns: DE Myles Garrett (ankle) did not practice on Wednesday and is considered day to day by coach Kevin Stefanski, putting his status for the game in question. Backup DT Mike Hall (knee) has already been ruled out and did not make the trip to London. RT Jack Conklin (elbow), who has missed the past three games, was limited in practice this week.

Series notes

This is the second time the two teams have faced each other in London, with the Vikings beating the Browns 33-16 at Twickenham Stadium in 2017. This game will be played at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. … Factoring in the new club the Browns were awarded in 1999 after the original franchise moved to Baltimore in 1996, the league’s scheduling formula reset in 2002 for the divisional realignment to accommodate a 32nd team and these two matchups in London, the Vikings will only play one game in Cleveland (2009) in a staggering 43-year stretch until they’re on track to visit there in 2033. … Adrian Peterson rushed for 180 yards and three touchdowns in Brett Favre’s first game with the Vikings in a 34-20 victory on Sept. 13, 2009, the most recent time the two teams played in Cleveland. … The away team has won the past four meetings in the series.

Stats and stuff

The Vikings became the first NFL team to play consecutive international games in different countries, after hopping from Dublin to London this week. … This is Minnesota’s third game in London in four years, and the league’s 40th regular-season game there overall. The Vikings are 4-0 in London. … The Vikings are 32-4 under coach Kevin O’Connell when they break even or win the turnover margin in a game and 4-17 when they don’t. … Vikings QB Carson Wentz had his sixth career game with 350-plus passing yards last week. … Wentz took six sacks against the Steelers. With Wentz and McCarthy, the Vikings have been sacked at a league-worst rate of 14% per passing play. … Vikings WR Jordan Addison had an 81-yard reception last week in his season debut after a suspension, the longest play from scrimmage in an international game in NFL history. … Vikings WR Justin Jefferson has 35 career 100-yard games, tied with Julio Jones for the second most all time by a player over his first six seasons. … Jefferson last week had just his second game of 10-plus receptions since the start of the 2024 season. … Vikings DL Jalen Redmond had his first career two-sack game last week. … Will Reichard is 8 for 8 on extra points and 8 for 8 on field goals this year for the Vikings. … Cleveland has started 1-3 for the second consecutive season. … The Browns have not scored more than 17 points in 10 straight games going back to last season. … Browns RB Quinshon Judkins is ranked third among rookies with 237 rushing yards. … TE Harold Fannin Jr. leads the Browns with 17 receptions, the most by any Cleveland rookie in the first four weeks. … Browns WR Jerry Jeudy leads the NFL with 17 dropped passes since the start of last season. … Cleveland’s defense hasn’t allowed a team to gain more than 300 total yards in a game this season. … The Browns haven’t allowed a 300-yard passer in 32 consecutive games, the longest active streak in the NFL. … Garrett leads the league with eight tackles for loss. He also has a tackle for loss in 11 straight games, the longest active streak in the league and the longest since J.J. Watt had 16 straight over the 2014-15 seasons. … Browns LB Carson Schwesinger is the only rookie in the NFL with eight or more tackles in three games. He is second in the league among rookies with 29 tackles. … CB Denzel Ward, who had an interception for the Browns last week, will play in his 100th game.

Fantasy tip

Vikings RB Zavier Scott would be worth a pickup in deeper leagues as a bye-week or injury fill-in. With Jones and backup RB Ty Chandler out, the undrafted rookie has become a viable complement to featured runner Jordan Mason. Scott had 10 carries and nine passing targets last week against the Steelers, racking up seven receptions for 63 yards and a touchdown.

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