Raiders-Vikings: Matchups to watch

MINNEAPOLIS -- It's a game the Raiders should win. Handily.A getting-healthy Oakland will be coming off a 10-day break, while a banged-up Minnesota played as recently as Monday night. The Raiders seem to have found a rhythm in their passing game, while the Vikings' secondary is a hot mess.And yet, it is the very definition of a Trap Game, if the Raiders allow it to happen. The Vikings enjoy one of the greatest homefield advantages in the NFL with the raucous atmosphere provided by the former Metrodome. And they still have what could be considered the league's defensive MVP as well as the game's most complete running back.The first-place Raiders (5-4) control their fate in the AFC West; the Vikings (2-7) offer a dangerous threat coming out of the NFC North.A look, then, at some key on-field matchups to watch Sunday morning from Mall of America Field:Raiders left tackle Jared Veldheer (68) vs. Vikings defensive end Jared Allen (69).TALE OF THE TAPEVeldheer: 6-8, 315, Hillsdale, second seasonAllen: 6-6, 270, Idaho State, eighth seasonThe game itself may actually hinge upon what goes down in the "Jared Bowl," and if the Raiders' Jared can keep the Vikings' Jared from blowing up Carson Palmer's blind side.Allen is leading the NFL with 13 12 sacks, which is already just two shy of his career high, and the three-time Pro Bolwer and eighth-year pro is but 4 12 sacks away from 100 for his career. By comparison, Raiders Hall of Famer Howie Long had 84 in his 13-year career, though sacks were not an official stat his rookie season."He jumps out on film," Veldheer said of Allen, in an understatement. "He is really tearing it up right now. He is a great player all-around, especially against the pass but against the run too. High motor guy."Veldheer, meanwhile, has been having a breakthrough season. He has given up just two sacks, after giving up 7 12 sacks as a rookie. He's also only been flagged for five penalties this season, after 15 last year. Veldheer has anchored a line whose 11 sacks given up are second-fewest in the NFL."As a young player in this league, he's battled," Raiders coach Hue Jackson said of Veldheer. "He's a battler. That's one thing I know about Jared. He doesn't want a lot of help, truth be told. He wants to be out there on his own. But I have the right to determine that. So, what we'll do is help when we think our guys need help and we'll try to get our guys out when we think we can get them out."That sounds fine to Palmer, who will have a huge target on his back with Allen zeroing in on it."You always need to know where he is," Palmer said of Allen. "He's one of those guys, there's a handful of guys in the league, doesn't matter if you're running the ball away from them, they can make the play. He's a high-effort, explosive, fast, tenacious defender. He can do it all, so he's a guy that we definitely need to keep an eye on and know where he is at all times."And it all comes down to Veldheer.Other matchups worth watching: Raiders middle linebacker Rolando McClain (55) vs. Vikings running back Adrian Peterson (28) -- McClain is as healthy as he's been since badly spraining his right ankle at Houston on Oct. 9. And that's a good thing for the Raiders, considering they are going to need him mightily to try and contain Peterson, whose 846 rushing yards rank fifth in the NFL.Because while it makes sense for the Raiders to simply flood the box, 563 of Peterson's yards have come after contact."He is the straw that stirs the drink for our offense," said Vikings coach Leslie Frazier. "We've got to get him going and keep him involved over four quarters. We want to attack Oakland's run defense. That's who we are, every week."The Raiders' run defense is just 25th in the NFL, giving up 132.4 yards per game on the ground. The Vikings have the No. 5-ranked rush offense, averaging 145.2 yards on the ground.That's where a healthier McClain comes in, to shadow Peterson."We've got a few guys banged up," McClain said. "It's all part of the game. The guys that are here now who are healthy, we have to pick up a little bit of the slack and use this 10-day break to our advantage and try to get some guys healthy."Raiders quarterback Carson Palmer (3) vs. Vikings cornerback Benny Sapp (22) -- This matchup might happen out of necessity for Minnesota, though the Vikings probably hope it does not come to pass (pun intended). Sapp, after all, was signed off his couch, where he had been residing for 10 weeks, this week to bolster a depleted secondary that lost cornerback Antoine Winfield for the season with a broken collarbone on Monday, cornerback Chris Cook to legal issues and safety Husain Abdullah to a concussion."It definitely changes things," Palmer said of Winfield's absence. "He's been a great player in this league for a long time. He can play kind of all over the place, in the slot, he can play on the outside, he can blitz, he can cover, he can tackle."So losing him was definitely a hit for them, but anytime you get in a situation like thata guy can come in and have a career game his first game."It should all lead to the Raiders opening up the passing game and, with Jacoby Ford out with a sprained left foot, potentially allow Darrius Heyward-Bey to re-emerge."I don't think he de-emerged," Jackson countered. "Sometimes that's the way it happens. The ball just didn't go there. I think hes going to be OK. He's playing. And he'll get his opportunities. Sometimes the defense dictates otherwise, but I expect Darrius Heyward-Bey to have a big game. I do."Heyward-Bey, the team's leading pass catcher with 27 receptions for 434 yards, has had only one ball thrown his way the past two weeks, and it was an incompletion.And yet, things are lining up for the Raiders to open up their passing game in the dome.In two career starts against the Vikings, Palmer has thrown for 431 yards in completing 42 of 65 passes with four touchdowns and an interception for a 97.7 rating.Oh yeah, the Vikings are 30th in the NFL in pass defense, giving up 272.8 passing yards per game.If the rusty Sapp, who last played opening weekend for Miami and surrendered a 99-yard TD pass to New England's Wes Welker, has to play a lot of snaps, it would only make sense for Palmer to go after him. A lot.