The Vikings are set for their final road game in 2019, as the Chargers are on tap for Sunday in Los Angeles. Kickoff is at 3:05 p.m. (CT).
Minnesota (9-4) would be a Wild Card team if the playoffs started today, but the Vikings are also still in contention for an NFC North title behind the Packers. Green Bay is 10-3 and hosts Chicago (7-6) on Sunday.
Los Angeles is 5-8 and in last place in the AFC West.
There has been plenty of coverage on the Purple this week, so Vikings.com chatted with ESPN's Chargers reporter Eric Williams for a glance at what the other side is thinking before Sunday's contest.
Here is the Week 15 edition of Opposing Viewpoint:
The Chargers have had a frustrating season to say the least, as all eight of their losses have been by seven or fewer points. Is there one reason they have come up short so many times? Or have the losses been a combination of all three phases just not doing enough?
Williams: Turnovers, slow starts and poor finishes have led to the Chargers' demise. The Bolts have a minus-10 turnover differential through 13 games, fourth-worst in the NFL. Seven of those turnovers have occurred in the opening quarter, tied for second-worst in the league. They've been outscored 71-50 in the first quarter, so most games they've had to play from behind. The Chargers also have five missed field goals in the fourth quarter.
Philip Rivers has been the face of the franchise for years. He's had an up-and-down season but is coming off his best game of the season, and one of the best of his career. How has he worked his way through this season?
Williams: Rivers has always been a grinder. Even though he's struggled at times this season with taking care of the football, every game remains important to him, so he keeps a positive outlook and wants to finish strong. That's no different this week. Since taking over as the Bolts' starting quarterback in 2006, Rivers is 44-21 (.677) in regular-season games played in December and January.
The Chargers were eliminated from playoff contention in Week 14 despite the blowout win in Jacksonville. With three games left, what does head coach Anthony Lynn want to see out of his team in the final few weeks of the season?
Williams: Lynn wants to see his team execute better and do the little things in order to win close games. Lynn said the Chargers are not focused on developing young players down the backstretch of the season, but winning games, trying to build some momentum and an identity for how they want to play that spills over into next year. So, the Chargers are not concerned about draft position, but trying to finish the season at .500.
Vikings defensive end Danielle Hunter just became the youngest player in NFL history to reach 50 career sacks at 25 years and 40 days old. Chargers defensive end Joey Bosa is another impressive young pass rusher, as he has 39 sacks in 48 career games. What makes Bosa so good at getting to the quarterback?
Williams: Bosa is a technician focused on perfecting his craft as an elite pass rusher, and he's relentless. Bosa uses his hands well and has several moves at his disposal that he can use to get to the quarterback. And Bosa's equally adept at rushing the passer from the left, right edge or from the interior of the defense.
And finally, pick a Vikings player on each side of the ball are you most looking forward to watching Sunday afternoon.
Williams: It's not often you get a chance to see one of the premier running backs in the league, so I'm interested in watching Dalvin Cook up close. On the defensive side of the ball, Minnesota's leading tackler Eric Kendricks starred at UCLA and plays with a lot of energy, so I'm looking forward to watching him fly around the football field.
