For their preseason opener against the Denver Broncos, the Minnesota Vikings declared that more than 30 players, including all of their starters, would not play.
It showed.
The Vikings looked outmanned on both sides of the ball in the 2021 preseason opener, and the result was a 33-6 loss to the Broncos at U.S. Bank Stadium.
The Broncos got the first points of the game courtesy of the Vikings’ offense, as Dakota Dozier was called for a holding penalty in the end zone for a safety (following a fourth-down stop by the Minnesota defense) to give the Vikings an early 2-0 lead.