The Minnesota Vikings will leave Thursday afternoon for a little two-game international business trip that will start in Dublin, Ireland Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers. For Vikings fans back home, it’ll be a wake and watch morning, with the game kicking off at 8:30 AM CDT.
Entering week 4, the Vikings feel much better about their football team than they did this time last week. Carson Wentz now has a full start under his purple and gold belt, and Minnesota’s injury problems aren’t nearly as devastating as they were in weeks 1-3.
Questions surround Vikings and Steelers entering week 4 international matchup
Nonetheless, there are a lot of questions that still surround this team. And let’s be real, their health issues are far from swept under the rug. Yes, the offensive line now has Christian Darrisaw and Ryan Kelly back. But it will not have starting left guard, Donovan Jackson.
Defensively, the Vikings looked much better in week 3, with Harrison Smith and Andrew Van Ginkel back on the field, but the ladder is questionable again, after not practicing Wednesday due to a neck injury.
The Minnesota Vikings now go as Carson Wentz goes. And while the 32-year-old veteran did make the offense look competent against the Bengals, he was far from spectacular, completing 70% of his passes, while taking three sacks and throwing for only 173 yards.
Wentz’ QB Rating was 129.8 but his QBR was much less impressive, at 34.8 (out of 100). Of course, getting Jordan Addison back from suspension should help, as will the return of Kelly, who played center for Wentz when he started for the 2021 Colts.
ESPN expects Minnesota Vikings to Destroy Pittsburgh Steelers
And if MN Vikings fans need even more feel good juice heading into Thursday evening, they should watch back some of ESPN’s Get Up from earlier in the day. Because the Vikings’ problems were the least of anybody’s concerns on that show, this morning.
The only team the Get Up cast — which includes former NFL players like Dan Orlovsky, Andrew Hawkins and Will Compton — was worried about in Dublin was the Pittsburgh Steelers. In fact, ever panelist on the show is bracing for a Vikings blowout of the Steelers Sunday across the pond.
The entire @GetUpESPN crew is bracing for a blowout in Dublin Sunday morning between the Vikings and Steelers… 👀👀
Orlovsky: “There are a couple of games I could see getting out of hand this weekend. This is one of them.” pic.twitter.com/pLuZJuwkcS
— Minnesota Sports Fan (@realmnsportsfan) September 25, 2025
Orlovsky: “[The Steelers] are not going to be able to run the ball against this defense, OK? This offensive run game is not good. If they don’t have success in [the short pass game], this is going to be an ugly morning Sunday morning in Dublin.”
Compton: “It’s not a question of, you know, if [the Steelers] defense will wake up. Like, they have to wake up, like that is where all the money was spent…What are they going to do offensively? They’re like, what, 31st in the league running the football. DK Metcalf came over there and he doesn’t seem to get any separation unless he can just accelerate downfield…I just don’t see what they’re gonna do offensively against the Vikings.”
Campbell: “They’re not great at running the football and down the field it’s like when Aaron Rodgers is in the pocket, he is affected by pressure for whatever reason and it’s just not typical of what we see from him. You’re going against a Brian Flores defense with those exotic pressures, it could get ugly.”
Greenie: “[The Steelers] look old and they look slow, and I’m not talking about their 41 year old quarterback.”
ESPN Get Up – Thursday, September 25
The Get Up crew is worried about the Pittsburgh Steelers on both sides of the ball against the Minnesota Vikings. By the sounds of it, they believe it could be up to Aaron Rodgers to carry the Steelers to victory, if they cannot get better in the run game and on defense.
MN Vikings a bad matchup for Steelers?
If that is indeed how the morning (CDT) plays out, the “home team” in Dublin will be in trouble. That’s especially the case if Andrew Van Ginkel (neck) — who picked Aaron Rodgers off for a touchdown last year in London — is able to play.
“Saw one guy, stiff armed him, took it to the house”
We got Andrew Van Ginkel to break down his incredible @Vikings pick six of Aaron Rodgers at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in 2024 👏 pic.twitter.com/Ao27i99zvB
— NFL UK & Ireland (@NFLUKIRE) April 4, 2025
The only way Pittsburgh will be able to move the ball offensively is if they can move the ball on the ground. So far, that has not been something they’ve been very good at. As Orlovsky points out, the Steelers have been out-rushed by 230 yards through three games this season.
Pittsburgh’s offense also ranks 31st in yards per carry. Meanwhile, the Minnesota Vikings rank 9th in YPC (4.8) and they are coming off a game in which Jordan Mason ran for 116 yards on just 16 carries. Oh, and the Pittsburgh defense ranks 24th this season in rushing yards allowed per game (184.0).
Of course, this is the NFL and “any given Sunday” is their motto, for a reason. But on paper, this matchup does not look good for the Steelers.
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