WEEK 2 · Sat 08/16 · 1:00 PM EDT
Patriots
New England Patriots
AT
Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
PATRIOTS: Game Release (PDF) | Roster | Depth Chart | Stats
VIKINGS: Roster | Depth Chart | Stats | Roster Flip-Card (PDF)
The New England Patriots opened the 2025 preseason with a 48-18 victory over the Washington Commanders last Friday night at Gillette Stadium. For the second straight week, the Patriots will conduct joint practices with their preseason opponent. Last week, the Patriots and Commanders held a joint practice session on Wednesday. This week, the Patriots and Vikings will practice together on both Wednesday and Thursday at the Vikings practice facility prior to the game on Saturday at U.S. Bank Stadium.
DAY TIME KICKOFF IN THE PRESEASON
The New England Patriots and the Minnesota Vikings will kickoff on Saturday from U.S. Bank Stadium at 1:00 p.m. ET. The last time the Patriots played in a preseason game with a day time kickoff was on Sunday, Aug. 17, 1997 when the Patriots hosted the Denver Broncos at Foxboro Stadium in 31-21 Patriots victory. The last time the Patriots played in a preseason game that was not played in the evening was on Sunday, Aug. 20, 2000 when the Patriots hosted the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a 4:00 p.m. kickoff.
SERIES HISTORY
The New England Patriots and Minnesota Vikings will meet in the preseason for the sixth time overall and for the first time since the 1998 season when the Vikings earned a 28-0 victory at Foxboro Stadium on Aug. 9. The Patriots will travel to Minnesota for a preseason game for the third time overall and for the first time since a 38-27 win on Aug. 29, 1987. The Patriots own a 3-2 record against Minnesota in the preseason.
The Patriots are 9-5 against Minnesota all-time in the regular season. The two teams last met in the regular season in 2022 when the Vikings took a 33-26 win on Thanksgiving Night. That game marked New England's first regular season visit to U.S. Bank Stadium. The Patriots other visit to the stadium was in Super Bowl LII against Philadelphia.
Two of the more memorable games were a 1994 Patriots win and a 2006 Monday Night Football win. The Patriots entered the 1994 matchup with a 3-6 record before overcoming a 20-0 deficit for a 26-20 win that sparked a seven-game winning streak and a 10-6 record to earn a playoff berth. Patriots quarterback Drew Bledsoe set NFL records with 45 completions and 70 attempts while passing for a then team-record 426 yards in that game. Tom Brady led the Patriots to a 31-7 win after completing 29-of-43 passes for 372 yards with four touchdowns in the 2006 victory at Minnesota.
SERIES TRENDS
Overall Record: 9-5
Record in New England: 6-2
- Harvard Stadium: 0-1
- Schaefer/Sullivan/Foxboro Stadium: 3-1
- Gillette Stadium: 3-0
Record in Minneapolis: 3-3
- TCF Bank Stadium: 1-0
- Metropolitan Stadium: 1-0
- HHH Metrodome: 1-2
- U.S. Bank Stadium, 0-1
TALE OF THE TAPE
| 2024 REGULAR SEASON | NEW ENGLAND | MINNESOTA |
|---|---|---|
| Record | 4-13 | 14-3 |
| Divisional Standings | 4th | 2nd |
| Total Yards Gained | 4,964 | 5,898 |
| Total Offense (Rank) | 292.0 (31) | 346.9 (12) |
| Rush Offense | 115.8 (13) | 109.1 (19t) |
| Pass Offense | 176.2 (32) | 237.8 (6) |
| Points Per Game | 17.0 (30) | 25.4 (9) |
| Total Yards Allowed | 5,829 | 5,705 |
| Total Defense (Rank) | 342.9 (22) | 335.6 (16) |
| Rush Defense | 131.4 (23) | 94.4 (2) |
| Pass Defense | 211.5 (10) | 242.2 (28) |
| Points Allowed/Game | 24.5 (22) | 19.5 (5) |
| Possession Avg. | 28:58 | 30:21 |
| Sacks Allowed/Yards Lost | 52/348 | 49/336 |
| Sacks Made/Yards | 28/153 | 49/342 |
| Total Touchdowns Scored | 30 | 47 |
| Penalties Against/Yards | 111/916 | 43/960 |
| Punts/Avg. | 70/49.8 | 57/45.7 |
| Turnover Differential | -11 (28) | +12 (3t) |
CONNECTIONS
FORMER VIKINGS
Players
- WR Stefon Diggs, 2015-19
- S Marcus Epps, 2019
- C Garrett Bradbury, 2019-24
- LB Christian Elliss, 2021
- OT Vederian Lowe, 2022
- DT Khyiris Tonga, 2022-23
- QB Joshua Dobbs, 2023
- DT Jaquelin Roy, 2023
- K Parker Romo, 2024
Coach
- Todd Downing, 2001-05, 2018
- Mike Smith, 2021-23
FORMER PATRIOTS
Coach
- Brian Flores, 2004-18
- Kevin O'Connell, 2008
Players
- None
BROADCAST INFORMATION
TELEVISION: This week's game will be broadcast by the Patriots Preseason Television Network and can be seen in every New England state. The preseason network's flagship station is WBZ-TV CBS in Boston. Devin and Jason McCourty will headline the broadcast booth for both of the locally produced Patriots preseason games, joining veteran color analyst and former Patriots quarterback Scott Zolak. In addition, senior editor Paul Perillo will provide in-game analysis in the Bob's Discount Furniture Studios. WBZ sports director Steve Burton will continue to provide sideline analysis, which will include interviews with Patriots coaches during the game.
PATRIOTS PRESEASON TELEVISION NETWORK
Massachusetts
- Boston, Mass. WBZ-TV Ch. 4
- Springfield, Mass. WWLP-TV Ch. 22
Connecticut
- Hartford, Conn. WCTX-TV Ch. 8
Maine
- Portland, Maine WMTW-TV Ch. 8
- Bangor, Maine WVII-TV Ch. 7
New Hampshire
- Manchester, N.H. WMUR-TV Ch. 9
Rhode Island
- Providence, R.I. WPRI-TV Ch. 12
LOCAL RADIO: 98.5 The Sports Hub is the flagship station for the Patriots Radio Network. A complete listing of the network's 33 stations can be found here. Play-by-play broadcaster Bob Socci will call the action along with NBC Sports Boston's Phil Perry, who will provide color analysis. The games are produced by Marc Cappello.
For information on how to stream the game please visit our Ways to Watch guide.
