After only one of the team's 22 projected starters and more than 30 players total didn't dress for last week's preseason opener, it's expected that most of the starters will see time on the field when the Minnesota Vikings host the Indianapolis Colts at 7 p.m. Saturday at U.S. Bank Stadium.
"I think we need to have a little success. I think we need to build a little confidence," coach Mike Zimmer said. "That's why most of our guys will end up playing some.
"This week is going to be an important week for a lot of those guys. The same thing with the backup guys, too." Zimmer added.
Zimmer also noted that he wants Minnesota's starters to get into their pregame routines.
"Like I told the coaches, 'Just tell them to play until I tell them to get out.' There's no set number of plays that they're going to play. Just however I feel," Zimmer said. "Like, I was talking to Adam Thielen today, and he said it's important that we go through the pregame routine – get pumped up to go and all the structure of what we're going to go through for a game – as well.
"I probably should have had them do that last week. They just came and worked out last week, and they didn't go through that pregame stuff," Zimmer added. "They'll do all that this week, and we'll go from there."
The Vikings will see their first game action from 6-foot-4, 340-pound defensive tackle Michael Pierce, who signed with the team as a free agent in March 2020 but opted out of last season due to concerns about the risk of Covid-19 and his asthmatic condition.
Quarterback Kirk Cousins, who turned 33 on Thursday, will see his first action of the preseason after sitting out last week's dismal 33-6 loss to Denver.
Cousins had one of the best seasons of his nine-year career at least statistically in 2020 when he set a team record by throwing three or more touchdown passes in eight games.
Running back A.J. Rose was one of the few bright spots for Minnesota in the Broncos game. He became the ninth player in team history to rush for 100 yards in a game when he carried the ball 25 times for an even 100 yards.
Rose's 25 attempts were the most in a preseason game since Jarveson Williams toted the ball 27 times for Cincinnati on Aug. 31, 2012.
The last time the Vikings played the Colts in the preseason was a 13-3 win at Indianapolis on Aug. 14, 2009.
Minnesota has never lost two straight preseason games in Zimmer's seven seasons and only lost two preseason games in a single preseason once (2017). The Vikings are 20-6 in the preseason under Zimmer.
The Colts defeated the Carolina Panthers 21-18 in their preseason opener on Sunday.
Minnesota closes out its preseason at Kansas City next Friday.
The Vikings open the regular season with road games at Cincinnati and Arizona before the home opener vs. Seattle on Sept. 26.
Vikings-Colts preseason meetings
Vikings lead series 6-4
08-18-1961: at Baltimore Colts 11, Minnesota Vikings 3
09-02-1962: Minnesota Vikings 24, Baltimore Colts 13
08-19-1977: at Baltimore Colts 29, Minnesota Vikings 7
08-07-1982: Minnesota Vikings 30, Baltimore Colts 14 (at Canton, Ohio)
08-13-1983: Baltimore Colts 31, Minnesota Vikings 7
08-30-1986: Minnesota Vikings 23, at Indianapolis Colts 20
08-22-1987: Minnesota Vikings 37, Indianapolis Colts 13
08-24-2000: at Indianapolis Colts 32, Minnesota Vikings 30
08-24-2001: Minnesota Vikings 28, Indianapolis Colts 21
08-14-2009: Minnesota Vikings 13, at Indianapolis Colts 3