Ben Goessling's Vikings-Cardinals preview and prediction: Who wins and why?

When: noon Sunday, U.S. Bank Stadium

TV, radio: Ch. 9, 100.3-FM

Line: Vikings by 3½

Vikings return from bye with a shot for a five-game win streak
Thanks to the Packers' loss at Washington last week, the Vikings saw their NFC North lead grow to 2½ games while they were enjoying their bye week. They could get their fifth straight win on Sunday at home, and possibly push their division lead to 3½ games if the Packers (at Buffalo) and Bears (at Dallas) lose tough road games.

Cardinals bring resurgent offense to Minneapolis
Through a 2-4 start, the Cardinals failed to score 30 points in a game and managed just 26 total in back-to-back losses to the Eagles and Seahawks. In their first game after acquiring former Panthers receiver Robbie Anderson and getting DeAndre Hopkins back from a suspension, the Cardinals scored 42 points in a Thursday night win against the Saints. Their offense will test a Vikings defense that struggled to contain Dolphins receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle in the last game before the bye.

Allen heads into Ring of Honor
At halftime, the Vikings will make Jared Allen the 27th member of their Ring of Honor, recognizing the defensive end who officially ranks third in team history with 85½ sacks in six seasons in Minnesota. Allen will become the seventh former Vikings defensive lineman to join the team's Ring of Honor.

Vikings secondary vs. Cardinals WR DeAndre Hopkins
In Hopkins' first game back, the Cardinals put him in the slot for nearly as many snaps (27) as they lined him up at wide receiver (32). That means covering Hopkins will fall to Chandon Sullivan almost as much as Cameron Dantzler, and the Cardinals undoubtedly will try to get favorable matchups for Hopkins against the Vikings linebackers in zone coverage. The 6-foot-1, 212-pound Hopkins is adept at making contested catches over defenders and using his body to shield defenders from the ball.

Vikings WR Justin Jefferson vs. Cardinals CB Marco Wilson
The Cardinals figure to have a plan to help second-year cornerback Wilson with Jefferson, but if the Vikings can handle Arizona's blitzes, they could have opportunities to get their best offensive player going against the Cardinals secondary. If they can find one-on-one matchups for Jefferson against Wilson outside, they could have opportunities to throw downfield against him. They could also challenge Wilson's ability to force runs back inside, given his struggles in run support this year.

10 Consecutive games the Vikings have won against the Cardinals in Minnesota, including a playoff victory at the Metrodome following the 1998 season. The last time a Cardinals team won in Minnesota was Nov. 6, 1977, when the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Vikings 27-7 at Met Stadium.

They can match up their coverage plan for the Cardinals' receivers with an ability to rush quarterback Kyler Murray effectively, pinning him in the pocket without giving him room to escape, and protect Kirk Cousins effectively against a Cardinals team that likes to blitz. If the Vikings can give Cousins enough time, they should be able to pick on Arizona's secondary and score points at home. Dalvin Cook, who ran for 131 yards against the Cardinals last year, could also be looking at a big day.

Murray can play effectively against Ed Donatell's defense, finding holes in the Vikings' zones without turning the ball over, and Arizona can keep the Vikings from favorable down-and-distance situations that create easy conversions for Cousins. The Vikings struggled on third downs against the Dolphins, and if the Cardinals can keep the Vikings behind the sticks, they could have opportunities for sacks or turnovers.

The Cardinals offense looked resurgent a week ago against the Saints, and the addition of Anderson, combined with the return of Hopkins, makes this a significant test for the Vikings' secondary. But playing at home, the Vikings will feed off the U.S. Bank Stadium noise and get enough pressure on Murray to make Allen proud on his Ring of Honor ceremony day. The Vikings will win a close one at home to get to 6-1. Vikings 27, Cardinals 24