The Minnesota Vikings appear to be a team on the rise, with a talented young quarterback and a vastly improved defense. The Vikes will play the Steelers in Sunday's Hall of Fame Game in Canton Ohio, and I think this game should mean more to Minnesota.

Here are my keys to the game:

1. Coaching Philosophy - Minnesota was a perfect 4-0 in last year's pre-season under first year head coach Mike Zimmer, and he should be just as eager to make a positive statement in his second season. The Steelers had a winning record in the pre-season for the first six years under Mike Tomlin, but have gone just 1-7 the last two years.

2. Backup Quarterbacks - We aren't likely to see much of the starters for either team, and Pittsburgh's backups don't inspire much confidence. Landry Jones and Taj Boyd have almost no professional experience, and Bruce Gradkowski has only completed 13-of-29 passes for one TD and an INT since 2011. The Vikes will likely lean on second string quarterback Shaun Hill, who was 3-5 as a starter for St. Louis last year.

3. X-Factor - While we aren't likely to see Adrian Peterson, we should see plenty of Matt Asiata and Jerick McKinnon, who are both quite capable backs.

Selection: This is a play on the Minnesota Vikings (8*)