The very first game Larry Fitzgerald played in the NFL was in Minnesota. That's where the Cardinals opened the preseason in 2004. (He was targeted twice, making one catch for five yards.)

The first game Fitzgerald played that counted in Minnesota was in 2006, and that's the game he set his regular-season best in yards, with 172 on 11 catches. (He had 176 yards against the Packers in the playoffs in 2015.)

Fitz insists this is just a business trip, and truth be told, he spends enough summer time in Minnesota where I could see how he would be able to separate. Shameless plug: Here's the story I did after going to Minnesota in 2012 and talking to him at his house on the lake.

(By the way, one part of the interview burned into my brain from that Minny visit: Did you know Fitz wants to go into space?)

Besides, Fitzgerald has big enough reasons to want to get this one aside from his 0-4 record against the Vikings in Minnesota (The Fitz-era Cardinals are 2-1 against the Vikings in Arizona.) It's not the fact the franchise hasn't won there since a 1977 game, with an eight-game losing streak. It's the fact the Cardinals need the win basically to stay in the playoff race. Mathematically they won't be eliminated, but with a game coming in Atlanta and the Vikings struggling like they are, this one is crucial. No way to argue otherwise.

-- It's easy to wonder about the Cardinals' offensive line, and John Wetzel and D.J. Humphries will be tested (yes, that is an understatement) against this front in this building. The Cards have to run the ball better than they did last week, you'd think.

But the Vikings are facing the same issues, if not moreso. With no Adrian Peterson and line injuries, the Vikings have one of the worst rushing offenses in the league. QB Sam Bradford has been solid when he has time — he's only thrown two picks — but he can be sacked. For the noticeable hiccups the Cardinals have had on defense, and some blown coverages, the Cardinals have allowed a league-low 4.7 yards per play this season and their pass defense has nine interceptions and has allowed only six passing touchdowns.

-- Along those lines, the Patrick Peterson-covering-Stefon Diggs matchup is incredibly intriguing. Diggs has made 26 catches total the last two games. That's a huge number. By comparison, Pro Football Focus has Peterson allowing just 20 receptions all season.

-- The Vikings have 38-year-old cornerback Terence Newman, who has played a significant role. Peterson shook his head at such longevity. Peterson, at age 26 in his sixth year, said he wants to make double-digits for a career before he thinks beyond that.

"My mindset is I want to go as long as my body will let me go," Peterson said.

-- Michael Floyd is also going home this weekend. He's from St. Paul. He was asked if he looked forward to seeing some snow, since it's supposed to snow tonight. "I'm glad they have a roof," he said with a smile, referencing the new stadium.

-- We'll see on Tyrann Mathieu playing. It felt like a red flag when Bruce Arians said he was sore on Friday. It's hard to tell if the safety will be playing Sunday. It could be a true game-day decision.

-- You feel better about Deone Bucannon playing, despite only one day of limited work. Arians said he was "fine." He'd be an option on tight end Kyle Rudolph. The good thing for the Cardinals is that this is the first time in a while they aren't dealing with a mobile QB (Wilson, albeit gimpy; Newton; Kaepernick).

-- Fitz, by the way, had ditched the knee brace for Friday's practice after wearing one Thursday (and in the second half of the 49ers game.)

-- Will be cool to see the new building. Everything I have heard (and seen on TV) makes U.S. Bank Stadium the jewel it was supposed to be. We'll see if the Cardinals can find a way to break their losing streak now that they're in a new place.