Vikings eager to rev up crowd for December residency at U.S. Bank Stadium, with Cardinals up first

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The advantage of playing at home in the NFL now is not quite what it used to be, with so many artificial surfaces in climate-controlled and warm-weather stadiums and such a wealth of rocket-armed passers and big-legged kickers around the league.

Paying a visit to the Minnesota Vikings these days, though, is still a daunting task. The combination of the crowd noise under the translucent roof at U.S. Bank Stadium and the organized chaos of a disguise-heavy and fast-moving defense puts a lot of stress on an opponent.

Kyler Murray and the Arizona Cardinals are up next, the first of three straight home games for the Vikings (9-2), who are pursuing a playoff berth and the NFC North lead.

“Any chance you get to play in an energized and electric environment that’s in our favor is going to help, especially in December,” safety Josh Met...