The Denver Broncos and Minnesota Vikings probably have different end-of-season aspirations at this point in 2019, with Denver fighting for pride in head coach Vic Fangio's debut and Minnesota angling for an NFC North title as contenders in the Midwest. But that doesn't mean we won't be in for a physical battle on Sunday, when the two sides will meet for a cross-conference showdown.

Before we reveal why it's safe to bank on a Vikings victory, let's get you some details on how and when to tune in to their showdown:

How to watch

Date: Sunday, Nov. 17 | Time: 1 p.m. ET
Location: U.S. Bank Stadium (Minneapolis, Minnesota)
TV: CBS | Stream: CBS All Access 
Follow: CBS Sports App

Preview

The Broncos (3-6) have seemingly been lumped in with the "nobodies" of this season thanks to their ugly 0-4 start, and they essentially embraced that identity by selling at this year's trade deadline and then shutting down Joe Flacco in favor of Brandon Allen at quarterback. It's not as if they've been complete pushovers in recent weeks, however. With the NFL's fourth-ranked defense, which still boasts some big names under Fangio's guidance, they've taken the Indianapolis Colts and Cleveland Browns to the wire in back-to-back weeks, winning in Week 10. That's still not to say they're much of a threat, but if their pass rush gets home, they can at least challenge as a spoiler.

The Vikings (7-3), on the other hand, remain one of the NFC's most formidable contenders. They've won five of their last six since the infamous Chicago Bears loss that had everyone up in arms about Kirk Cousins' ceiling at QB, and they've done it with Adam Thielen recently on the sidelines. Their defense still isn't as stout as you'd expect from a Mike Zimmer unit, but it gets the job done enough, while Kevin Stefanski's offense, with Cousins killing the play-action game and feeding off Dalvin Cook's heavy workload, has resembled that of a true postseason threat. It remains to be seen if Minnesota can conquer the big games, but the team is certainly capable of getting to some of them.

Prediction

Cousins could face a little more heat in this one, especially considering the Broncos' recent success up front. But all in all, it's going to be a tough day for Brandon Allen and Co. The Vikings are undefeated at home, and they should be able to control the clock by leaning, once again, on the ground. The score might not be high, but Minnesota should be able to take it by more than one score.

Pick: Vikings 26, Broncos 16

Check out CBSSports.com for even more predictions on this game and the rest of Week 11, including from Pete Prisco and Will Brinson.