On the scoreboard, the New England Patriots waltzed out of US Bank Stadium with a 20-12 win over the Minnesota Vikings in yesterday's preseason matinee. When you look in between the lines, some players really stood out for the visiting Patriots, while others left more to be desired on the field.

And that there was no place I’d rather be yesterday than inside on a beautiful Saturday afternoon watching a meaningless football game between the New England Patriots and Minnesota Vikings goes a long way toward how excited I am for this coming NFL season.

Here are 12 takeaways from the New England Patriots' 20-12 win over the Minnesota Vikings in Saturday's preseason game.