What to KnowThe Patriots and Vikings hit the field at 1 p.m. ET for a joint practice.Mike Vrabel, Drake Maye, Mack Hollins and Carlton Davis are among those set to meet with media.Tom E. Curran and Phil Perry will share their instant reactions on our social channels (@nbcsboston).Tom and Phil will give their full practice breakdown on a new Patriots Talk later this afternoon.

Arguably the most important week of the New England Patriots’ preseason is set to begin.

The Patriots landed in Minnesota on Tuesday and will hold joint practices with the Vikings on Wednesday and Thursday ahead of their preseason clash Saturday at 1 p.m. ET.

With a high-powered offense that ranked ninth in the NFL in scoring last season and an opportunistic defense — led by defensive coordinator and ex-Patriots assistant Brian Flores — that led the league in takeaways, the Vikings will present a stiff challenge for Mike Vrabel’s club on both sides of the ball.

For real-time updates from Wednesday’s joint practice, including on-the-scene reporting from our Patriots Insider Phil Perry in Minnesota, follow our live blog below.