ESPN NFL analyst Jon Gruden didn’t know who Adam Thielen and Jeremiah Sirles were until he started preparing to work Monday night’s game at U.S. Bank Stadium.

“I’m trying to figure out who No. 19 is,” Gruden said Thursday. “I mean, the kid’s from Minnesota State (Mankato) and he’s an undrafted guy and he’s making tough catches.”

That would be Thielen, the receiver Gruden will watch in person when the Vikings play host to the New York Giants in a 7:30 p.m. kickoff. He might see Sirles, too. He filled in for injured Alex Boone for much of last Sunday’s game at Carolina.

“I don’t even know who went in at left guard,” Gruden said. “I had to do my homework.”

Gruden will be working his first Vikings game in three years, and he has been watching plenty of film to get up to speed. In a phone interview, he made the point that many unheralded players have contributed to the Vikings’ 3-0 start. Players such as Thielen and Sirles.

“That’s pretty cool,” Sirles said with a laugh. “I got to grow up and watch him coach and do all that fun stuff (on television). The fact that he even knows my name now is kind of cool.”

Gruden was coach when Tampa Bay won Super Bowl XXXVII in January 2003. For the past eight years, he has been part of the Monday Night Football crew. The Vikings appeared on the nightcap of a Monday Week 1 doubleheader last year, but this is their first time playing in the sole Monday game since a 23-7 road loss to the Giants on Oct. 21, 2013.

That was the infamous game in which Josh Freeman completed just 20 of 53 passes in his only appearance as Minnesota’s quarterback. This Vikings team, despite injuries suffered by quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, running back Adrian Peterson and tackle Matt Kalil, obviously is much better.

“(Coach Mike Zimmer) has done a great job,” Gruden said. “And I’ve got to give credit to his whole coaching staff. You lose your starting quarterback, you lose your left tackle, you lose your Hall of Fame running back and nobody blinks.

“I’m glad Coach Zimmer is getting some praise. He certainly deserves it. And their players are playing their butts off. They’re on a roll right now and, if I’m the Giants, I’m a little nervous.”

Gruden has been especially impressed with Minnesota’s defense.

“It’s one of the few teams that really jump off the film at me in terms of being physical,” he said. “All 11 players can tackle. Everybody talks about how old (38-year-old cornerback) Terence Newman is, but he might be the best tackling corner in football.

“When you have a chance to watch for two or three straight days (on film), you realize how great (safety) Harrison Smith is. I call him Harrison Ford. He’s like that guy from ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark.’ He can do about anything. … (Defensive end) Everson Griffen is an elite pass rusher and (defensive end) Brian Robison plays his butt off. He’s definitely a Gruden Grinder (Award) candidate.’’

On offense, Gruden liked the Vikings’ decision to send first- and fourth-round draft picks to Philadelphia for quarterback Sam Bradford. Bradford is 2-0 as the Vikings starter, but Gruden said “getting the running game going is critical” for Minnesota, last in the NFL with an average of 51 rushing yards per game.

Paired with play-by-play announcer Mike Tirico his first seven seasons, Gruden is now working with Sean McDonough. The last time Monday Night Football came to Minnesota was for a 40-14 Vikings’ loss to Chicago on Dec. 20, 2010, Brett Favre’s final NFL game.

That game was played in a snowstorm at TCF Bank Stadium following the collapse of the Metrodome roof. Monday will be the Vikings’ second game in U.S. Bank Stadium.

“It will be a blast to see the new stadium,” Gruden said. “I hear it’s a great venue, and I know the crowd is going to make it a fun night.”