The Vikings scored an important early season victory over the Green Bay Packers on Sunday night but likely lost their star running back for a chunk of time. He has what is known as “bucket handle tear” and that could mean a minimum of 3-4 months and up to six months sidelined, according to ESPN. Everyone knew Minnesota needed a quarterback after losing Teddy Bridgewater to his own season-ending knee injury. Rather, this is the type of poor performance that leads to four-win seasons and the widespread firings usually associated with teams with bottom-of-the-barrel quarterbacks. Regardless of who plays, Zimmer said Minnesota, averaging 1.9 yards per carry in the first two games, must do a lot better in the running game. The scheduled salary cap hit for 2017 is $18 million, so even if he were fully healthy this season his status was bound to reach a crossroad.
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While injuries in the Vikings’ defensive backfield are a concern for them moving forward, they have one of the best defensive rosters in football. Not only was it his first start in purple and gold but it was also the Sunday night game, the marquee matchup of the day, and the first game at the Vikings’ stunning new stadium.
“That’s our identity and that’s how we’re built”, Zimmer said of his running game.
Last year, on the morning of November 6, the Green Bay Packers were 6-0 and seemingly on their way to making another deep run into January, perhaps culminating with the team’s second Super Bowl title in the Aaron Rodgers/Mike McCarthy era. “We were up 21 points when he got hurt, but Miami did a great job kind of hanging in there and battling back, but I’m glad we were able to close it out with the interception by Duron [Harmon] there at the end”. Adrian Peterson is a true freak of nature so I can’t count him out.
The Vikings also placed starting left tackle Matt Kalil on injured reserve with a hip problem that will require surgery.
Offensively, the Packers feel they need to run the ball more consistently than they have in the first two games of the year, which can be a challenge when you’re trying to get the passing game in rhythm.
“Both touchdown passes could only be thrown in one place, and that’s where he threw ’em”, Wilson said of Bradford’s 8- and 25-yard touchdowns.
Matthew Stafford and Co. bailed the defense out in Indy Week 1 with a late drive to get into position for a game-winning field goal.
“I don’t think this is anything to get super insane about”, Rodgers said after the game. “But we’ll get there”.
The 2-0 Vikings next travel to North Carolina to face the 2015 NFL MVP Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers, the defending NFC Champions.
McKinnon and Asiata filled in for Peterson during the 2014 season he missed the final 15 games on suspension.
“They’re resilient. They’re tough”.
Zimmer said he wasn’t surprised by Bradford’s debut. “Somebody is going to have to really sit down with me and explain to me the catch rule”.
“We’ll just try to find a way to win, just like we always do”, Zimmer said.
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“That’s our identity and that’s how we’re built”. We got pretty good continuity. “It’s just one of those things where we’re so close, but I’m so sick of hearing that and so sick and exhausted of everybody talking about it, that we need to get it fixed, because we’re going to play a really tough team this week”. If Rodgers can tighten up some sloppy mechanics issues that our analysts have noticed developing, and curtail his freelancing to when it’s absolutely necessary, we could again see him grade as one of the league’s best quarterbacks. “We’re not going to change and go to like five-wide’s every play”.
