Report: Joseph, Barr, Smith, and Exum Ruled Out vs. Cardinals
Austin Belisle
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Given the quick turnaround from Week 13 to Week 14, it’s no surprise that Anthony Barr (Groin), Linval Joseph (Foot), Antone Exum (Ribs/Shoulder), and Harrison Smith (Hamstring) have all been ruled out for Thursday’s game against the Arizona Cardinals. A.J. Mansour of KFAN broke the news early Tuesday morning and cast a dark shadow over the hopes of an optimistic Minnesota Vikings fan base.
Coming off a 38-7 drubbing at the hands of the Seattle Seahawks, the Vikings will need to regain their early season form to retain the NFC’s fifth Wild Card spot. They’re currently a game ahead of the Seahawks and two games ahead of a crowded group of teams “in the hunt.” On paper, Thursday’s game heavily favors the Cardinals, who enter Week 14 with the league’s top-ranked offense and fourth-ranked defense.
While the offense is relatively healthy, the defense has been ravaged by injuries at every level. The Vikings struggled without three of their top defenders against the Seahawks, allowing Russell Wilson to throw three touchdowns and Thomas Rawls to break the century mark on the ground. It was an uncharacteristic day for Mike Zimmer’s unit, complete with missed tackles and blown coverages throughout the game.
According to Mansour, seven Vikings defenders missed practice on Monday, including all four active safeties. The injuries in the secondary forced veteran cornerback Terence Newman into spot duty at safety, where he played three snaps on Sunday. Against an offense with receiving weapons like Larry Fitzgerald, Michael Floyd, and John Brown, that strategy won’t suffice in preventing explosive plays down the field.
As of now, Robert Blanton and Andrew Sendejo appear to be the most likely options to start at strong and free safety this week. In the middle of the defense, it’s hard to predict who will replace Barr. Jason Trusnik saw extended playing time last week, but either Edmond Robinson or Brandon Watts could take the field after his less-than-stellar performance. And on the defensive line, Sharrif Floyd and Tom Johnson will likely stay put at nose and defensive tackle.