Vikings Inactives: No OBJ, No Problem for Minnesota

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Dec 27, 2015
Image courtesy of Vikings.com

If the scores in the Packers and Seahawks games hold, the Vikings will need a win against the New York Giants to clinch a playoff berth this week. Fortunately for Minnesota, the matchup on paper appears to favor the Vikings, who are getting healthy at just the right time of the season. Defensive starters Linval Joseph, Anthony Barr, and Harrison Smith are all active for tonight’s game and will take the field in less than two hours.

Barr is making his return from a nagging groin injury, one he re-aggravated against the Seattle Seahawks three weeks ago. Smith appeared in that game as well, but left early in the first quarter with a hamstring injury. Joseph injured his foot against the Atlanta Falcons and could have played last week, but needed one more week of rest to get to full strength. Smart, considering the Vikings are all-but-guaranteed a playoff spot with one win in their next two games.

Adrian Peterson suffered a minor ankle injury against the Chicago Bears last week, but was listed as probable on Friday and will start tonight. With the Packers losing, the Vikings will travel to Lambeau Field in Week 17 for an NFC North title game regardless of the outcome tonight. Hopefully, the inactives list remains starter-free for another week:

A surprise addition to the list is wide receiver Charles Johnson, who was listed as probable (ankle) on Friday’s final injury report. He’s dropped below Cordarrelle Patterson and Adam Thielen on the depth chart and has caught just nine passes this season. According to Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press, Johnson described himself as a “humble individual” before tonight’s game. This is the first time this season he’s been listed as a “healthy scratch.”

The Vikings are the healthiest they’ve been all season, with every player on the injury report listed as “probable” or better. The Giants, meanwhile, enter Week 16 missing their most important offensive player; Odell Beckham Jr. The star wide receiver was suspended earlier this week for his actions against the Carolina Panthers, delivering an early Christmas present to the Vikings and cornerback Xavier Rhodes. New York’s full inactive list, below:

Wide receiver Geremy Davis, cornerback Jayron Hosley, safety Cooper Taylor, linebacker Devon Kennard, defensive end Stansly Maponga, and offensive linemen Adam Gettis and Emmett Clearly.

 

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