Vikings Down Two Starters Against Lions

  |  
Nov 6, 2016
Down Two Starters Against Lions
Image courtesy of Vikings.com

Facing the prospect of a three-game slide, the Minnesota Vikings are down two starters against the Detroit Lions this afternoon. Both Alex Boone and Eric Kendricks will miss this week’s game with concussions suffered in the team’s Week 9 loss, a drubbing at the hands of the Chicago Bears.

As expected, Audie Cole will start in Kendricks’ place and Jeremiah Sirles will start at left guard for Boone. This isn’t the first time the Vikings have been without key contributors; Andrew Sendejo, Jerick McKinnon, and Marcus Sherels all missed last week’s game, though they’re slated to return against the Lions.

The team’s full inactive list includes:

With MyCole Pruitt and David Morgan out today, newly-minted offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur will only have two tight ends at his disposal. Shurmur, the team’s former tight ends coach, took over the job after Norv Turner’s stunning resignation earlier this week. His debut should provide an insight into Shurmur’s direction for this offense moving forward.

Given the offensive line’s inability to protect Sam Bradford — sacked 11 times in the past two weeks — Shurmur enters Week 9 with his hands full. He needs to find a way to spark the running game, create opportunities in the passing game, and control the time of possession. Doing so will allow Mike Zimmer’s defense the chance to play at its highest potential; something that hasn’t happened since Week 5.

That may be possible, as the Lions are without a couple defensive starters. Detroit’s best cornerback, Darius Slay, will miss another game with a hamstring injury. DeAndre Levy is also out, but the Lions do get defensive tackle Haloti Ngata back in the middle of their defense.

On offense, starting right tackle Riley Reiff has been ruled out. Second-year tackle, Corey Robinson, who’s missed two games this year with an ankle injury, is expected to make his first career start for Reiff.

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