Jul 30, 2021; Eagan, MN, United States; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins (8) talks to the wide receivers at training camp at TCO Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports
Now, we rebuild.
Not from a 7-9 season — but from a vaccine-related typhoon that engulfed the Minnesota Vikings for five days. Rookie quarterback Kellen Mond contracted the virus last weekend, sidelining himself and two other quarterbacks — Kirk Cousins and Nate Stanley — who were in close contact with the Texas A&M alumnus.
And that’s all anyone inside the Vikings orbit spoke about for the better part of a week.
Although those two quarterbacks returned to practice, vaccine chatter still surrounded the team. But today should serve as a temporary bookend to the COVID frenzy.
Here are the four notable takeaways from Day Eight of the Vikings 2021 training camp.
This was bittersweet.
Cousins is back in charge of the Vikings offense after a five-day hiatus. He did create headlines on Thursday, however. Questioned about the COVID vaccine, Cousins spoke of distancing measures he will take to prevent a redux of this week. He insists that his approach is solution-oriented but seemed to skate the idea of physically getting the COVID vaccination.
To each his own.
The Vikings will navigate the 2021 season with several leaders on the field sans a vaccine. That’s just the way it is when the individual choice aspect of a pandemic collides with the greater good [and health] of the community sentiment.
Some folks trust doctors and scientists; others prefer a wait-and-see or wholistic mindset to pandemic management. The Vikings employ men on both sides of the spectrum.
Nevertheless, the QB1 is back, and he mostly looked sharp on the field during his return.
The “new” Vikings nose tackle hurt his calf while training a few weeks ago. Immediately, doomsayers drew parallels between that injury and Danielle Hunter’s neck malady from 2020. There is no evidence to suggest that either injury has anything to do with other — but Vikings fans are trained to expect the worst.
Well, Pierce is going to be just fine. He waltzed into camp today, receiving live reps for the first time as a member of the purple and gold. Minnesota’s defense was terrible in 2020, so the return of a mammoth run-stuffer in the middle is vital.
Pierce was padless, but onlookers welcome the “baby steps” gig here.
This is a run formation in which the halfback (usually, anyway) receives the ball directly like a quarterback.
The Vikings are experimenting with this 2000s-like tendency. Perhaps it’s a Klint Kubiak wrinkle — or it could be nothing at all, designed for misdirection. But the Vikings are using it seemingly on a daily basis.
In a league that is trending toward throwing the ball more, this formation feels counterproductive on the surface. Yet, not every NFL team has Dalvin Cook at its disposal. The Wildcat trickery likely won’t be utilized ad nauseam like the Miami Dolphins of 20 years ago but centering Dalvin at the QB spot every now and then is intriguing.
The team is practicing it, and that’s probably a segue to its usage in the 2021 season. Be prepared.
Start with this quote.
Many players will plug a roster as a tool for hype and team camaraderie. This is bold, though.
The 2017 team mentioned by Ragatz was magnificent, led by a devilish defense and unsung playmakers on offense. Alexander was there, contributing to the 13-3 record in his second professional season. The follow-up season, 2018, showcased a damn good roster, but the team flopped miserably in late December that year.
Alexander affirmed today that the 2021 team has a better roster than he’s ever experienced. It’s noteworthy because Rick Spielman and Mike Zimmer generally compile fancy rosters. This one, to Alexander, seems different and more talented.
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In honor of those still uninformed:
Doctors and scientists have stated, thay natural immunity is better than the vaccine. A vaccine that has not been tested for long term, or side effects. Quit talking like a fascist propagandist, calling everyone who has questions, " People who dont care about other people". You have to underatand, this is bigger than football, and people have been dying from the vaccince, contracting the virus with the vaccine, and spreading the virus with the vaccine.
Not enough natural immunity is being recorded in survivors to make your point valid. For a small percentage, yes.
And why do you think more than 99% of new cases are unvaccinated people? And over 98% of deaths unvaccinated? Good grief.
Natural immunity is much harder to develop than you know::
https://edition.cnn.com/2021/08/06/health/coronavirus-virginia-travis-campbell-vaccine-regret/index.html
So much for 'natural' immunity:
https://edition.cnn.com/2021/08/06/health/coronavirus-virginia-travis-campbell-vaccine-regret/index.html
Yes, I've seen many such stories of 'deathbed regrets' like link above.
Including my own brother, who passed away from Covid last month after swearing he'd never get a vaccination. ☹️
@D Town...the cdc reports that 99.99% of vaccinated people haven't died from the disease or experienced issues from the actual vaccine. So ask Tucker where he got his info you're spewing when you see him.
And less than 2% of the infected have died total, which doesnt warrent the scare tactic and fascist propaganda you are spewing to get your way. Take Bidens shaft out your mouth, and do some reaearch.
https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/record/NCT00533741
For thise of you that are not familiar with coronavirus please educate yourselves for a virus thats been around since the 1960 and his been mutating into different strains. The US didnt share this information because it didnt concern them on a pandemic elsewhere. People have been receiving vaccines all their life. (Research MMR vaccine) see the similarly. This vaccine has been in clinical stages on humans since at least 2007, and Will be approved by labor day by the FDA. But yet people take dietary supplements that are not approved bt the FDA. And the new HPV vaccine that was developed in 6 years you allow the doctors to administer to your children.
Love your neighbor as you do yourself and if they are in need of help, help them. Well everyone's neighbor is in need of help, consider getting educated and then vaccinated. Numbers of deaths compared to vaccinations. Make it make since. But at the end of the day it is your choice (at least for now)
It will always be my choice. I will pity those who choose force.
Yes, you choose. Choose to dramatically increase your odds of your getting sick and spreading it to others. Good one.
D Town,
As a healthcare provider, you strike me as a remarkably uninformed individual. Far be it from me to question the esteemed "scientists" you reference, research from Johns Hopkins displays natural immunity from Sars-Cov-2 deteriorating after 6 months. Blood titers from both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines have displayed effective immunity preserved well over a year. The fact that you would even allege "people are dying from the vaccine" is egregious. If you possessed any modicum of microbiologic understanding, you would know it is literally impossible to contract ANY disease from ANY vaccine. While you allege "Fascism" and "Propaganda", it is abundantly clear you are the one who has fallen victim to propaganda.