Anonymous Illness Ravages Vikings Injury Report
Dustin Baker
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With the lengthiest injury report to date in 2022, the Minnesota Vikings are evidently battling an illness in the locker room four days before a date with the Detroit Lions.
The 2022 season, so far, has accounted for a mostly healthy Vikings season, outside of some outliers like Irv Smith (TE), Lewis Cine (S), and Andrew Booth (CB). Minnesota has also battled “normal” NFL injuries to Christian Darrisaw, Dalvin Tomlinson, and Akayleb Evans.
But Wednesday’s injury report is a different animal, with nine men on the report — by far the largest of 2022. Listed as “illness” as the reason for non-participation at practice, the statuses of C.J. Ham (FB), Danielle Hunter (EDGE), Theo Jackson (S), Patrick Peterson (CB), and Harrison Smith (S) are all up in the air. Defensive lineman Jonathan Bullard was also missing from practice because of a bicep injury. Garrett Bradbury and Christian Darrisaw practiced in a limited capacity.
Thankfully for the Vikings sake, the injury report is the first of the week, and it’s “only Wednesday” in the NFL work week. All illness-laden names on the list could be back tomorrow, trending toward playing in Week 14 — or the matter could persist. We shall see.
Here’s the full report:
The Lions injury report was equally as stunning, with several names, plus the same anonymous illness.
It is unclear as of Wednesday if the illness is COVID or something different. More details on the ailment should be available on Thursday or Friday.
Whether sportsbooks knew about the Vikings long injury report or not, Minnesota is strangely 2.5-point underdogs this weekend. Why is that strange? Well, the Vikings are 10-2, the Lions are 5-7, Minnesota has defeated Detroit in nine of their last 10 matchups, and the Lions haven’t beaten the Vikings in back-to-back games at home since 2013 into 2014. Perhaps Vegas knew about the Vikings unspecified illness.
Lions-Vikings shouldn’t be a low-scoring affair with or without keynote players from both teams. The Lions rank 32nd in the NFL per yards allowed, and the next team above at No. 31 is the Vikings.
Accordingly, the over-under is set at 53 points.
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Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sal Spice. His Viking fandom dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ and The Doors (the band).
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