Vikings Pieces Are Starting to Fall Back into Place
It has felt like a month since the Vikings played a game, even though it has only been two weeks. The late-night games and the extensive trip across the pond have made this bye week seem to drag on.
The Vikings are finally getting healthy again as key players like Blake Cashman return from injury, boosting hopes ahead of Sunday’s matchup with the Eagles.
The constant discussion about the injury report adds to the feeling as we await more news on ailing players and their possible return dates. I feel like when there’s not much positive to talk about, the anticipation of the next game grows. The process may be speeding up a bit, as better news has come out about players returning to the field or getting closer to it.
Injuries, Alas, Are Healing for Vikings
Some of those returning players may be the key to getting a victory this weekend. Kevin O’Connell and his band of walking wounded will take on the Super Bowl Champion Eagles on Sunday at noon under the roof of U.S. Bank Stadium. A game that may be a turning point for both teams this season.
First the Good News
Instead of adding players to the injury report or injured reserve, we have word that players are slowly but surely coming back. The first bit of great news is that linebacker Blake Cashman is back at practice after dealing with a hamstring injury that put him on IR for the last four weeks.
While he’s still listed as questionable and may be a gametime decision, he is at least trending in the right direction. He has sounded positive in a few interviews, but we all know how cautious the team is with recovery, and hamstrings can linger or come back. It wouldn’t surprise me either way if he played or not. If he does that, it bodes well for not just the defense as a whole but those who play around him.
Cashman is often underrated, and injuries have been a recurring problem in his career. What he brings to the field is a balanced linebacker who can not only be strong in the run but also very good in pass coverage.
In his stead, Eric Wilson has played very well, but Ivan Pace Jr. has seemed to struggle this year without Cashman next to him. He has missed or been overpowered on tackles at times, and he is not as strong in pass coverage. Pace hasn’t been able to do what he does best, which is rushing the quarterback and filling lanes as he has in the past.
Hopefully, with Cashman back in the mix, he can regain some of that form. If not, he might find his way to the bench. While Pace has struggled, Wilson has been splashing all around the field, and some are saying that Wilson and Cashman should be on the field at the same time. We may see that in certain passing situations this week. If Cashman is still held out, then we must hope that Pace returns to his prior form against a formidable opponent. No matter what happens, there is a glimmer of hope with Cashman.
On the other side of the ball, we have backup center Michael Jurgens also feeling a bit better. After Ryan Kelly went down against the Steelers with another concussion, Jurgens followed him to the injury tent with a hamstring.
He wasn’t placed on IR, and Blake Brandel jumped in and played center for the first time in his career, actually thriving. While Brandel has earned the right to keep starting, it’s good that Jurgens might also be available if he gets banged up, as he was a full participant in practice the last three days.
Add his line partner, Donovan Jackson, back onto the field after wrist surgery was necessary. While Joe Huber also stepped in and played very well against a strong Browns defensive line, having Jackson back makes the line that much better. Jackson didn’t get a ton on tape before he had to bow out, but there seemed to be enough that makes fans happy that the Vikings drafted him.
The most compelling aspect of that tape is his ability to avoid bad tackles or sacks regularly, as discussed by commentators, which is the hallmark of a good lineman. The less they are spoken of, the better they are playing. The left side of the line should return to the original starters, but what about the right side?
Will Fries has been the only offensive lineman to be in every game, but he’s had a different partner every week. Brian O’Neill also went out in the Dublin game with a sprained MCL and is still on the mend from that. Although he had limited practice this week, I think he will still be watching this game.
The Eagles have a strong defensive line, but Justin Skule played excellently against Myles Garrett on the final game-winning drive of the Browns game, when they pulled Christian Darrisaw out due to him exceeding his play count, which the team has in place as he still recovers from a knee injury.
Walter Rouse jumped in on the right side, and they kept Carson Wentz clean to help secure the victory. I think he should come back at full strength in the next few weeks.
The Bad News
Everyone perked up on Thursday when Johnathan Greenard showed up on the injury report with a hamstring issue. Although he’s not on today’s injury report, it still makes fans a bit nervous that it could become an issue.
It would be devastating if he had to sit, as Andrew Van Ginkel is listed as out for this game due to a neck injury. While Van Ginkel is back practicing, his return timetable is still uncertain. Dallas Turner has been playing well in his stead, but after that, Bo Richter and Chaz Chambliss would have to play more, and they are better as rotational players.
We’ll just have to keep our fingers crossed that Greenard is fine and doesn’t aggravate it.
A point of concern still falls on the quarterback position. Wentz got banged up in both of the games in Europe with a measurable shoulder injury on his non-throwing arm that had him sit out the end of the first half against the Browns. Max Brosmer made a brief appearance to kneel the ball down to head into halftime.
Wentz was fitted with a brace and finished the game. While he’s listed on the injury report as a full participant, it can still be a concern if he takes a big hit. If McCarthy were fully healthy, he would be the starter; however, since he’s still recovering from a high ankle sprain, it is wiser to start Wentz.
However, McCarthy will be the emergency backup behind Brosmer should both he and Wentz have to leave the game due to injury. The positive spin here is that at least McCarthy is back in uniform and headed in the right direction. High ankle sprains can take up to six weeks to recover, so he is on track to come back in the next few weeks.
There Is Hope
While the Eagles won the Lombardi Trophy last year, they have had some struggles this year. They started out winning their first four games, including victories over the Cowboys and Chiefs, who are having bad years. However, those games were not dominated, with only a total of 7 points separating the wins.
They had quality wins over the Rams and Buccaneers, but again, the stat sheet isn’t reflecting burning stats. Saquon Barkley hasn’t broken over 90 yards rushing in any game and hasn’t been a major factor. Additionally, the most yards Jalen Hurts has thrown for are 226 yards in the win over the Rams. The last two games have been disappointing losses to a quality Broncos team and a rookie-led Giants team.
Hurts only threw for 280 and 283 yards in those losses, and they only scored 17 points in both contests. They were never in control at all in the Giants game, with Jackson Dart and Cam Skattebo tearing them apart on the ground and in the air.
The main issue with the team is that there appears to be a schism within the Eagles locker room, with wide receiver AJ Brown issuing cryptic quotes in the media and reportedly holding secret team meetings, which some claim have occurred, while others dispute this. Brown has also expressed concerns about not receiving the ball enough. Their offensive coordinator is taking some heat for “predictable” play calls.
With their recent struggles, Philadelphia may be ripe for the picking when they come to Minneapolis on Sunday.
Don’t get what I’m saying too twisted, as the Eagles are a talented team that can quickly turn things around. However, the remedy for a team like the Vikings, who need to get players back at the right time and get back in sync, could be a team in a bit of a freefall, having issues that they can’t work out.
The Vikings will need to strike quickly and often on both sides of the ball, keeping the crowd at a fever pitch on defense. When they played the Falcons, the crowd was definitely a factor until the game got out of hand. They should be itching to get the Skol Chant turned up to 11 after almost a month since the last home game.
This game is a pivotal one for both teams, as another loss for the Eagles keeps them in a downward spiral and shows they are vulnerable to the rest of the competition. Conversely, this could be a catalyst for the Vikings, as a win could propel them forward and reveal what this team is truly capable of as everyone gets healthy.
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