Vikings to be thin in secondary at Packers, Dalvin Cook questionable
Julio Jones #11 of the Atlanta Falcons scores a touchdown past Harrison Smith #22 and Cameron Dantzler #27 of the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium on October 18, 2020 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. ((Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images))
MINNEAPOLIS - The Minnesota Vikings return from their bye week and face the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field on Sunday, and the hits keep coming to the defense.
The Vikings announced after Friday’s practice that Mike Hughes (neck) and Holton Hill (foot) are both out for Sunday’s game. Add to it that rookie defensive back Cameron Dantzler is on the reserve/COVID-19 list and didn’t practice this week. He was not ruled out for Sunday, but is unlikely to play.
The Vikings announced Friday they've placed Hughes on injured reserve wtih his neck issue. He'll have to miss at least three games.
That leaves Jeff Gladney, Kris Boyd and Harrison Hand as the healthy available defensive backs. In Week 1 at U.S. Bank Stadium, Aaron Rodgers picked apart the Vikings for 364 yards and four touchdowns. The Vikings currently have the third-worst passing defense in the NFL.
“It’s a big challenge because they have really good receivers, they’ve got a great quarterback, they spread you out. These guys, they’re going to have to come out here and challenge them and go play,” Vikings coach Mike Zimmer said Friday.
Add to it that multiple reports emerged Friday that linebacker Todd Davis has tested positive for COVID-19 and won’t be available on Sunday. The Vikings signed Davis back on Sept. 24 after Anthony Barr suffered a season-ending torn pectoral muscle in the Week 2 loss at Indianapolis. Davis had played in four games, with two starts, and had six tackles.
With Davis headed to the reserve/COVID-19 list, the Vikings have entered more intense daily medical protocols at TCO Performance Center. Zimmer said those will carry into next week. Rookie Troy Dye is likely to get his first start Sunday, with Davis out.
Vikings list Dalvin Cook ‘questionable’ for Sunday
The Vikings have officially listed running back Dalvin Cook as questionable for Sunday’s game. Cook injured his left groin on the first play of the second half at Seattle two weeks ago. He returned for one play before sitting out the rest of the game.
Cook used the bye week to rest, recover and build strength back to heal his ailing groin. Cook returned to practice on Wednesday, and was not limited in his reps this week.
Zimmer said he expects Cook to play on Sunday, and he and Gary Kubiak don’t anticipate his snaps to be limited. The running back rotation is ultimately up to running backs coach Kennedy Polamalu.
“He should be ready to go,” Zimmer said.
Cook is currently sixth in the NFL with 489 rushing yards. His seven rushing touchdowns are tied for second in the league. With a depleted defense, the Vikings will likely get the ball to Cook plenty to keep Rodgers’ and the Packers’ offense off the field as best they can.
“Any time that Dalvin Cook is in the backfield, you’re going to feel very confident. Just knowing the type of player he is and knowing the type of electricity he can bring to an offense definitely builds some confidence. If you get him the ball, there’s hopefully going to be something good that happens,” offensive lineman Brian O’Neill said. “He brings a lot of energy, he brings a lot of swagger, he brings a lot of confidence to our group.”
The Vikings and Packers are headed in vastly different directions heading into Sunday’s game. Green Bay leads the NFC North Division at 5-1 by a half game over the Chicago Bears. The Vikings are 1-5, and with the NFL trade deadline looming next Tuesday and any slim playoff chance fading, might be in position to trade players and build for the future.
The Vikings still feel they’re a better team than their 1-5 record shows.
“The biggest thing that we’ve been talking about is just execution and just making sure we’re doing our part and doing what we’re supposed to be doing. If you look at our roster, we see it every day in practice how talented we are. If we do what we’re supposed to do on Sunday and execute, we’re going to win games and that’s what we came here to do. Just focus on us and everything will fall into place,” rookie defensive lineman James Lynch said.