DAILY CLIPS

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2018

LOCAL NEWS: Saturday, October 20, 2018

Pioneer Press

For Vikings’ Latavius Murray (and his linemen), the more carries, the better By Chris Tomasson https://www.twincities.com/2018/10/19/the-more-carries-for-vikings-latavius-murray-the-more-the-tay-train-gets-rolling/

Charlie Hennigan’s family watching as Vikings’ Adam Thielen closes in on 57-year-old NFL record By Chris Tomasson https://www.twincities.com/2018/10/19/charlie-hennigans-family-watching-closely-as-vikings-adam-thielen-closes-in-on-an-nfl-

record/

Vikings haven’t had a lot of success against Jets, especially on the road By Chris Tomasson https://www.twincities.com/2018/10/19/vikings-havent-had-a-lot-of-success-against-jets-especially-on-the-road/

Vikings’ Dalvin Cook out Sunday, Linval Joseph questionable By Chris Tomasson https://www.twincities.com/2018/10/19/vikings-dalvin-cook-out-sunday-linval-joseph-questionable/

Star Tribune

Harrison Smith's safety sidekicks have come and gone with Vikings By Ben Goessling http://www.startribune.com/harrison-smith-s-safety-sidekicks-have-come-and-gone-with-vikings/498082571/

Running back Dalvin Cook to miss Sunday's Vikings game at New York Jets By Andrew Krammer http://www.startribune.com/running-back-dalvin-cook-to-miss-sunday-s-vikings-game-at-new-york-jets/498053891/

Nearly two years later, Mike Zimmer has learned to live with eye issues By Ben Goessling http://www.startribune.com/nearly-two-years-later-mike-zimmer-has-learned-to-live-with-eye-issues/498018471/

Vikings.com

NOTEBOOK: Winning in Red Zone Key in Vikings Wins So Far By Eric Smith https://www.vikings.com/news/notebook-winning-in-red-zone-key-in-vikings-wins-so-far

The Skinny Post: Vikings Seeking 1st Win at Jets in Franchise History By Eric Smith https://www.vikings.com/news/the-skinny-post-vikings-seeking-1st-win-at-jets-in-franchise-history

Vikings Full Injury Report Against the Jets on Sunday By Zach Royse https://www.vikings.com/news/vikings-full-injury-report-against-the-jets-on-sunday

Lunchbreak: Mackensie Alexander Having ‘More Fun’ in 3rd NFL Season By Lindsey Young https://www.vikings.com/news/lunchbreak-mackensie-alexander-having-more-fun-in-3rd-nfl-season

What’d They Say: Jets Talk About Vikings By Lindsey Young https://www.vikings.com/news/what-d-they-say-jets-talk-about-vikings

Vikings Fan Club in Germany Quickly Growing By Lindsey Young https://www.vikings.com/news/vikings-fan-club-in-germany-quickly-growing

VIKING Update

Vikings see run-game improvement as a team effort By John Holler https://247sports.com/nfl/minnesota-vikings/Article/Vikings-see-run-game-improvement-as-a-team-effort-

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Injuries altering in-week game-planning By Tim Yotter https://247sports.com/nfl/minnesota-vikings/Article/Injuries-altering-Vikings-in-week-game-planning-123515430/

Richardson putting team above ‘personal vendetta’ vs. Jets By Tim Yotter https://247sports.com/nfl/minnesota-vikings/Article/Sheldon-Richardson-putting-team-above-personal-vendetta-vs-Jets-

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1500 ESPN

Vikings RB Dalvin Cook out vs. Jets By Matthew Coller http://www.1500espn.com/vikings-2/2018/10/vikings-rb-dalvin-cook-vs-jets/

NATIONAL NEWS: Saturday, October 20, 2018

ESPN

What's behind issues for Kirk Cousins, NFL's most prolific fumbler By Courtney Cronin http://www.espn.com/blog/minnesota-vikings/post/_/id/27430/whats-behind-issues-for-kirk-cousins-nfls-most-prolific-fumbler

How a tower of 720 stones helps Kirk Cousins confront his own mortality By Tory Zawacki Roy http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/25024166/minnesota-vikings-quarterback-kirk-cousins-confronts-mortality-stone-form

Dalvin Cook out for third straight game with hamstring injury By Courtney Cronin http://www.espn.com/blog/minnesota-vikings/post/_/id/27436/dalvin-cooks-hamstring-injury-sidelines-him-for-a-third-straight-

game

Jets don't want to be footnote in Adam Thielen's amazing story By Rich Cimini http://www.espn.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/77851/jets-dont-want-to-be-footnote-in-adam-thielens-amazing-story

For Vikings’ Latavius Murray (and his linemen), the more carries, the better By Chris Tomasson After rushing for a career-high 155 yards last week against Arizona, Latavius Murray has a surprise in store for his offensive linemen. The Vikings running back provided some details Friday. He’s planning on a special meal that will be delivered next week. “I’m working on getting them something that we haven’t had in awhile,” Murray said. And what if he has another big game Sunday at the New York Jets? Would he consider doubling down? “Why not?” he said. “I’ll take care of them.” Against the Jets, Murray might get plenty more opportunities. With Dalvin Cook ruled out for the fourth time in five games because of a hamstring injury, Murray will start again. In his first two starts this season, the Vikings mostly threw the ball. But when they jumped out to a 27-10 lead in the 27-17 victory, the offense turned to Murray, who finished with 24 carries, the most in his two seasons with the Vikings. When Murray carries a heavy load, the six-year veteran often delivers. In his five Vikings games with 20 or more carries, he has averaged 4.7 yards per carry. In his other 17 games, he has averaged 3.7 yards. “He’s a guy that needs carries, and the physicality of things,” Vikings coach Mike Zimmer said. “Typically, he’s not a one-carry-every-quarter guy, he’s a guy that needs to get the football some.” That’s more problematic when the Vikings have Cook, too. But since his Sept. 16 injury at Green Bay, Cook’s only carries have come in the first half Sept. 27 at the Los Angeles Rams. Zimmer declined to speculate Friday when he might return. Cook torn his ACL in the fourth game last season and missed the Vikings’ run to the NFC championship game. Early last season, Murray still was working his way back from March 2017 ankle surgery, But he got 20 or more carries in four of the final six games, and looked good. “Any back wants to get the ball in their hands as often as they can to get more comfortable and get more in a rhythm,” Murray said. “I’m not saying there’s any amount of carries I need, but I think it’s just good for anybody to get the ball in their hands as much as possible.”

PUBLICATION: Pioneer Press DATE: 10/20/18

The 6-foot-3, 230-pound Murray tends to wear down a defense over time. On his final carry against the Cardinals, he ran for 28 yards and looked as fresh as he did on his first attempt. “That’s why they call him the Tay Train,” backup running back Mike Boone said. “Once that train gets going, it’s hard to stop him.” Vikings safety George Iloka goes against Murray in practice. He also faced him in a 2015 game, when Iloka’s Cincinnati Bengals beat Murray’s Oakland Raiders 33-13. Murray had just 11 carries for 44 yards, but he caught a career-high seven passes. “Big backs like Latavius can break down a defense,” Iloka said. “By the second half, fourth quarter, guys don’t want to tackle him. He’s probably just as strong but guys on defense are getting weaker and he’s still going.” That worked out well for Minnesota’s offensive line against Arizona. The Vikings entered the game next to last in the NFL in rushing, but with a big lead, they were able to give the ball 15 times to Murray in the second half. “He’s a powerful dude,” guard Tom Compton said. “He brings it every play.” Overall, the Vikings rushed for 195 yards against Arizona, their best showing since 218 on Dec. 27, 2015 against the New York Giants. They’re looking to keep it going Sunday. With windy conditions expected at MetLife Stadium, it could be a good time for the Vikings to keep the ball on the ground. So it wouldn’t be a surprise if Murray has another 20-carry game. Until last weekend, his top rushing game was 139 yards on a career-high 26 carries in 2015 at Cleveland. That was the season Murray topped 1,000 yards for the only time, finishing with 1,066. And, yes, that resulted in gifts for his offensive linemen. “I gave them all Apple TVs,” he said. “I like to take care of (the linemen).”

Charlie Hennigan’s family watching as Vikings’ Adam Thielen closes in on 57-year-old NFL record By Chris Tomasson Taylor Hennigan had never heard of Adam Thielen a week ago. Now, he’s scrambling to read everything he can find about him. That’s because Thielen, the Vikings’ fifth-year wide receiver, can tie Charlie Hennigan’s NFL record of seven straight 100-yard receiving games to open a season. Hennigan, who died last year at age 82, accomplished the feat with Houston Oilers of the American Football League in 1961, and AFL records were absorbed into the NFL when the leagues merged in 1970. Hennigan’s son Taylor, 40, lives in the Houston suburb of Huffman. While Sunday’s Vikings-Jets game won’t be available on local television, he, family members and friends are scouring the area to find a place to watch it. Taylor Hennigan follows the Houston Texans but considers himself a casual NFL fan. He was going about his business last Sunday when suddenly messages poured in on his phone. On the Fox telecast during Minnesota’s 27-17 victory over Arizona, announcers noted that Thielen had recorded a sixth straight 100-yard game and was one game away from Hennigan’s record. A picture of Hennigan popped up on the screen. “My friends and family were all of a sudden hitting me up,” said Taylor Hennigan, who has six brothers and sisters. “It was the first I’ve heard of it. Since then, I’ve been reading up on Thielen.” So does Taylor Hennigan want him to break his father’s record? “I’d like him to keep it, but at the same time it seems like (Thielen is) a really good guy all around,” Taylor said. “And this is giving my dad’s legacy some exposure since it was so long ago that he played. He’s had a lot of records that stood for decades.” Hennigan played for the Oilers from 1960-66, and appeared in five AFL All-Star Games. In 1961, he caught 82 passes for 1,746 yards, a pro record that stood until San Francisco’s Jerry Rice had 1,848 yards in 1995. Hennigan caught 101 passes (for 1,546 yards) in 1964, a pro mark that lasted until Washington’s Art Monk had 106 receptions in 1984. RECORD? WHAT RECORD? Despite those impressive numbers, Thielen said this week he previously never had heard of Hennigan. As for tying his record Sunday, Thielen shrugged that off. Adam Thielen catches a the ball for a first down against San Francisco defensive back Adrian Colbert on Sept. 9, 2018, at U.S. Bank Stadium. (John Autey / Pioneer Press)

PUBLICATION: Pioneer Press DATE: 10/20/18

“I’m not worried about it, honestly,” he said. “Just trying to get better. … Numbers sometimes mask how you’re playing. It doesn’t mean that you’re playing well or playing bad, so you’ve got to look at the tape. You’ve got to get better. Teams are just going to have a target on your back now.” It’s hard to deny, though, that Thielen is playing pretty darn well. He leads the NFL with 58 catches and 712 receiving yards. If Thielen continues his torrid pace, Hennigan’s isn’t the only record in jeopardy. If his stats are projected over 16 games, Thielen would finish with 155 catches, breaking the NFL record of 143 by Indianapolis’ Marvin Harrison in 2002. And he is on pace for 1,899 receiving yards, not far from the league record of 1,964 set by Detroit’s Calvin Johnson in 2012. “I’m not surprised at all, especially with how he prepares and how he gets ready each every week,” Vikings receiver Stefon Diggs said of Thielen’s 100-yard streak. “It’s been amazing to see.” Thielen has been a pillar of consistency. He has averaged 118.7 yards per game and caught four touchdowns from quarterback Kirk Cousins. “Consistency is a big part of being a great player in this league,” Cousins said. “Not just doing it once or twice for one season but for being able to do it for the whole season and then stacking seasons together. I think that’s when you start to realize you’ve got a special player, so that consistency is special, and we’ve got to continue to give (Thielen) opportunities.” Cousins is in his first season with the Vikings. And he arrived to much acclaim — and with a fully-guaranteed, $84 million contract. Five years earlier, Thielen arrived undrafted out of Division II Minnesota State Mankato and went straight to a Vikings rookie tryout camp. That earned him a spot on the practice squad in 2013. Thielen worked his way up to being a top special teams performer in 2014 and 2015 before becoming a starting receiver in 2016. He caught 69 passes for 967 yards in 2016 and 91 for 1,276 in 2017, when he made the Pro Bowl. SIMILAR PATHS Taylor Hennigan sees Thielen’s rise from obscurity as similar to his father’s journey to pro football success. Hennigan played at a small school, Northwestern State in Natchitoches, La., before being undrafted. Houston Oilers receiver Charlie Hennigan holds the all-time pro record of having seven straight 100-yard receiving games to start a season. (Associated Press) After an unsuccessful tryout with the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League, Hennigan returned to his native Louisiana and taught biology at Jonesboro-Hodge High School. Then he and running back Charlie Tolar heard about the Oilers conducting an open tryout camp in the first year of the AFL. “He and Charlie Tolar got in a old VW bug and headed to Houston,” Taylor Hennigan said. “Then the car broke down and they hitchhiked the rest of the way.” Hennigan made the Oilers’ roster, signing for a salary of $7,500 a season. That seemed like a fortune compared to teaching high school, when his final monthly paycheck was for $270.62.

“He always kept his last paycheck stub from teaching school in his helmet, and when he needed motivation he would look at it,” said Taylor Hennigan, who has campaigned in recent years to get his father nominated for the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a senior candidate. Hennigan was known for his speed, but Bill Groman, the other starting receiver on the 1961 Oilers, said he worked hard on his pass-catching skills. “He had been a quarter-miler, and he could run forever,” Groman said. “He had a finger that was kind of crooked that he had hurt when he was younger, but he ended up teaching himself how to trap the ball on his chest and even later he was able to catch it with his hands pretty good. We had George Blanda as our quarterback and he wanted to throw the ball.” During the pass-happy days of the AFL, Blanda, who is the hall of fame, threw for a record 36 touchdowns in 1961, plus 3,330 yards, at the time the second-most in pro history. Groman had 50 catches for 1,175 yards that season, including seven straight 100-yard games of his own later in the season. WINS, NOT RECORDS This season, Cousins has been filling the air with footballs. He is second in the NFL with 185 completions and has thrown for 1,921 yards, fifth in the league. Nearly a third of Cousins’ completions have gone to Thielen. Despite defenses starting to key on him, Thielen hasn’t slowed down. “Adam has short-area quickness and the ability to change directions,” hall of fame wide receiver and CBS analyst James Lofton said of his ability to get open. “In addition to that, he has a really good understanding of what the defenders are trying to do against him, where their leverage is, and working against their leverage, and also finding the holes in zone coverage.” During his streak, Thielen has had games of 102 yards against San Francisco, 131 at Green Bay, 105 against Buffalo, 135 at the Los Angeles Rams, 116 at Philadelphia and 123 against Arizona. “That’s outstanding,” Jets coach Todd Bowles said. “He’s one of the best in the league right now and the level he’s playing at is really outstanding, and it says a lot to his intelligence, his preparation and his toughness.” Bowles’ Jets will try to slow Thielen anyway they can. But whatever happens, Thielen doesn’t plan to measure his performance by statistics. “It might sound cliche but it’s the truth,” he said. “I could care less what my stats are as long as we’re winning ball games.” Lofton, who played in the NFL from 1978-93 and twice led the league in average yards per catch, has met Thielen. For now, he buys what he’s saying. “All the records are great now,” Lofton said. “But if you ask Adam about it, it’s more important to get the win on Sunday. But when he’s looking in the rear-view mirror 10 years from now, I think (records) will be important.”

Vikings haven’t had a lot of success against Jets, especially on the road VIKINGS (3-2-1) AT JETS (3-3) · Kickoff: Noon Sunday · Where: MetLife Stadium · TV: KMSP-Channel 9; Thom Brennaman, Chris Spielman, Shannon Spake · Radio: KFXN-FM 100.3; Paul Allen, Pete Bercich, Greg Coleman · Referee: Shawn Smith · Series: Jets lead 8-2 · Line: Vikings by 3 1/2 The Jets lead the series 8-2, but the Vikings won the only meeting since Mike Zimmer took over as coach in 2014, 30-24 in overtime at TCF Bank Stadium. The Jets won the previous seven meetings — four on their home field. Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins faces the Jets for the first time since he turned down a three-year, $90 million contract offer from them in March and signed a three-year, $84 million deal with the Vikings. This will be Cousins’ second game at MetLife Stadium against the Jets; he threw for 196 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions in 2015 when his team, the Washington Redskins, lost to the Jets 34-20. New York’s starting quarterback since the opening game has been rookie Sam Darnold, who is playing better than ever. Darnold threw for 478 yards with five touchdowns and two interceptions the past two games — both wins and both at home. RELATED ARTICLES For Vikings’ Latavius Murray (and his linemen), the more carries, the better Charlie Hennigan’s family watching as Vikings’ Adam Thielen closes in on 57-year-old NFL record Pioneer Press predictions: Vikings at Jets The Loop Fantasy Football Report: Week 7 Vikings’ Dalvin Cook out Sunday, Linval Joseph questionable The Jets’ most exciting player could be Andre Roberts, who leads the NFL with an average of 21.5 yards on his 11 punt returns. He had a 78-yard return for a touchdown at Detroit in the opener. Ranked 31st in NFL rushing, the Vikings finally got their ground game going in last Sunday’s 27-17 win over Arizona. Minnesota rushed for 195 yards, including a career-high 155 by Latavius Murray. VIKINGS (3-2-1) AT JETS (3-3)

PUBLICATION: Pioneer Press DATE: 10/20/18

· Kickoff: Noon Sunday · Where: MetLife Stadium · TV: KMSP-Channel 9; Thom Brennaman, Chris Spielman, Shannon Spake · Radio: KFXN-FM 100.3; Paul Allen, Pete Bercich, Greg Coleman · Referee: Shawn Smith · Series: Jets lead 8-2 · Line: Vikings by 3 1/2 The Jets lead the series 8-2, but the Vikings won the only meeting since Mike Zimmer took over as coach in 2014, 30-24 in overtime at TCF Bank Stadium. The Jets won the previous seven meetings — four on their home field. Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins faces the Jets for the first time since he turned down a three-year, $90 million contract offer from them in March and signed a three-year, $84 million deal with the Vikings. This will be Cousins’ second game at MetLife Stadium against the Jets; he threw for 196 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions in 2015 when his team, the Washington Redskins, lost to the Jets 34-20. New York’s starting quarterback since the opening game has been rookie Sam Darnold, who is playing better than ever. Darnold threw for 478 yards with five touchdowns and two interceptions the past two games — both wins and both at home. RELATED ARTICLES For Vikings’ Latavius Murray (and his linemen), the more carries, the better Charlie Hennigan’s family watching as Vikings’ Adam Thielen closes in on 57-year-old NFL record Pioneer Press predictions: Vikings at Jets The Loop Fantasy Football Report: Week 7 Vikings’ Dalvin Cook out Sunday, Linval Joseph questionable The Jets’ most exciting player could be Andre Roberts, who leads the NFL with an average of 21.5 yards on his 11 punt returns. He had a 78-yard return for a touchdown at Detroit in the opener. Ranked 31st in NFL rushing, the Vikings finally got their ground game going in last Sunday’s 27-17 win over Arizona. Minnesota rushed for 195 yards, including a career-high 155 by Latavius Murray.

Vikings’ Dalvin Cook out Sunday, Linval Joseph questionable

By Chris Tomasson A pair of banged-up teams meet Sunday at MetLife Stadium. The Vikings will be without four starters in running back Dalvin Cook (hamstring), tackle Riley Reiff (foot), safety Andrew Sendejo (groin) and defensive end Everson Griffen (personal reasons). And starting nose tackle Linval Joseph (knee, ankle, shoulder) was listed Friday as questionable. The New York Jets will be without starting safety Marcus Maye (thumb), and starting cornerback Trumaine Johnson (quad) is doubtful. Also out are starting wide receiver Quincy Enunwa (ankle) and second-string cornerback Buster Skrine (concussion). Also doubtful for the Jets are wide receiver Terrelle Pryor (groin) and linebacker Kevin Pierre-Louis (foot). And running back Isaiah Crowell (foot) is questionable. While Griffen will miss his fifth straight game because of a mental-health issue, at least the rest of Minnesota’s defensive line could be intact. Joseph, injured last Sunday against Arizona, was able to practice Friday on a limited basis after sitting out Wednesday and Thursday. After missing practice Thursday with a groin strain, defensive end Danielle Hunter was limited Friday but was not on the final injury report. If Joseph can’t go, he likely would be replaced by Jaleel Johnson, who worked with the first team when Joseph sat out practice. The Vikings added depth Tuesday with the signing of nose tackle David Parry, who had started the season with the Vikings before being released Sept. 18. “It’s good to be out there practicing again,’’ Parry said Friday. “There’s a few (defensive) calls that are different than when I left, but the majority of it is the same, and it’s good to be back in the groove.’’ Cook, who will miss his fourth game out of the past five, again will be replaced by Latavius Murray. After being a full participant Wednesday, Cook did not practice Thursday and Friday. Reiff and Sendejo each will sit out for a second straight game. Reiff again will be replaced by Rashod Hill at left tackle, with Brian O’Neill taking over at right tackle. Filling in for Sendejo again will be George Iloka, who made his first Minnesota start against the Cardinals. If Iloka continues to play well, it remains to be seen if there could be open competition with Sendejo to start at safety. “I just prepare every week the same way,’’ Iloka said. “When I wasn’t playing (earlier in the season), I prepared as if I’m going to play and right now I’m still preparing like I’m going to play and that will always be the case.’’ The Vikings on Sunday will get back defensive end Tashawn Bower after he missed two games with an ankle injury. ROBINSON READY FOR RETURNS It’s been 12 years since Vikings wide receiver Aldrick Robinson regularly returned kickoffs, but he’s working to get back in the groove.

PUBLICATION: Pioneer Press DATE: 10/20/18

Robinson returned kickoffs at Waxahachie (Texas) High School, where he last played in 2006, and scored two touchdowns. He had just five kickoff returns at SMU and has just three since entering the NFL in 2012. “It’s like riding a bike,’’ Robinson said of working now on kickoffs with Minnesota. The Vikings are looking for a primary kickoff returner with Mike Hughes having been lost Sunday for the season with a torn ACL. Special-teams coordinator Mike Priefer is still deciding between Robinson and cornerbacks Marcus Sherels and Holton Hill. All three candidates have had one kickoff return this season. Robinson’s was for 21 yards in Week 3 against Buffalo. “It’s always fun to return kickoffs,’’ he said. “I definitely would want to do it.’’ BRIEFLY –The Vikings will face Jets quarterback Sam Darnold, a rookie from USC. Minnesota linebacker Devante Downs ran into Darnold twice in college at California. USC beat the Golden Bears in both 2016 and 2017 by an average margin of 15.5 points, with Darnold in the two games throwing for 454 yards and seven touchdowns. “He was pretty good,’’ Downs said. “He’s an accurate thrower and mobile.’’ — Hughes, who will have surgery to repair his torn ACL, has been at the TCO Performance Center all week while on crutches. He watched Friday’s practice. VIKINGS VS JETS When: noon Where: New York TV/Radio: KMSP-TV (Fox 9) / 100.3 FM

Harrison Smith's safety sidekicks have come and gone with Vikings By Ben Goessling For the better part of Mike Zimmer’s first three offseasons in Minnesota, as the Vikings adorned their defense with high-value assets, the safety position next to Harrison Smith felt like a bit of an outlier. The Vikings held what amounted to an open audition for the job in Zimmer’s first training camp with the team, shuttling through names such as Jamarca Sanford, Mistral Raymond, Andrew Sendejo, Robert Blanton and Antone Exum. They released Kurt Coleman at the end of training camp — a year before he’d tie for third in the NFL with seven interceptions — and brought former Bengals safety Chris Crocker out of retirement before cutting Crocker at the end of camp. Blanton won the job that first year, starting 13 games before losing his starting spot to Sendejo at the end of the season. The Vikings targeted Virginia safety Anthony Harris as an undrafted free agent the following spring, giving him a $10,000 signing bonus, and showed at least cursory interest in safety Devin McCourty before he re-signed with the Patriots. After the 2015 season — during which Sendejo started 13 games for the Vikings — Zimmer talked at the NFL combine about how much more dynamic Smith could be with “the right kind” of safety next to him. The Vikings again looked at a free agent move, exploring a reunion between George Iloka and Zimmer before Iloka re-signed with the Bengals, and spent a seventh-round pick on Clemson safety Jayron Kearse in 2016. While the Vikings sifted through their options, Sendejo continued to improve, earning Zimmer’s trust and proving himself to be a reliable enough option that the Vikings gave him a new deal before the 2016 season. He started 14 games that year, and played 13 last season, missing two with a groin injury and one because of a suspension after the Week 7 hit he delivered on Ravens receiver Mike Wallace last year. vikings week 7 Noon Sunday at N.Y. Jets (Ch. 9) But as the Vikings prepare to play without Sendejo for the second straight week Sunday against the Jets, the winds of change could be picking up at the safety position again. Sendejo, who turned 31 the day of the Vikings’ first regular-season game, will miss his second straight game on Sunday because of a groin injury. That’s opened up a starting spot for Iloka, who signed with the team in August after the Bengals released him. He played 43 snaps on Sunday, while Harris came down with an interception on one of his 15 snaps. Both Kearse and Iloka have flashed their versatility as nickel corners in the Vikings’ three-safety package, which the Vikings have deployed this season more frequently than they have in the past. “It gives you some flexibility. There are a lot of reasons,” Zimmer said. “I don’t want to get too complicated but it’s just better cover guys than typically when you get linebackers in there.” Iloka said he was new to the nickel spot this season, and has consulted with nickel/defensive backs coach Terence Newman about how to handle the transition.

PUBLICATION: Star Tribune DATE: 10/20/18

“It’s definitely an important position — that’s why whoever Zim puts at that position, he entrusts with a lot,” Iloka said. “There’s so much that goes on with the nickel that can affect so many other players. Things happen faster — you’re going to have to win a lot with your feet, and be very good with your eyes. At safety, you’ve got to have good feet, but you have time to see things develop. At the nickel, things happen fast. It’s a lot of reacting.” It’s also provided another way for players like Iloka and Kearse to contribute, which could increase their value to the Vikings in the future. The Vikings have built their safety depth by developing affordable young players such as Kearse (who is making $630,000 in the third year of his rookie deal) and Harris, who is playing for $705,000 in his final season before restricted free agency. Iloka, who is on a one-year deal for the veteran minimum salary, could be eyeing another shot at free agency next March before his 29th birthday, though he could return to the Vikings next year if the price is right. The four-year deal the Vikings gave Sendejo in March 2016 includes a team option at $5.5 million for the 2019 season, when the safety will be 32. In a year where the Vikings figure to be looking for cap space as pricey extensions for Danielle Hunter, Stefon Diggs and Eric Kendricks hit the books, declining Sendejo’s option could be an easy way to recoup some money. He was fined $53,982 for his Week 2 hit on Green Bay’s Davante Adams, paying a bigger penalty for the hit after a fine and suspension last year. As the NFL implements greater protections for defenseless players, Sendejo could find his style of play to be more untenable, and the prevalence of wide-open offenses could place a higher premium on flexible safeties who can play several roles in the Vikings’ defense. Thanks to the addition of Iloka, and the emergence of Kearse and Harris, they’re able to weather a nagging injury to Sendejo on the back end of their defense, as they roll out a new set of counterparts next to Smith. At the safety spot next to the Vikings All-Pro, perhaps change should be considered something of a constant.

Running back Dalvin Cook to miss Sunday's Vikings game at New York Jets By Andrew Krammer Running back Dalvin Cook will miss his fourth game of the season Sunday, when the Vikings are set to play the Jets with Latavius Murray leading the backfield. Cook was ruled out Friday because of the hamstring injury that has plagued him since the Sept. 16 tie in Green Bay. Cook was able to practice fully Wednesday, but the Vikings held him out of practices Thursday and Friday. Coach Mike Zimmer was noncommittal when asked Friday if Cook’s absence will continue to be long-term. “I don’t know,” Zimmer said. “I let the medical people handle it.” Cook has not played since the Sept. 27 loss to the Rams, when he took 10 carries for 20 yards. Cook said afterward his hamstring was still not fully healthy. He will miss his 18th game of the Vikings’ past 21 because of the season-ending knee injury last year and the troublesome hamstring this season. Murray, coming off a career-high 155 rushing yards against the Cardinals, will get his second start of the season against a Jets defense allowing 4.3 yards per carry through six games. Dalvin Cook will miss his fourth game of the season Sunday at the Jets, still dealing with a hamstring injury. D-line reinforcement The Vikings defensive line will get a reinforcement against the Jets. Defensive end Tashawn Bower, who has missed two games because of a sprained ankle, is set to return after practicing fully this week. Bower said the “painful” injury happened on his second or third snap of the Rams game, but he played through it because the Vikings would have otherwise been down to just two other defensive ends, in Danielle Hunter and Stephen Weatherly. Bower has played 45 snaps in three games for the Vikings and will provide some much-needed relief off the bench Sunday as they play a fifth game without Everson Griffen. “The best thing you can do is make sure you are healthy,” Bower said Friday. “So when you can come back, you can contribute full speed, so it’s just a process you have to go through unfortunately.” Backup nose ready, waiting Zimmer said he’s still looking for consistency from second-year defensive tackle Jaleel Johnson, who could play a pivotal role at nose tackle on Sunday should Linval Joseph be limited or held out. Joseph is listed questionable to play against the Jets because of ankle, knee and shoulder injuries that held him out of two practices this week.

PUBLICATION: Star Tribune DATE: 10/20/18

Johnson said “these moments are what we all look to be in” as he prepares for some dirty work of double teams and head-butting linemen. “If you don’t do what you’re assigned to, then you expose the entire defense,” Johnson said. “It’s nothing extravagant. It’s simple, just do your job.” Reiff, Sendejo out again Left tackle Riley Reiff and safety Andrew Sendejo will miss a second straight game because of injuries that prevented them from practicing this week. Reiff is still dealing with a foot injury he initially suffered Sept. 22 against the Bills. Sendejo has not practiced in two weeks because of a groin ailment. Look for safety George Iloka to get another start in the secondary. Rashod Hill is expected to again start at left tackle, with rookie Brian O’Neill at right tackle. Etc. • Hunter missed Thursday’s practice because of a groin injury, as a precaution. He practiced Friday and is expected to play Sunday. • The Jets are expected to be without three starting defensive backs in Trumaine Johnson, Buster Skrine and Marcus Maye. Johnson is listed doubtful. This comes while Vikings wide receiver Adam Thielen seeks his seventh consecutive 100-yard game, which would tie the all-time NFL record set in 1961.

Nearly two years later, Mike Zimmer has learned to live with eye issues By Ben Goessling A week from Wednesday will mark the two-year anniversary of the Halloween night game in Chicago when Mike Zimmer’s right eye issues became a big problem. Zimmer, who’d experienced some vision issues leading up to the game, scratched his right eye during the game, and had the first of eight surgeries to address a detached retina in the eye on Nov. 1, 2016. Nearly two years after the first surgery, Zimmer said Thursday the health of his right eye is about the same as it’s been since the operations ceased. Put simply: “It sucks,” he said. “I have to put a drop in every day and then I have to wait for a few hours before I can put a contact in,’’ Zimmer said. “I don’t see good out of it. It is what is — it won’t get any better.’’ The Vikings coach said he can’t read out of his right eye, even with reading glasses, and on Thursday, he said he wouldn’t have been able to identify a reporter standing several feet away while looking out of his right eye. Essentially, he uses the fact that he can see something out of his right eye — even if it’s blurry — to expand his field of vision beyond what it would be if he had gone blind in the eye. Zimmer, instead, reads with his left eye, and he’s learned to hunt left-handed. “It’s not bad,” he said of the hunting. “It’s been alright.”

PUBLICATION: Star Tribune DATE: 10/20/18

NOTEBOOK: Winning in Red Zone Key in Vikings Wins So Far By Eric Smith EAGAN, Minn. — The Jets are going green with their Color Rush uniforms Sunday, but the game against the Vikings could turn in the red zone. The Vikings enter the Week 7 game against the Jets tied with Tennessee for the second-best red-zone defense in the league. Minnesota has allowed nine touchdowns on 24 trips (37.5 percent) inside the 20-yard line. There has been a clear correlation of red-zone dominance to success in the standings for Minnesota. In the four games where the Vikings haven’t lost (with three wins and a tie), Minnesota has kept opponents out of the end zone in 14 of 19 tries. New York’s offense, meanwhile, ranks at the bottom of the NFL with just six scores on 20 trips (30 percent) in the crucial area. The Jets have converted touchdowns on just three of their past 12 trips inside the 20-yard line. “We don’t want any team to get into the end zone and score. We want to keep everyone out, no matter who it is,” said Vikings defensive end Stephen Weatherly. “That’s when it gets down to crunch time, and it’s time to bow up and make a stand.” Weatherly explained what makes a solid red-zone defense. “It’s a combination of a lot of things,” Weatherly said. “We have good play calls, we execute well … there’s less space, so the back end is a lot tighter, and our linebackers are tighter. “Teams tend to simplify what they do in the red zone, so that allows us to pin our ears back as a front and trust our reads and our keys,” Weatherly added. On the other side of the ball, Minnesota’s offense will see a strong red-zone defense as the Jets are ninth, having allowed nine touchdowns on 20 red-zone trips (45 percent). The Vikings are tied for 18th in the league as the unit has converted on nine of 17 attempts (52.5 percent). Minnesota was two of three in Sunday’s win against Arizona, as quarterback Kirk Cousins threw a 13-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Adam Thielen and ran for a 7-yard score. The Vikings had been pass heavy before Cousins’ rushing touchdown, as eight of their nine red-zone touchdowns came through the air. Minnesota doesn’t mind how it scores, but Vikings tight end David Morgan said the offense does want to be able to run the ball consistently inside the 20-yard line.

PUBLICATION: Vikings.com DATE: 10/20/18

“Conceptually, you have to be able to run the ball like that,” Morgan said. “Being able to run the ball in short yardage like that … even getting two or three yards a chunk is really big down there.” Morgan laughed when it was suggested that the red zone is a place where anything goes, an area where the offense is doing all it can to get six points while the defense is using any means necessary to keep the opponent out of the end zone. But he also suggested that no-holds-barred approach is accurate, too. “No doubt. The red zone is one of our biggest points of emphasis every week because it’s a big thing down there,” Morgan said. “We’re always trying to get as many touchdowns as we can and limit our kicking game because touchdowns are the way to go. “We’re continuing to learn what everyone can do and we keep putting in more stuff and figuring out what works and doesn’t work,” Morgan added. “We continue to shape our game and just hope to get better and better.” Vikings wary of Williams The Vikings will face a tough player in the middle of New York’s defense. Jets defensive tackle Leonard Williams was the sixth overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft out of Southern California. The 24-year-old already has a Pro Bowl to his name and has 15 sacks and two forced fumbles in 54 career games. “He’s a very explosive player, and just because guys don’t get sacks doesn’t mean they don’t affect the game,” said Vikings Head Coach Mike Zimmer. “He’s a strong, physical pass rusher, and I think they’ve got a good amount of five-man pressures that allow him to get a lot of 1-on-1s. That’s been helping him.” Vikings defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson played with Williams for two seasons in New York. “He’s good. He’s real good,” Richardson said. “High ceiling, tapping into his potential. He’s ballin’. From when I left, he’s still doing the same thing.” Jets thin in secondary The Jets defense ranks second in the NFL with 15 takeaways, but the unit could be down a few players on Sunday. Jets head coach Todd Bowles said safety Marcus Maye and cornerback Buster Skrine will not play against the Vikings. Maye has a 104-yard interception on the season (but was tackled shy of the end zone), while Skrine has one of New York’s five defensive fumble recoveries.

Jets cornerback Trumaine Johnson, who has one of the Jets 10 interceptions, is listed as doubtful. New York could be down three starters if Johnson doesn’t play. Skrine is New York’s top nickel cornerback. “Going in to each game, you really count on them having their best guys there, and then as you get to the game you might change a few things based on availability, but we always prepare for the best guys,” Zimmer said.

The Skinny Post: Vikings Seeking 1st Win at Jets in Franchise History By Eric Smith EAGAN, Minn. — The Vikings are headed toward the Big Apple in search of a rare win against the Jets. Minnesota sits at 3-2-1 after getting a 27-17 home win over the Cardinals. The Vikings are now set for a Week 7 matchup with the Jets. Kickoff is at noon (CT). New York is 3-3 after earning a 42-34 win over Indianapolis on Sunday. Both teams have won two straight games. Minnesota has just two wins in franchise history against New York and is 0-5 in road games. The Vikings are 2-8 all-time against the Jets. Here are three areas to watch in Sunday’s contest, plus some noteworthy stats on both teams: Depleted on defensive line | By @Eric_L_Smith The Vikings defensive line spent the week on the “did not practice” list. Defensive tackle Linval Joseph did not practice Wednesday and Thursday, but he returned Friday as a limited participant and is listed as questionable. Defensive end Danielle Hunter did not participate on Thursday because of a groin injury but was limited Friday. Hunter did not receive a designation on the final injury report. Defensive end Stephen Weatherly has played well in Everson Griffen’s absence and could be relied upon heavily this weekend. Sheldon Richardson will be facing the team that drafted him in 2013. The Vikings also have Tom Johnson, Jaleel Johnson and David Parry on the interior. Defensive end Tashawn Bower has been inactive the past two games with an ankle injury but looks to be able to go Sunday. Rookie Jalyn Holmes has played both inside and at defensive end over the past two games while Bower was out. The Jets have fared well this season when they’ve been able to get their run game off the ground, so Minnesota will need a full team effort from its defensive line against New York. Restricting the Jets run game, keeping the Vikings rolling | By @LindseyMNSports After five games to start the season in which Minnesota struggled to get its run game going, Latavius Murray surged ahead for several chunk plays against the Cardinals, racking up 155 yards on the ground. The Vikings will try to keep their run game going for a second consecutive

PUBLICATION: Vikings.com DATE: 10/20/18

week against a Jets defense that is allowing opponents an average of 108.7 rushing yards per game, which ranks 17th in the league. “We ran the ball good last week, but I hope it continues that we run the ball effectively every week because it helps with the play-action, it helps with slowing down the defensive line,” Vikings Head Coach Mike Zimmer told Twin Cities beat reporters Thursday. “But really, it was a one-week deal. We’ve got to try to add some consistency to that.” On the flip side, Minnesota’s defense will need to restrict the Jets running game that has proven to be dangerous so far this season. The Jets have won three of four games in which they recorded more than 100 rushing yards, including an incredible 323 yards on the ground against Denver in Week 5. Keeping Isaiah Crowell and company from ripping off large runs will be key for the Vikings on the road. Special teams could loom large | By @pcraigers The Jets rank 26th in total offense and 22nd in total defense but have been impressive in most aspects on special teams. New York ranks second in the NFL in punt return average (19.8 yards per return), sixth in gross punting average (47.7) and fourth in net punting average (43.1). Andre Roberts’ league-leading average of 21.5 yards per punt return has been boosted by a 78-yard touchdown. Roberts has averaged 18.7 yards on 11 kickoff returns. New York ranks 32nd in the NFL with a kickoff return average of 22.8. The Vikings have allowed an average of 5.3 yards on punt returns (sixth) and 18.8 yards on kickoff returns (fourth). Minnesota’s coverage teams can play a vital role in field position on Sunday. The Jets coverage teams are only allowing an average of 21.6 on kickoff returns and an average of 6.2 on punt returns (11th). Marcus Sherels returned to the mix last week after missing three consecutive games. He had one kickoff return for 17 yards and returned three punts a total of 26 yards against the Cardinals. Jets kicker Jason Myers accounted for 24 points in Week 6 by kicking all seven field goals and going 3-for-3 on extra points against the Colts. Myers came one field goal shy of tying an NFL record. He enters Week 7 leading NFL kickers with 63 points and is 15-for-16 on extra points and 16-for-17 on field goals. Myers also is tied for first in the NFL with 32 touchbacks on kickoffs. The Vikings defense has only allowed nine touchdowns on 24 red zone possessions by opponents. The 37.5 percent allowance rate is tied for second in the NFL. The Jets offense, meanwhile, ranks 32nd, having scored touchdowns on six of 20 trips to the red zone (30 percent). Combine the two, and Myers could have an opportunity for more field goals Sunday. The Vikings are coming off what Special Teams Coordinator Mike Priefer called the unit’s “most complete game” of 2018. They’ll face a tough test — and potentially stiff winds — on Sunday. The forecast in New York at kickoff is 48 degrees Fahrenheit with winds around 20 miles per hour.

Substantial Stats — Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins recorded his 14th career rushing touchdown in Sunday’s win over Arizona. Cousins ranks third in the NFL in quarterback rushing touchdowns since 2015, trailing only Cam Newton and Tyrod Taylor. — Minnesota is 6-1 in the month of October over the past two seasons. The Vikings went 4-1 in October in 2017 and are 2-0 so far this season. — The teams’ most-recent meeting in New York was highlighted by former Vikings quarterback Brett Favre throwing his 500th career touchdown pass. That historic touchdown pass was caught by fellow Hall of Famer Randy Moss in 2010 on Monday Night Football. — The Vikings defense didn’t allow the Cardinals to convert a single third down on 10 tries Sunday at home. Minnesota leads the league with an allowance rate of 25 percent on third downs. Quotable “Big game on the road this week against the Jets. They got a very stout front, Darron Lee leads the league in interceptions for linebackers, and they get a lot of turnovers on defense. They’ve got a great punt returner in Roberts. Offensively, they’ve been running the football very effectively, we’re going to have to do a great job against the run, and the quarterback scrambling will get some big plays. It’ll be a great test for us, and we need to go out and play well to win.” — Zimmer on Sunday’s game.

Vikings Full Injury Report Against the Jets on Sunday By Zach Royse EAGAN, Minn. — For the third consecutive week, the Vikings will be without Dalvin Cook (hamstring). Cook started the week as a full participant but missed practices on Thursday and Friday. Along with Cook, the Vikings have also ruled out Everson Griffen (not injury related), Riley Reiff (foot) and Andrew Sendejo (groin). Linval Joseph (ankle/knee/shoulder) missed practice on Wednesday and Thursday but returned Friday as a limited participant. He is questionable to play on Sunday. After missing Thursday’s practice, Danielle Hunter returned Friday and was a limited participant. The Vikings did not designate Hunter with a status, so he is likely to play. Tashawn Bower (ankle), Jaleel Johnson (ankle), Kevin McDermott (hand) and Stephen Weatherly (ribs) all appeared on the injury report this week as full participants, but are not listed on the final injury report. For the Jets, they will be without three starters and possibly more. S Marcus Maye, WR Quincy Enunwa and CB Buster Skrine have all been ruled out ahead of Sunday’s contest. In addition, CB Trumaine Johnson, WR Terrelle Pryor and LB Kevin Pierre-Louis are listed as doubtful. RB Isaiah Crowell, who had 219 rushing yards in Week 5, is listed as questionable.

PUBLICATION: Vikings.com Tribune DATE: 10/20/18

PUBLICATION: Vikings.com DATE: 10/20/18

Lunchbreak: Mackensie Alexander Having ‘More Fun’ in 3rd NFL Season By Lindsey Young Vikings cornerback Mackensie Alexander has had an up-and-down ride through his first two-plus seasons in Minnesota. The standout from Clemson was asked to learn the nickel back role as a rookie and admitted that he pushed back against the position change, but in 2017, Alexander embraced the responsibility, became more open to coaching and, in turn, improved at the position. Andrew Krammer of the Star Tribune wrote recently about Alexander’s progress and the bigger role he potentially could receive in the Vikings defense. Krammer wrote: After two NFL seasons of lessons learned, and some battles with coaches, Alexander earned the Vikings’ starting slot cornerback role. Now with fellow slot cornerback Mike Hughes out of the picture because of a torn knee ligament suffered Sunday against Arizona, Alexander will occupy an even larger share of the job in what could become a statement season. Those lessons, Alexander said, are “understanding this defense more, listening, being more accountable.” “I used to be so serious about my job,” Alexander told Krammer. “You can be serious, but you can’t be too serious because we change so much every week, every play and every set. You just have to understand what’s going on, be able to make the adjustments and move on.” Krammer pointed out talented slot receivers ahead of Minnesota on the schedule, including Detroit’s Golden Tate (Nov. 4 and Dec. 23), New England’s Julian Edelman (Dec. 2) and Miami’s Danny Amendola (Dec. 16) and said the Vikings will need strong performances from Alexander, “whose quick-twitch reaction and speed best match up with those shiftier receivers.” He said that Alexander made some mistakes, particularly early in the season, but that last Sunday’s defeat of the Cardinals “was a different story,” when he defended “critical throws” on third and fourth down to Larry Fitzgerald. Krammer quoted Zimmer, who spoke highly of Alexander’s performance against Arizona. “I thought he played a lot better this last week, did some good things,” Zimmer said. “He’s been more disciplined in coverage, I guess is the best way to say it. I think he understands things so much better now.” The Athletic delves into father-son relationship of Rick, JD Spielman Vikings General Manager Rick Spielman and his wife, Michele, have long been advocates of adoption, having adopted all six of their children. Recently, The Athletic’s Chad Graff spoke with Spielman about the bond with one of his sons, JD, who currently plays football for Nebraska. Spielman told Graff about the emotional waiting period before starting a family through the adoption of foster children in Chicago. Graff wrote:

In the fall of 1998, they adopted Ronnie and JD, brothers from the city. Ronnie’s birthday was two days apart from that of Chris Spielman, Rick’s younger brother. And JD’s was two days apart from Rick’s. It was a sign. That fall was a whirlwind. No amount of planning, not even years of trying to start a family, could properly prep them for parenthood, especially during one of the busiest times on the NFL calendar. As Rick built a crib for JD, who was eight months old, he was on the phone negotiating a contract for Olin Kreutz, the Bears’ third-round pick that year. As Rick juggled work and becoming a father, which he had long-awaited, the “first few weeks were filled with the usual anxiety of early parenthood.” Rick and Michele woke up with each sound from the baby monitor. One night, they awoke to loud cries from JD. Michele ran into their new children’s room and Rick followed. When they arrived, they saw that Ronnie, then two-and-a-half, had climbed into JD’s crib and was comforting his baby brother. Ronnie looked up at his new parents, then back down at his brother and began to sing a song he learned from Barney. “I love you, you love me, we’re a happy family.” Twenty years later, little brother has grown into a record-setting football star at Nebraska, with a game against the college program from his dad’s team’s backyard coming up on Saturday. Click here to read the rest of Graff’s deep dive, including how JD receiving a timeout at 2-and-a-half years old gave Rick an early inkling of his son’s athletic skills. Thielen tabbed as 1 of NFL’s ‘8 best players’ Heading into the slate of Week 7 games, Adam Thielen leads the NFL in receiving yards with 712. Thielen has continued to impress, having logged 100-plus receiving yards in each of the first six games this season. It’s undeniable that the Minnesota native has established himself as one of the league’s best receivers. But is he among the NFL’s top players overall? Robert Mays of The Ringer believes he is. Mays highlighted the eight players he rates above the rest, including Thielen. Mays wrote: As recently as last season, Thielen was still just considered a feel-good story: the former practice-squad player who rose up and performed at a Pro Bowl level. We’re past all of that now. Over the last year, the list of receivers you’d take ahead of Thielen has gradually gotten shorter and shorter, and at this point, I’m not sure how many people are on it anymore. Aside from Antonio Brown, Julio Jones and DeAndre Hopkins, anyone else is debatable. A.J. Green is having a great season, and Michael Thomas has been an absolute beast for the Saints. But Thielen’s production stands on its own. He’s one of the more refined route runners in the sport, but his game is about more than savvy and nuance. Thielen is good for one “How in the hell…?” reception per game, and he elevates Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins’ play — which is saying something, because Cousins is already playing pretty damn well. The rapport that Minnesota’s first-year QB has developed with Thielen this early in their partnership is incredible, and it’s helped elevate the 28-year-old receiver to the upper echelon of NFL wideouts.

Mays included the following other players on his list: Rams RB Todd Gurley, Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes II, Rams QB Jared Goff, Bears DE Khalil Mack, Saints QB Drew Brees, Chargers QB Philip Rivers and Packers T David Bakhtiari.

PUBLICATION: Vikings.com DATE: 10/20/18

What’d They Say: Jets Talk About Vikings By Lindsey Young The Vikings and Jets don’t play each other very often. In fact, the teams have only faced off 10 times in NFL history and only once since Vikings Head Coach Mike Zimmer took the helm in Minnesota. Zimmer and Jets Head Coach Todd Bowles are quite familiar with one another, however. The two coaches overlapped in Dallas in 2005-06, when Zimmer was the Cowboys defensive coordinator and Bowles worked as the Cowboys secondary coach. Bowles told Twin Cities media members via conference call Wednesday that he “texts quite a bit” with Zimmer and that he’s also stayed in touch with Vikings Defensive Coordinator George Edwards and defensive line coach Andre Patterson, both of whom also were in Dallas. “There’s quite a few guys over there,” Bowles said. “Zim’ is one of the smartest defensive coaches I’ve been around from details, and I learned a lot from him in Dallas. We continue to keep in touch when we need things or anything like that, as well as George, as well as Andre, so we have a very good relationship.” Bowles recalled first working with Zimmer in 2005 and said it was “pretty tough” because Zimmer had previously been the defensive backs coach. “You had to know what you were doing back there. He’s an outstanding coach. He really is.” Jets left tackle Kelvin Beachum also understands what he’ll be up against Sunday when he faces Minnesota’s defensive line. Beachum played for the Steelers from 2012-15, during which he faced a Zimmer-coached Bengals defense four times (2012-13) before Zimmer was hired by the Vikings. “They do a great job on third down with the way that they blitz,” Beachum said of the Vikings defense. “I faced Zimmer when he was in Cincinnati years ago, and the defense and the way that he schemes people up is impressive.” Here are other highlights from the Jets talking about the Vikings this week: Beachum on the Vikings defensive line: “Their defense is one of the best in the league – I said that a couple weeks ago. Between them, L.A. and Jacksonville, I think they have one of the deepest defensive lines in the league. We have our work cut out for us this week, and we’re looking forward to the challenge.” Bowles on Vikings DT Sheldon Richardson: Richardson played for the Jets from 2013-16 before being traded to the Seahawks. “He was going to be a free agent. That was more business-like. I love Sheldon to death and think he’s a heck of a player and even more a heck of a person. That part of it you do miss as a coach, that relationship with your players. I’m happy for him, and he’s doing well.”

QB Sam Darnold on facing Minnesota’s defense: “The Vikings have a tough defense, a very good defense. … They’re really good on first and second down. Obviously on third down, they bring some different stuff. “I have to study, maybe spend some extra hours here [at the practice facility] and look at them that way.” Special Teams Coordinator Brant Boyer on Minnesota’s special teams: “I think they’re outstanding. They’re big, they’re long, they’re fast. They have really good returners. I think this will be a really big challenge for us, because they are probably the biggest, longest, fastest group that we’ll have played yet this year.” Offensive Coordinator Jeremy Bates on the Vikings defense: “Obviously this defense, it’s Coach Zimmer, Coach Edwards, I’ve known them a long time from [their] Dallas days – excellent football coaches that always get their guys focused and ready to play. They’re fast, they’re strong, they’re sound and they’re creative, all in one. We’re going to have to come into the game focused and bring our ‘A’ game. “They’re smart players. There’s not a lot of free shots. It’s an awesome challenge, and we’re looking forward to it on Sunday.” Editor’s note: Bates’ father, Jim, was an assistant coach in Dallas for linebackers (1996-97) and defensive line (1998-99). Defensive Coordinator Kacy Rodgers on Minnesota’s offensive: “Those two guys (Adam Thielen and Stefon Diggs) are very talented. And then you throw in the quarterback who can make all the throws, then they’ve got a tight end and two running backs. It’s challenging. They really know how to get open. They’re extending drives on third down. It’s going to be a great challenge for us. Rodgers on Kirk Cousins’ performance under pressure: “[Kirk Cousins is] very resilient, and he’s tough – and mentally tough. This guy’s been in some [pressure] situations, but he’s making the throws, making the decisions and everything. He kind of makes their offense go.” Defensive backs coach Dennard Wilson on Thielen and Diggs: “They’re very explosive. They’re outstanding route runners. They play the game the way it’s supposed to be played – with a physical process – at the wide receiver position. And they like to go out there and make plays. So it’s going to be a challenge for us.”

PUBLICATION: Vikings.com DATE: 10/20/18

Vikings Fan Club in Germany Quickly Growing By Lindsey Young Marco Hassler considers himself a long-distance Vikings fan. Very long distance, in fact. Hassler was born and raised in Saarland, located in southwest Germany, but was introduced to American football in 1998. Having an interest in Norse mythology and the history of the Vikings, Hassler was immediately drawn to the Minnesota Vikings – and was easily hooked by the magical team that was led by Randy Moss and finished 15-1 that season. “My friends from school had teams like the 49ers, Raiders or Redskins, but I decided to go with the Vikings,” explained Hassler, who now lives and works in Switzerland. “Although there have been tough times to watch, I never struggled [to stick with the team].” Hassler always admired Minnesota from afar and was often drawn to books about the state as a child. “The winters, the snow, the beautiful forests. Unique landscapes on one hand and metropolises like Minneapolis and St. Paul on the other. The United States of America and especially Minnesota were always fascinating for me,” said Hassler, who has now visited Minnesota six times. german-story-7-101918 Hassler calls Minnesota a “second home” and enjoys spending time at the Mall of America or making the trek along the North Shore of Lake Superior. He even has a tattoo of the Split Rock Lighthouse on his right calf, depicted just beneath a large rendition of a Vikings helmet. The native of Germany has adopted the Minnesota sports team as his own and has attended Vikings, Twins, Timberwolves, Wild, Minnesota United FC and Golden Gophers games during his visits. And while he has been to U.S. Bank Stadium a couple of times to watch his beloved Vikings play, Hassler wanted to increase the fan support for the Purple and Gold in his home country. What started out as a Facebook group connecting Vikings fans living in Germany soon grew beyond the realm of social media. In August 2017, Hassler and a few friends met to discuss the idea of establishing a German Vikings fan club, and on Oct. 29, several fans traveled from Germany to London to watch the Vikings defeat the Browns at Twickenham Stadium. german-story-4-101918 On Jan. 11, 2018, the club was officially launched. “It became clear that there are a lot of [people] out there with the same love and passion for the Vikes,” said Hassler, who serves as the vice president of the Minnesota Vikings Fans Germany e.V. The initials stand for eingetragener Verein, which means the club is legally registered and recognized by Germany. “There are a lot of diehard fans in Germany, loyal to the Purple and Gold, united with our brothers and sisters of the Viking World Order from Minnesota,” Hassler added. Raimund Rüther, a native of Werl, Germany, recognized the group’s flag while at the London game and later attended a summer meeting to connect personally with fellow fans.

“I appreciate that I can talk with other Vikings supporters who are as interested as me,” Rüther said. “Football is rising in Germany, but it’s seldom to find someone who commonly understands the details of the game – and with the Vikings, it is special.” According to Hassler, the fan club is the largest in Germany at 210 members and growing. The club’s members meet in different locations, from watching Vikings games at various sports bars throughout Germany to hosting Super Bowl parties at members’ homes. Meetings for the club also are planned. german-story-3-101918 Hassler explained that the Vikings have gained more and more popularity in Germany over the recent years, and he credited “good efforts” of the team for the rising draw. “Spectacular games, hard fights and winning records were all reasons,” Hassler said. “And the Minneapolis Miracle – Oh my gosh, what a game! After that game, more and more people joined the Vikings ship. “But there was also many guys who started cheering for our team after the heartbreaking loss against the Seahawks in the playoffs … because we fought till the end against a Seattle team that is very popular in Germany also,” Hassler added. “Most popular teams here are the Patriots, Seahawks, Cardinals and, unfortunately, the Packers. But the Vikings fans in Germany are just as diehard as those in the States. Our love for our team is real, and we’re no bandwagoners.”

PUBLICATION: VIKING Update DATE: 10/20/18

Vikings see run-game improvement as a team effort By John Holler For much of the 2018 season, the Minnesota Vikings run game has been a weakness – a glaring weakness. Entering last week’s game with the Arizona Cardinals, Minnesota had the NFL’s 31st-ranked rushing game. The team was averaging just 56 rushing yards a game and the offense was forced to be much more one-dimensional than anyone wanted it to be. But, last week against Arizona, led by a career-best 155 yards from running back Latavius Murray, the Vikings ran 32 times for 195 yards in their 27-17 win. In the process, it increased their rushing averaging from 3.4 yards a carry to 4.1 yards and moved from 31st to 28th in the league rushing stats. For Murray, it was a bit of redemption for a running game that is better than the numbers indicated in the first five games of the year, even without star young running back Dalvin Cook for three of the first six games. But, Murray hopes this is just the start of something good. “It just felt good to put together a run game,” Murray said. “That’s how we want to run the ball this year. Regardless, we just have to put that kind of performance together week in and week out. That will help everything we want to do on offense.” If last week’s win over Arizona proved anything, it was a blueprint for all of the things that need to go well for a running game to succeed. Obviously, the offensive line needs to open holes, but it isn’t just the five players in the trenches that need to work as one to succeed. It’s the work of the tight ends and wide receivers that can help spring the big runs and keep drives moving. Tight end Kyle Rudolph felt that the performance, often unrecognized and unheralded, from the Vikings tight end group was as good as they’ve performed not only this season, but dating back into last year. “It was big,” Rudolph said. “Clancy [Barone, the offensive line coach] made a point of thanking the receivers – we don’t rush for almost 200 yards if those guys on the outside aren’t blocking down the field. For us, it’s part of our job description. We’re in it more on a daily basis than the receivers are. It’s big for us tight ends because a lot of times that just gets overlooked. You’re kind of expected to do it. When you don’t do it, it shows up. When you do do it, it often goes unnoticed. That’s how we would like to keep it. We would like to go unnoticed, because if we’re getting noticed, that’s probably not a good thing in the run game. I felt like, as a tight end room, that was probably one of our best blocking performances that we’ve had in a long time around here.” Following the game, as the media swarmed around Murray to get his impressions of the game, he was honest about the reality of the situation against the Cardinals. Arizona has one of the worst run defenses in the league and teams that have committed to the run have almost always had success. The New York Jets this week will have a stronger run defense – they currently rank 17th in the league. But Murray is convinced that the Vikings can dictate the run game against them. “It’s definitely the same mindset,” Murray said. “At the end of the day, we have to control what we can control. [The Jets] are more stout, but game-plan-wise, we have a plan that we have to execute and I’m

confident in that. A lot of times, I think I feel it’s just up to us executing and doing what we need to do. I think the rest will take care of itself.” Wide receiver Adam Thielen hasn’t had much to complain about at the level of his play this season – he’s on a record-setting pace for receptions and yardage through six games – but said he has been deficient at blocking in the run game. He felt he played at a higher level against Arizona, adding that, for a run game to succeed – especially on the edge – wide receivers need to become blockers and take the fight to defenders who typically come after them. What the offense was able to achieve – the linemen, the tight ends, the wide receivers and the running backs – was a team effort. Elite teams find a way to work as one cohesive group for the benefit of the run game. “We know what those guys can do back there and we know this offensive line can block,” Thielen said. “We had so much confidence going into the season because of what they were able to do in training camp and the preseason games. We know we can do it and we know we can do it at a high level. It’s complementary football. Everybody has to work together. When our defense is playing well, when we’re doing well in the pass game, it opens up the running game. If we’re blocking on the outside, it opens up a lot of things, too.” Was the Arizona game a one-time aberration or a sign of things to come? That is a question that will start to be answered on Sunday, but will be a work in progress throughout the year. Despite the big game last Sunday, Minnesota is still near the bottom of the NFL in rushing and it will take a string of games like the Arizona game just to get the Vikings to the middle of the pack. But the team does have momentum moving forward and, whether it’s Murray, Cook or a combination of the two with help from rookies Mike Boone and Roc Thomas, for the first time all season there is some positivity surrounding the Vikings rushing attack. “I just think it’s a mentality and a mindset,” Murray said. “When you come off the ball and the backs are running hard, I think that establishes the mindset and the mentality early on. When you’re able to keep that mindset and mentality, I feel it wears on a defense or chooses them to really make a decision whether they want to be in for that kind of physical [style] all day.”

PUBLICATION: VIKING Update DATE: 10/20/18

Injuries altering in-week game-planning By Tim Yotter The Minnesota Vikings thought they would get running back Dalvin Cook back in action last week after he was either a full participant or limited throughout last week’s practices. However, after testing his hamstring before last Sunday’s game, they made him active. That sort of uncertainty with a player’s injury has an effect on the game-planning process during the week and the play-calling during the game. “It makes it difficult because you never really know,” Vikings coach Mike Zimmer said. “He comes out and he says, ‘Hey, I’m good to go.’ That’s just kind of how it goes, so you have to have versatility in your game plan.” This week, the Vikings made the decision in advance of the game, ruling him out against the New York Jets on Friday. With Cook not practicing on Thursday or Friday, coaches had a pretty good indication that this week would be different. “I’ll be honest with you, it’s not easy, and Tuesdays you have to be really careful about the volume of plays that you’re putting in for one person. It’s not just Dalvin, it could be anybody that’s in that situation,” offensive coordinator John DeFilippo said. “You get too caught up in the piece, well then he’s up, you got to get the ball to him in practice – there’s a whole laundry list of things that go in to what you just brought up. You make it work, and there’s ways in your offense to get certain guys the football that you just carry every week. You just roll with those, but at the same time I feel bad for Dalvin because he wants to be out there. But at the same time you don’t want to put any player in harm’s way.” Cook only has 36 carries this season and still hasn’t crossed the 100-yard rushing mark for the season – he has 98 yards – and is averaging only 2.7 yards per carry. In Cook’s absence, Latavius Murray has 54 carries for 261 yards and a 4.8-yard average. He scored the Vikings’ first rushing touchdown of the season last week against the Arizona Cardinals, when Murray rushed for 155 yards on 24 carries. “He’s a guy that needs carries with the physicality of things. I’ve said it a million times, I like Latavius and the way he approaches the game. Typically, he’s not a one-carry-every-quarter guy. He’s a guy that needs the football some,” Zimmer said. “I don’t know about that big of a workload, but the longer it goes, usually the more effective he is.” Leading up to last week’s game, the Vikings had just one carry from a running back that went for 15 yards or more and that came from Cook in Week 1. Last week, Murray had carries of 34, 28, 26 and 21 yards and rookie Mike Boone’s only carry went for 20 yards. “Latavius will wear people down. Even when he gets stopped at the line of scrimmage or the point of contact is at a yard or two, there’s always that surge going in our favor,” DeFilippo said. “He’s a big guy, and he’s going to fall forward a lot. Number one is just his size and his strength, what he brings to the table and what a downhill runner he is. The thing about Latavius, there’s two things that I don’t think people give him enough credit for, really three things. Number one, his ability to run the mid-zone play as well, and being able to get outside and make that first guy miss. Number two, his hands. I think he has much better hands then people give him credit for. The other thing that Latavius understands and another

reason why he’s been able to carve a niche for himself in this league for so long is he really understands pass protection. To me, he’s a complete back. But just as the Vikings’ game plan will be altered some without Cook available, they also could have more advantageous matchups in the passing game. The Jets ruled out safety Marcus Maye and cornerback Buster Skrine. In addition, cornerback Trumaine Johnson is doubtful. That’s three of their top five defensive backs. “Going into each game, you really count on them having their best guys there,” Zimmer said when asked about those injuries. “As you get to the game, you might change a few things based on availability. We always prepare for the best guys.” The Jets won’t have some of their best defensive backs and the Vikings will be without Cook, whom they expected to be their best running back entering the season. However, this will be his fourth game inactive because of the hamstring, and one of the three in which he was active, against the Los Angeles Rams, he was limited to 18 snaps and 10 carries. As injuries occur, plans change.

PUBLICATION: VIKING Update DATE: 10/20/18

Richardson putting team above ‘personal vendetta’ vs. Jets By Tim Yotter Sheldon Richardson is trying to keep the focus on his newest team, the Minnesota Vikings, rather than him facing his old team, the New York Jets. With the Vikings traveling to play the Jets on Sunday, it holds a little more personal meaning to Richardson, New York’s 13th overall pick in the 2013 NFL Draft who went on to become the NFL’s Defensive Rookie of the Year. Last year, just before the start of the season, Richardson was traded from the Jets to the Seattle Seahawks on Sept. 1. “Another game. I never put myself above the team,” he said this week when asked about his return to playing the team that drafted him. “Whatever personal vendetta I have is between me.” Richardson became a Pro Bowl defender in his second season with the Jets, producing eight sacks and 11 tackles for a loss, causing a fumble and recovering a fumble. The eight sacks remain a personal best – he had only one last year with the Seahawks – and has one with the Vikings through the first six games. “I’ve been really impressed with Sheldon. Not just his play, but the way he’s come in here and tries to learn the techniques we are trying to teach him,” Vikings coach Mike Zimmer said. “His professionalism, how he handles himself in the meetings, he’s been really good with everything. There has been some plays that a lot of people don’t recognize that I see on tape that I’m like, ‘That is a heck of a play.’ Everyone sees the sacks and the hits on the quarterbacks. But they don’t see sometimes when you split the double team and you make a tackle or you run 20 yards down the field to make a tackle. Those things are impressive to me.” The Jets may have traded Richardson for reasons other than his performance on the football field. He has been suspended in 2015 for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy and was arrested for reportedly going 140 miles per hour while street racing in Florida and suspended in 2016 for that incident, but he says he has grown personally since those days. “Personally, definitely. Football player, yeah, that too. In [former coach Rex Ryan’s] regime I was doing pretty good for the most part, making a name for myself in the league, and after that it was kind of self-inflicted wounds,” Richardson said. “It’s just now me overcoming my personal battles in life. They got me out of there, and that changed everything around there. That’s pretty much it. I pretty much grew from everywhere. Every point, every phase of my life, I grew from it.” After four years with the Jets and one with Seattle, Richardson became a free agent and saw the opportunity to try to rekindle the successes he had on the field early in his career, even if he admits playing in New York is “very different.” Now in Minnesota, he has been assisting his new teammates on the defensive line with tips he believes can help against the Jets. “Being that he came from the Jets, he knows a little bit about their offensive line and their tendencies and what they do up front. It’s been very helpful,” defensive tackle Jaleel Johnson said. “He’s not only helping me, but he’s helping the defensive ends because he knows a thing or two about their tackles as well.

We’re just taking everything in and watching the film and we’re doing whatever we can to help this team win this game.” The timing of his trade last season showed how much the NFL is a business and gave him more perspective to assess his performance. “It’s tough, man. It’s just the way it is. I did some things for me to get out of there for them to trade me, and other than that, I put it on myself, nobody else,” he said. “In Seattle, my time spent there, I grew from that. Not knowing where I’m going to be this offseason, just sitting down. You go four years straight, you know what you’re doing, you know what to expect, and then you go and you don’t know. You don’t know where you’re at as far as your career. Then battling through that and landing in a good situation, a good team, good family-oriented guys, good coaching staff. Can’t really beat it. Can’t really beat it.” Like Richardson, Jets coach Todd Bowles admitted that trading Richardson to Seattle last year was a business decision since he was entering the final year of his contract in New York. The Jets acquired receiver Jermaine Kearse and a second-round pick that eventually helped them move up to draft QB Sam Darnold. “He was going to be a free agent. That was more business. I wish Sheldon the best and I think he’s a heck of a player and even more a heck of a person,” Bowles said. “That part of it you do miss as a coach, that relationship with your players, but I’m happy for him and he’s doing well.” After six games in Minnesota, Richardson said he isn’t getting the one-on-one blocking he anticipated, but he is getting another chance to prove himself. After a few rough years personally and professionally, he’s getting past the challenges of his final years in New York and his one-year stint in Seattle. “Growing, and time. That’s it. Time heals all wounds,” he said. “You’ve just got to learn how to get over things and keep moving forward. Life goes on.”

PUBLICATION: 1500 ESPN DATE: 10/20/18

Vikings RB Dalvin Cook out vs. Jets By Matthew Coller The Minnesota Vikings will again be without Dalvin Cook. For the second straight week, the Vikings’ starting running back will not be in the lineup as he recovers from a hamstring injury. Cook missed Week 3, played only a handful of snaps in Week 4 and then sat the last two weeks against Philadelphia and Arizona. Latavius Murray will start again after setting a career high against the Cardinals. “He’s a guy that needs carries, and the physicality of things,” head coach Mike Zimmer said. “I’ve said it a million times, I like Latavius and the way he approaches the game. Typically he’s not a one carry every quarter guy, he’s a guy that needs to get the football some.” Starting left tackle Riley Reiff will be out again with a foot injury. Brian O’Neill will start at right tackle and Rashod Hill plays left tackle. Safety Andrew Sendejo will miss the game with a groin injury. George Iloka played 43 snaps last week in his place. Defensive tackle Linval Joseph is questionable with ankle, shoulder and knee injuries. On the Jets’ side, they will be without receiver Quincy Enunwa and defensive backs Marcus Maye and Buster Skrine. Receiver Terrelle Pryor, defensive back Trumaine Johnson and linebacker Kevin Pierre-Louis are listed as doubtful.

PUBLICATION: ESPN DATE: 10/20/18

What's behind issues for Kirk Cousins, NFL's most prolific fumbler By Courtney Cronin EAGAN, Minn. -- For all the ways the Minnesota Vikings' offense has improved with the addition of Kirk Cousins, there’s one glaring outlier causing concern. Since becoming a starting quarterback for the Washington Redskins in 2015, Cousins leads the NFL in fumbles with 37, having lost 16, also a league-high, according to ESPN Stats & Information. It’s an issue that’s not just limited to his NFL career. As a senior at Michigan State in 2011, Cousins’ eight fumbles were tied for the second-most in the Big Ten. Cousins has six fumbles in the Vikings' past four games, four of which were recovered by the other team. And with every turnover created by a Cousins fumble, Minnesota’s opponent was able to capitalize. Two first-quarter fumbles recovered by Buffalo allowed the Bills to score on each ensuing drive in their Week 3 27-6 victory. Had Cousins not fumbled at the Rams' 48-yard line during the two-minute drill during a 38-31 loss to Los Angeles, the Vikings would have had a shot to tie the game. In a Week 6 win over the Cardinals, Cousins was strip-sacked and safety Budda Baker returned it for a touchdown. "When we talk about how we view quarterbacks, we talk about their touchdown-to-interception ratio, and very rarely do we talk about when guys fumble inside the pocket, which oftentimes is worse because of where the turnover takes place," said former NFL quarterback and ESPN analyst Tim Hasselbeck. Fumbles come with the territory of playing the position. The top-10 list of the NFL’s all-time quarterback leaders in fumbles features league MVPs and Super Bowl champions. Two current players, Eli Manning (119) and Tom Brady (117), rank eighth and ninth, respectively. But Manning is in his 15th season and Brady his 19th. There’s a story behind every fumble. Sometimes the blame can be pinned on the quarterback for not getting the ball out on time or trying to run with a loose football. There may also be a breakdown along the offensive line or a running back or tight end not holding up in protection. The quarterback could also be holding on to the ball too long because his receiver didn’t get his head around quick enough. It’s different for each fumble, but it’s an ongoing problem for Cousins. "I’m concerned about all the fumbles. We’ve got to do a better job," coach Mike Zimmer said after the Arizona game. "I think the two times, the two that I remember that he fumbled, both times guys were coming from behind him. He’s got to, when he starts moving up in the pocket, he has to be ready to put the ball [away], so we’ll address that." Since he became a starter in 2015, Kirk Cousins has more fumbles (37) than any other player in the NFL. Bruce Kluckhohn/AP Photo What does it mean when a quarterback is a habitual fumbler? Let’s start with something obvious. According to MockDraftable, Cousins’ 97/8 inch hand size puts him in the 70th percentile among all draft-eligible quarterbacks since 1999. So his hand size isn’t likely to be a contributing factor.

Several of the same factors contributed to the fumbles Cousins lost against the Cardinals and the Rams, which boil down to him not responding to pressure off the left edge and not moving up in the pocket despite having the time and space to do so. Against Los Angeles, the Vikings had just crossed into Rams territory with a fresh set of downs with 1:29 left on the clock. Cousins took a snap out of the shotgun and dropped back deep -- so deep that rookie John Franklin-Myers got around left tackle Riley Reiff and tomahawked the ball loose as Cousins drew his right arm back to pass. There was room created for Cousins to climb up in the pocket, which may have helped those in protection, but he did not react fast enough to move up. Here’s how Cousins explained his fumble against the Rams: "I’m waiting on my first read," Cousins said. "Adam Thielen’s my first read, I’m trying to get him the football. I’m not going No. 2, No. 3, I’m seven-step (drop), one hitch, trying to get him the ball. And I did. And before I could get it to him, the ball was out. We’ll go back and say 'Hey, we don’t want to be any deeper than 9.5 yards in the pocket.' So any time you’re deeper than 9.5, you’re making it tougher on your tackle to let the pass-rusher run by the pocket. "So can you shorten up your drop? Again, if you’re at 9.5, then you’re going to say, do your best to get back up to 8.5, but it is what it is ... There were many drops throughout the game that I was at 9.5, there were a couple that I was a little bit past but didn’t have a fumble, didn’t get sacked. ... No matter the play, stay no deeper than 9.5." A quarterback is typically going to sit 9.5 yards deep in the pocket on hard play-action, not dropping back out of the shotgun. Vikings offensive coordinator John DeFilippo noted the balance of staying 7.5 yards deep, which helps the quarterback not have to "throw from a foxhole with guys in their lap" and also makes the job easier for the offensive line. "If you’re 9.5 yards deep, then your tackle has no chance. None," Hasselbeck said. "But if you’re 9.5 yards deep and a guy is making contact with you and you’re not climbing, to me that’s very fixable. That’s just getting trained to climb in the pocket." Get a Grip Kirk Cousins has more fumbles than any other NFL player since he became a starter with the Redskins in 2015. PLAYER FUMBLES LOST Kirk Cousins 37 16 Russell Wilson 36 9 Jameis Winston 34 15 Eli Manning 33 15 Blake Bortles 33 15 Fixing his depth in the pocket and being able to push up quicker on the initial climb is one remedy. Another is adjusting the clock in his head of when to escape the pocket before the up-field pass-rusher retraces his steps before trying to make a play. "I think those are two very correctable things," Hasselbeck said. "Those are easier than breaking the bad habit of running with one hand on the ball, which is not something Kirk does. He doesn’t escape out of the pocket and drop the ball the way some guys do." One of Cousins’ best qualities is his ability to make quick, accurate throws. He has mitigated a handful of issues (i.e. how much time he’s being given to throw) by getting rid of the ball quickly and playing fast.

"I could easily find five plays where I could say there is not a quarterback playing with better anticipation and quite honestly the quarterback play solves a huge mistake by somebody up front," Hasselbeck said. "I think he’s done that. That’s probably as big of a compliment that you can give a quarterback." And even when Cousins is doing everything right by throwing on time, he may still get hit from behind while in the throwing motion. There isn’t much a quarterback can do in that situation, but finding ways to fix what he’s doing when his pocket depth and timing are the root of the fumbles could help Cousins remedy these ongoing problems. "You can’t give up on plays or get your eyes down at the rush just to avoid fumbles," Cousins said. "You’ve still got to be a quarterback, and you’ve still got to take your drop, try to step up, try to make plays, be a playmaker. At times you do that, you’re going to risk the occasional fumble. You’ve got to trust protection. You can’t drop back expecting protection to be loose and then you’re never going to be able to play. It’s a balance. When we look back at the fumbles, we’re going to try to really just focus in on the ones that I can control, that are correctable."

PUBLICATION: ESPN DATE: 10/20/18

How a tower of 720 stones helps Kirk Cousins confront his own mortality By Tory Zawacki Roy EAGAN, Minn. -- In front of Kirk Cousins' home, in between a few shrubs, stands a curious tower. No more than four feet tall, it's filled to the top with stones. Inspired décor? Sort of. "It's there to remind me how brief life is, and how important the time we have here is," the Minnesota Vikings quarterback says. But ... a tower of stones? Cousins laughs. "Oh, it's a little morbid," he admits, "but it's a tool my Bible teacher taught me in high school, and I'm carrying it with me." courtesy of Kirk Cousins The stones were inspired by a Bible verse, from the Book of Psalms, first shared with Cousins while attending Holland Christian High School in Holland, Michigan. Teach us to number our days that we may gain a heart of wisdom. "It's about the importance of leaving a mark and making a deposit in people's lives in a way that matters," Cousins says. "In other words, when you have an understanding that life is coming to an end someday, and that we only have so many days? There's wisdom in that." For Cousins, it was important to transform the verse into a visual reminder: 720 stones. "Let's say I live to 90, that would be a pretty good run," he says. "We went month to month, and we added it all up, and it was 720 stones because I turned 30 this year. "Every month I'm going to take out a stone, put it in my pocket, and think: 'Once this month is over, this is gone. You can't get it back, it's gone for good.'" The stone for each month represents the amount of time he likely has left, but it also serves as a reminder to Cousins on how he is spending that time, both on and off the field. "Like everybody else, I am naturally selfish, and so I'm going to think about myself," he says. "And I think at the end of my life, it's not going to be about what I did for myself, but what I did for others. Maybe it's staying after practice to do hand signals with the guys to help them get caught up to speed. To make it about others -- I think that's what leadership is all about, quarterbacking is all about." As Cousins removes a stone each month, the feel of it in his palm is a reminder of the time passing. But it's the questions that come with each stone that perhaps carry more weight. "What impact are you making, not only today, but for eternity? What impact are you making to leave a legacy?" he says. He pauses.

"It's just a healthy reminder, make life about other people, invest in other people, knowing that in the end, that's a life well-lived," he says.

PUBLICATION: ESPN DATE: 10/20/18

Dalvin Cook out for third straight game with hamstring injury By Courtney Cronin EAGAN, Minn. – Running back Dalvin Cook is set to miss a third straight game Sunday when the Minnesota Vikings face the New York Jets. Cook is dealing with a hamstring injury he sustained in overtime of the Vikings’ Week 2 tie at Green Bay. One season after his rookie year was cut short by an ACL injury, Cook has played 10 quarters, rushing 36 times for 98 yards. The running back was a full participant in practice Wednesday before missing Thursday and Friday’s sessions. This comes after Cook was a late scratch against the Cardinals. The Vikings’ training staff determined he wasn’t ready during pregame warm-ups. Cook said the injury is tricky and he has to rely more on “feel” than sitting out a specific number of days and expecting to be ready to go. “It makes it difficult because you never really know,” Vikings coach Mike Zimmer said. “He comes out and he says ‘Hey, I’m good to go.’ And it’s just kind of how it goes. You have to have versatility in your game plan.” Latavius Murray , who recorded a career-high 155 yards rushing and a touchdown against the Cardinals, will be the Vikings' lead back. Murray’s 74 yards after contact were the most by a Vikings running back since Adrian Peterson had 129 against the Raiders in 2015, according to ESPN Stats & Information. Entering Week 6, Minnesota was the last team without a rushing touchdown. “He’s (Murray) a guy that needs carries and the physicality of things,” Zimmer said. “I like Latavius and the way he approaches the game, and typically he’s not a one-carry-every-quarter guy, he’s a guy that needs to get the football some.” Murray filled a similar role last season for the Vikings, becoming the team’s lead back in Cook’s absence. Asked whether Cook’s hamstring injury will require rest for an extended period of time, Zimmer said: “I don’t know. I’ll let the medical people handle it.”

PUBLICATION: ESPN DATE: 10/20/18

Jets don't want to be footnote in Adam Thielen's amazing story By Rich Cimini FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- If there's a team in the NFL that can truly appreciate Adam Thielen, it's the New York Jets. Their locker room is filled with players who came up the way he did -- the hard way. Undrafted. Ignored. Discarded. The Jets have 16 former undrafted free agents, including six starters: Robby Anderson, Jermaine Kearse, Isaiah Crowell and Eric Tomlinson on offense, Steve McLendon and Brandon Copeland on defense. Each player is a success story, but what Thielen is doing for the Minnesota Vikings is truly remarkable. Hard To Hold Down Against the Jets on Sunday, Vikings receiver Adam Thielen will attempt to tie an NFL record for most consecutive team games with 100 receiving yards to start a season. PLAYER YEAR GAMES Charley Hennigan 1961 7 Adam Thielen 2018 6 Bob Boyd 1954 5 ESPN Stats & Information Thielen, undrafted out of Minnesota State in 2013, leads the league in catches (58) and receiving yards (712). No player in NFL history caught more passes in the first six games of a season than Thielen, who has yet to be held under 100 yards. If he reaches the mark on Sunday -- a pretty safe bet against the Jets' injury-plagued secondary -- he'll tie Charley Hennigan (1961) for the longest 100-yard streak to open a season. This is someone who wasn't even invited to the NFL scouting combine, someone who began on the lowest wrung of the ladder -- a non-roster invitee to a rookie minicamp. He earned a free-agent contract from the Vikings, but was cut as a rookie and had to work his way up from the practice squad. He gets mad respect from the Jets. "From one undrafted guy to another, you understand the journey that he's had to take, not only to get noticed in the first place, but to then get a shot and take over and become the starter he is," Copeland said. "As an undrafted free agent, you start behind the 8-ball, so to speak. You have to work two, three, four times harder any everybody to stick around and excel. There's a lot of respect on my end. "I'm not saying that drafted guys don't work hard. I just know they're always looking to replace undrafted guys." Undrafted players can point to Adam Thielen's story as inspiration. Photo by Adam Bettcher/Getty Images Every player has a story, a reason he wasn't drafted. Copeland came from the Ivy League (Penn), not a football factory. Anderson had a checkered career at Temple and didn't have much experience. Crowell changed schools because of off-the-field issues, hurting his stock. Kearse ran a disappointing 40 time at the combine. They've all overcome the odds. Crowell is the seventh-leading rusher in the NFL, two weeks removed from a franchise-record 219 yards in one game. Anderson and Kearse are coming off career years and have

pivotal roles in the offense, especially with Quincy Enunwa (ankle) sidelined for a few weeks. McLendon is the elder statesman on defense, an emotional leader. "I had to make my own spoon," said McLendon, who played at Troy. "I tell people I had to get it out of the mud. I had to use mud as glue. Every stick that I found, I had to put it together with mud. ... I always thought, 'All I need is one opportunity, one chance.' Pittsburgh took a chance on me. I was thankful. I was more than thankful, because I felt like I had an opportunity to live out my dream. "I'm pretty sure that's how [Thielen] is right now. He's thankful for somebody giving him a chance to live out his dream." At 6-foot-2 with great hands and deceptive speed, Thielen is wrecking defenses on a weekly basis. He and quarterback Kirk Cousins already have developed a strong rapport, and they can't be stopped. Coach Todd Bowles laughed when asked how opponents are trying to cover Thielen. "He's outstanding," Bowles said. "He's tough. You can see that he's tough. He's extremely smart. He's seen every coverage that you can throw at him. Outstanding hands, and you can tell that he's a competitor of the highest level. Whether you double him, triple him, single him or play zone, he finds a way to get open and get it done. "It's rare to find a No. 1 receiver -- and they have two of them, actually -- that can get open when you know you're doubling him. [He] just doesn't quit and gets open. He has that special gift." The Jets are catching him at a bad time, as three of their top five defensive backs are out of the lineup: cornerbacks Trumaine Johnson and Buster Skrine and safety Marcus Maye. Thielen does most of his damage in the slot. With Skrine out, the Jets' slot corner is rookie Parry Nickerson, who struggled last week against the Indianapolis Colts. To say it's a worrisome matchup would be an understatement. Thielen shreds good and healthy secondaries, so this might be a cover-your-eyes game for Jets fans. He could make this another chapter in his storybook career.