Well, for the last time this regular season, it's time to take a look at the bumps and bruises that will affect this weekend's game. In this case, those bumps and bruises could control how our opponents this weekend approach the task at hand.
Man, there is absolutely, positively no way in heck I'm getting a lot of sleep tonight. I've thought about this game pretty much non-stop since Monday.
Anyway, let's start with this tomorrow's opponent, the New York Football Giants.
NFL.com has two players listed as "Out" that aren't on our report above, and those players are CB Aaron Ross (concussion) and LB Gerris Wilkinson (knee). Both of those players are starters for the Giants, so we definitely won't be seeing those two tomorrow afternoon.
Of the remaining players, TE Kevin Boss, DT Barry Cofield, and RB Brandon Jacobs are listed as not having participated in Friday's practice. Boss has already been pretty much ruled out for Sunday, but there's a chance that Cofield and/or Jacobs could see some action. I, personally, would be surprised to see Jacobs out there, however. OT Kareem McKenzie has also been pretty much ruled out, from my understanding. DE Justin Tuck and DT (and former Viking) Fred Robbins will probably see limited action.
The bigger question for the Giants. . .well, for the Vikings concerning the Giants, I guess. . .is how they're going to treat the guys that are not on the injury report. Most of the New York media, from what I've read, seem to think that the Giants' starters are going to be out there for a quarter, possibly a half at the most. But this IS Tom Coughlin we're talking about, and he hasn't given any true indicator of how he's going to handle things, so I guess we'll find out the same time everybody else will.
And, now, on to the injuries for the Beloved Purple.
Pat Williams isn't on this report, but we know he's still going to be out with the shoulder injury.
Everyone on the Vikings' injury list had limited participation in Friday's practice with the exception of Cedric Griffin, who didn't practice at all. Marcus McCauley, apparently, took the majority of the first team snaps in Griffin's absence. . .pretty impressive move up the depth charts for a guy that didn't even get to suit up for the better part of the first half of the season.
Other than that, I'm going to guess that the guys that have been inactive for most of the season will be inactive again this week. Gus Frerotte is firmly back into the backup QB role. No word on whether or not Artis Hicks is going to be available, but Brad Childress has said that Ryan Cook will be getting the start at RT regardless. Reynaud will probably be out again as well.
That's it for tonight, ladies and gentlemen. We'll see you here for the game thread tomorrow. Incidentally, the game thread will get broken up into parts. . .at least by halves, and maybe more if the traffic warrants. Good luck trying to get any sleep tonight, folks.