Cassel Could Get Entire Half; Peterson To Sit

After leading a successful 10-play touchdown drive in the pre-season opener against the Oakland Raiders, Minnesota Vikings' quarterback Matt Cassel didn't see another snap, giving way to rookie Teddy Bridgewater. After the game, Cassel expressed a desire to see some more action in Game #2, and the reports seem to indicate that he's going to get just that.

According to Ben Goessling of ESPN.com, Cassel could play the entire first half against the Cardinals on Saturday at TCF Bank Stadium.

The reports are also indicating, not surprisingly, that Vikings running back Adrian Peterson will not play against Arizona. Peterson hasn't logged a carry in the pre-season since 2011, and that won't change on Saturday. (He did play one series in a pre-season game last year, but didn't touch the ball.)

Bridgewater, who has had a rough week of practice, has been told by Zimmer to just go out and have fun when he gets his opportunity against Arizona.

"He's got so much going on in his mind right now. I just want him to play," Zimmer said. "That's what I told him yesterday, and I'm going to tell him again before the ballgame: 'Just go out and play. You've been doing this since you were five-years-old. Go out and play, have some fun. Throw the ball in there, and if you make a mistake, we'll fix it and go on.'"

That's a far cry from what it appears we've seen from recent coaches in the past in handling young quarterbacks for the Vikings.

The Vikings and Cardinals will kick things off at TCF Bank Stadium at 7:30 PM Central time on Saturday night. The Vikings are coming off of a 10-6 defeat of the Oakland Raiders, while the Cardinals looked thoroughly impressive in thumping the Houston Texans in their opener to the tune of 32-0.