Daily Norseman - Minnesota Vikings Training Camp 2016The Purple and Gold Standardhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48653/dailynorseman_fave.png2016-09-03T23:14:32-05:00http://www.dailynorseman.com/rss/stream/120652112016-09-03T23:14:32-05:002016-09-03T23:14:32-05:00Sam Bradford Trade: Three Things
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<figcaption>Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Let's just step back from the ledge, my friend. It's going to be okay.</p> <p>Hi kids, how are we?</p>
<p>When the Vikings 2016 season was permanently altered on Tuesday afternoon, the general consensus was that the Vikings needed to do something...darn near anything...to improve the quarterback position. And admittedly, the general consensus was right. From about Wednesday until early Saturday morning, though, the thought was that the QB move wasn't going to be a big one, but it something more along these lines:</p>
<p>The Vikings were going to start the season with Shaun Hill, let Taylor Heinicke get healthy and re-evaluate the two a few games in, get someone out of the T.J. Maxx Quarterback Clearance Bin to replace rookie UDFA Joel Stave, and hope things weren't as bleak as they looked. And slowly, as the shock of the Teddy Bridgewater injury subsided, most fans thought that was about the only realistic plan the Vikings had, and looked to the strong defense and running game to talk themselves into a shot at a wildcard spot. The thought of getting anything other than 'Just A Guy' was kind of an unrealistic notion, but 'Just A Guy' was better for depth than 'Just That Joel Stave Guy', so in that respect the move made sense.</p>
<p>But when you looked at the rest of this team, it's ready to make a run. They have a top five defense, a top 5 running game, good special teams...they just needed a little bit more than 'Just A Guy' if their hopes of a deep playoff run were to be kept alive.</p>
<p>And so, GM Rick Spielman traded for a starter, Sam Bradford. And in so doing, flipped the script and the consensus on its ear. Let's see what it means, shall we?</p>
<p><b><i>1) The Vikings needed a QB.</i></b> Well, duh. But they needed a 'shot in the arm' quarterback for a couple reasons. For one...and this is meant as no disrespect towards Shaun Hill...but the front office needed to send a message to an emotionally damaged team that they weren't throwing in the towel, and the lofty goals they have set for themselves can still be attained.</p>
<p>And Rick Spielman has to have, at a minimum, a contingency plan moving forward. Look, everyone wants Teddy to get healthy and be back next year...but he suffered a significant injury. One of the reactions I saw that irritated me the most was that the trade signals the Vikings know Teddy is going to be out two years, or his career is in deep jeopardy, if not over.</p>
<p>Everyone stop with that. No one knows how bad it is. Until he has his surgery, there's no way to know. But, Spielman cannot just sit and do nothing and wait to see what happens with Teddy and rehab, because Hill/Heinicke/TJ Maxx guy is not a good long term plan. It's a bad short term plan, and this takes lemons...grown largely by Rick Spielman...and turns it into a somewhat palatable lemonade.</p>
<p>Why is this his fault? Because Spielman screwed up by not addressing the backup QB situation in the off-season, and rolled the dice on Teddy not getting hurt. When that blew up in his face, he needed to fix it, and he did. Bradford does two things:</p>
<p>A. He gives the Vikings a competitive bridge to 2017. A guy that gives you a legitimate chance to win every week this year, and once Teddy comes back next year, a high quality backup that can come in and play if needed.</p>
<p>B. He's also insurance. With the Bradford trade, the Vikings are no longer in a hurry to rush Teddy back and play him before he might be ready, or if his rehab does suffer a setback. With the combination of his youth and the training staff of Eric Sugarman, I'm not going to bet against Bridgewater being ready in week one of 2017. But, if he needs to sit, or the Vikings feel they need to put him on the PUP or IR-eligible to return to begin the season, they now have that luxury to do so. Bradford isn't going to cost the Vikings all that much, and he's under contract for two years. He'll cost the Vikings $7 million this year, $13 million next year, but no dead money.</p>
<p><b><i>2) Okay...let's talk draft picks.</i></b> This is what caused most fans to not like the trade, a first round pick in 2017, and a fourth round pick in 2018. That 2018 pick becomes a third round pick if the Vikings go to the NFC Championship, it becomes a 2nd round pick if they win the Super Bowl. I'll be the first to tell you that I'm not happy trading a first round pick. But, let's take a look at some of the names that were being thrown around as possible additions:</p>
<p><i>Michael Vick<br>Josh McCown<br>Mark Sanchez<br>Aaron Murray<br>Nick Foles<br>Zach Mettenberger (before he signed with the Steelers)</i></p>
<p>None of those guys...none...are NFL caliber starters. Bradford is the only one of these guys that has a pulse and fogs a mirror. And before you laugh, consider: Bradford has never been in as good a situation as the one he finds himself now in with the Vikings. He has a top five defense, a top five running game, good receivers, and a skillset that fits the offense the Vikings have installed, not that college chuck and duck system Chip Kelly ran in Philly. Rick Spielman gives up draft picks like Willie Wonka gives out golden tickets, so the thought process is 'look, this is a Super Bowl team, and Bradford is a guy that will help us get there.' There's no way the Vikings do this deal if they're just looking for a caretaker for a year, tread water at 8-8, and then make their run when Teddy gets back. No, the run starts this year, with this team. The pieces were in place, and then Teddy got hurt. Now, they hope Bradford is the newest final piece.</p>
<p>Also, in 2015, Bradford threw for more yards and more TD's than Teddy, and had a higher PFF rating. All he needs to do is lower his turnovers a bit, and I think the Vikings are going to be fine at the quarterback position. I don't know that you could say that with any sense of assurance with that TJ Maxx list above, or the guys that are currently on the Vikings roster.</p>
<p><b><i>3) The Vikings didn't 'mortgage the future'.</i></b> If the Vikings are right and they do make a run, that first round pick is in the high 20's...or 32, AMIRITE? But all that aside, the Vikings <a href="http://www.dailynorseman.com/2016/4/30/11544056/2016-nfl-draft-a-look-at-fridays-vikings-dolphins-trade" target="_blank">still have eight picks in the 2017 draft</a>--a second, two thirds, two fourths, and a single pick each in the fifth, sixth, and seventh round.</p>
<p>I don't like giving up a first round pick, and I get why fans dislike it but I can live with it because the Vikings are not rebuilding, and they didn't trade Bradford to become 'The Man'. They traded for him to complete the puzzle to make a run this year, while still having enough ammo to draft a full class next year. Or, use some of those extra picks to move back in to the first round to get a potential impact player if they want to. Hey, I'm as stunned as anyone that Sam Bradford has been paid as much as he has, and been traded for as much as he's been traded for in his career, but Minnesota did not throw the long term plans of this team down the toilet with this trade. They still need answers at safety and on the offensive line, but the core group of players on this team is one of the youngest in the NFL.</p>
<p>Of course, they can't piss away any of next year's picks on the next Willie Beavers, either.</p>
<p>So, all in all, let's walk back from the ledge. Vikings fans wanted Rick Spielman to make a move, he did, and it's about the best move he could have possibly made under the circumstances. It cost a lot, but it also gained a lot of what was lost on Tuesday afternoon. The Vikings will once again have a fully functioning offense, and the deep run we thought the Vikings were capable of is still possible.</p>
https://www.dailynorseman.com/2016/9/3/12789362/vikings-trade-for-sam-bradfordTed Glover2016-09-03T05:17:51-05:002016-09-03T05:17:51-05:00Taylor Heinicke Might Not End Up On The PUP List
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<figcaption>Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The Minnesota Vikings’ already complex quarterback situation might be getting even more complex.</p> <p id="Up9V0j">The quarterback situation for the Minnesota Vikings got significantly more complex on Tuesday with the season-ending injury to quarterback Teddy Bridgewater. Vikings’ General Manager Rick Spielman said that the team would be <a href="http://www.dailynorseman.com/2016/9/2/12768894/minnesota-vikings-will-address-quarterback-situation-in-the-next-36-hours">addressing the quarterback situation</a> in short order, but it appears that there’s now another potential curve ball in this situation.</p>
<p id="vn9qpw">According to Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press:</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Vikings?src=hash">#Vikings</a> QB Taylor Heinicke ahead in rehab schedule & might be able to practice in 2 weeks leading some to believe might be on 53-man roster</p>— Chris Tomasson (@christomasson) <a href="https://twitter.com/christomasson/status/771829343710384128">September 2, 2016</a>
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<p id="vMgU06">As we know, Heinicke was expected to compete for the Vikings’ backup quarterback job, but showed up to camp with his <a href="http://www.dailynorseman.com/2016/7/28/12320336/taylor-heinicke-likely-out-2-3-months-situation-officially-weird">foot in a cast</a> after an ill-advised attempt at kung-fu fighting (HOO! HA!) with his friend’s apartment door.</p>
<p id="JsMoZ3">The assumption for most of this preseason has been that Heinicke, who is currently on the Physically Unable to Perform List, would remain on that list into the regular season. <a href="http://www.dailynorseman.com/2016/7/29/12325532/pup-list-vs-nfi-list-what-s-the-difference">Per NFL rules</a>, Heinicke would not count against the team’s 53-man roster, but he <em>would</em> be forced to miss the Vikings’ first six games.</p>
<p id="ectItn">Obviously, if this report is true and he <em>could</em> start practicing again in two weeks, it would not be an ideal situation for the Vikings to have their #2 quarterback on the shelf until mid-October at the earliest. It’s also not terribly ideal to have undrafted free agent Joel Stave in a position where he’s one solid shot to Shaun Hill away from playing meaningful snaps.</p>
<p id="4CRhTl">So, it’s possible that the Vikings could end up starting the season with four quarterbacks on the 53-man roster. Hill would remain as the starter, a veteran acquired by the Vikings would be the #2 quarterback, and Stave would be at #3 with Heinicke an automatic inactive until he was healthy enough to play again. On the other hand, if the Vikings did acquire a veteran, they could attempt to get Stave to the practice squad, roll with Hill and that veteran, and keep Heinicke inactive on game days. However, anyone that the Vikings were to acquire now would be relatively ill-equipped to enter a game in a scenario where something happens to Hill.</p>
<p id="SntkjF">This is why Rick Spielman gets the big paychecks from Zygi Wilf. He’s going to have to balance Heinicke’s situation with the possibility of adding another quarterback and figuring out if whatever compensation he might have to offer a team in trade would potentially be worth it. We’re a little less than ten hours away from finding out what’s going to happen with Heinicke, but there will be moves made after that as well. We’ll have all the news on all the moves the Minnesota Vikings make right here, leading up to today’s 3 PM Central roster deadline.</p>
https://www.dailynorseman.com/2016/9/3/12781568/taylor-heinicke-might-not-end-up-on-the-pup-listChristopher Gates2016-09-02T16:07:25-05:002016-09-02T16:07:25-05:00Minnesota Vikings Waive Brad Sorensen. Again.
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<figcaption>Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>For the second time this week, the Vikings have parted ways with the former Chargers quarterback.</p> <p id="AiEXYA">While we don’t know whether or not quarterback <span>Brad Sorensen</span> will be collecting an NFL paycheck in 2016, he’s certainly racking up a great deal of frequent flyer miles, courtesy of the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.dailynorseman.com/">Minnesota Vikings</a>.</p>
<p id="HwSSUN">The Vikings have just announced that they have, once again, waived Sorensen from the active roster. The team had initially waived him on Tuesday, but brought him back to Minnesota and re-signed him after the injury to Teddy Bridgewater. Sorensen played more than half of the Vikings’ 27-25 preseason win over the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.turfshowtimes.com/">Los Angeles Rams</a> on Thursday, thanks to <span>Joel Stave</span> suffering a hand injury during the contest.</p>
<p id="3qi61Y">This means that, as things stand right now, Stave and <span>Shaun Hill</span> are the only two quarterbacks on the Minnesota roster. General Manager Rick Spielman has said that he wanted to address the quarterback situation in the very near future, and with the way things sit now, that’s almost certainly going to have to be the case.</p>
<p id="y0Cw8O">With the release of Sorensen, the Vikings’ roster is now down to 74 players. They need to be down to 53 in a little less than 24 hours. We’ll be keeping track of everyone that the Vikings release prior to tomorrow’s deadline.</p>
https://www.dailynorseman.com/2016/9/2/12777530/minnesota-vikings-waive-brad-sorensen-againChristopher Gates2016-09-02T08:28:05-05:002016-09-02T08:28:05-05:00Vikings To Address QB Situation Within 36 Hours
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<figcaption>Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>A move is coming, and it will be coming soon</p> <p id="fAze4a">Ever since the injury to Teddy Bridgewater, there has been a great deal of speculation as to what the <a href="https://www.dailynorseman.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Minnesota Vikings</a> are going to do with their quarterback situation. Right now, veteran <span>Shaun Hill</span> is the starter, with undrafted rookie <span>Joel Stave</span> as his primary backup and <span>Brad Sorensen</span> as the third-string signal caller.</p>
<p id="CzoR9h">If that doesn’t sound satisfactory, well, that’s probably because it’s not. However, the Vikings do have eyes on making a move, according to this from Ben Goessling of ESPN.com.</p>
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<p>The Vikings finished the preseason undefeated again, with a 27-25 win over the <a href="https://www.turfshowtimes.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Los Angeles Rams</a>. Coach Mike Zimmer is now 12-1 in the preseason. Now, the Vikings will spend the weekend trimming their roster down to 53, and trying to sort out their quarterback situation after <span>Teddy Bridgewater's</span> season-ending injury. Shaun Hill figures to go into the regular season as the starter, but <b>general manager Rick Spielman said the team wants to add a quarterback in the next 48 hours</b>.</p>
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<p id="82A3Xf">That quote from Goessling comes from the <a href="http://www.espn.com/nfl/team/_/name/min/minnesota-vikings" target="_blank">Vikings’ team page</a> at ESPN.</p>
<p id="ijNoKC">At this point, nobody knows what that move is going to be. It could be a trade for someone from another team or it could be a signing from the dregs. . .and, let’s be honest, that’s what’s left. . .of the remaining free agent pool. Teams have to have their 53-man rosters set by 3:00 PM Central time on Saturday afternoon, and I'm not sure how many stories we'll hear of players getting cut before then.</p>
<p>But it appears that the Vikings' quarterback depth chart is, in fact, going to change. We're not sure when, and we're not sure how, but if Rick Spielman says that something's going to happen, there's a pretty good chance that it will.</p>
https://www.dailynorseman.com/2016/9/2/12768894/minnesota-vikings-will-address-quarterback-situation-in-the-next-36-hoursChristopher Gates2016-09-02T00:03:26-05:002016-09-02T00:03:26-05:00Vikings Cap Undefeated Preseason With 27-25 Victory Over Rams
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<figcaption>Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>It doesn’t count for much of anything, but wins are always nice.</p> <p id="DopSvM">In the first game of the post-Teddy Bridgewater era for the Minnesota Vikings, the team showed that they’ve got some pretty solid depth and that there are going to be some quality players getting pink slips on Saturday when the final cuts come down.</p>
<p id="JPh46A">The Vikings capped an undefeated preseason by taking down the Los Angeles Rams in Thursday’s preseason finale by a final score of 27-25 at U.S. Bank Stadium, and did it largely on the strength of their defense.</p>
<p id="1JqxJs">Minnesota found themselves down early, as the Rams took the opening kickoff and marched down the field. Rookie quarterback Jared Goff, the #1 overall pick in this past NFL Draft, connected on passes of 22 and 30 yards to get the Rams into scoring territory, and then found veteran Kenny Britt on a 1-yard scoring pass to give Los Angeles an early 7-0 lead.</p>
<p id="gPp7rZ">The teams then exchanged punts on the next eight possessions, four for the Vikings and four for the Rams. Minnesota caught a break when Rams’ returner D’Haquille Williams muffed a catch attempt at the Los Angeles 19-yard line that was recovered by Jayron Kearse, but the Vikings could only manage a 30-yard field goal by Blair Walsh to make it 7-3. On the Rams’ next possession, a shotgun snap went awry for the Rams and resulted in another fumble recovery, this time by Stephen Weatherly at the Los Angeles 9-yard line, but the Vikings could again only manage a field goal. Walsh connected from 34, and the score move to 7-6.</p>
<p id="81rA8s">The rough night for Goff continued, as his first pass on the next possession was tipped by Justin Trattou and intercepted by a diving Toby Johnson at the Los Angeles 28. Minnesota capped the ensuing drive with a score, as Brad Sorensen hit running back Jhurell Pressley with a short pass that turned into a 28-yard touchdown. Walsh hit the extra point, and was had been a 7-0 deficit turned into a 13-7 Minnesota lead going into the locker room at halftime.</p>
<p id="BvAJs8">Los Angeles got on the board again in the third quarter on a 35-yard field goal by Greg Zuerlein to cut the Minnesota lead to 13-10. Right after that, however, Pressley struck again, taking the ensuing kickoff six yards deep in the end zone and taking it to the house for a 106-yard touchdown, and the Walsh extra point pushed the Vikings lead to 20-10.</p>
<p id="R0G5V7">Another mishandled punt lead to another Minnesota touchdown, as Paul McRoberts muffed another Jeff Locke punt attempt, and rookie David Morgan recovered it at the Rams’ 6-yard line. Three plays later, and three straight carries by C.J. Ham later, the rookie went over from one yard out to give the Vikings a 27-10 lead.</p>
<p id="kHimKn">The Rams went on a couple of late touchdown drives, scoring on a 2-yard pass from Sean Mannion to Paul McRoberts and a 26-yard run by Aaron Green. However, with the score sitting at 27-25 and starting from their own 39-yard line, Mannion was sacked on consecutive plays. The third down sack was split between Travis Raciti and Stephen Weatherly, while the sack on fourth down by Zach Moore sealed the victory for Minnesota.</p>
<p id="uKp83o">It certainly wasn’t pretty offensively for the Vikings in this one. Joel Stave, who is now one play away from taking meaningful snaps for the Vikings offense, started this one and went just 6-of-16 for 76 yards. Brad Sorensen, newly resigned yesterday after the Bridgewater injury, completed just 4-of-9 for 53 yards and the touchdown pass to Pressley.</p>
<p id="SLWKvy">In the running game, Ham carried the ball 15 times for 59 yards and a score, while Pressley managed just 29 yards on 14 carries. Pressley did lead the receiving stats with four grabs for 49 yards and a touchdown. Jarius Wright, who saw a lot of action in this one after dealing with a hamstring injury this preseason, caught three passes for 35 yards.</p>
<p id="1JiqbW">With the victory, the Vikings are now 12-1 in the preseason during Mike Zimmer’s head coaching tenure. Again, it doesn’t count for much, but wins are still nice.</p>
<p id="mnM671">The next big date for the Vikings, as well as the other 31 NFL teams, is this coming Saturday, 3 September. Teams must have their rosters reduced to 53 players by that time, and with the events of the past few days, it will be interesting to see exactly how the Minnesota Vikings handle things.</p>
<p id="4Rtvx6">The Vikings finish their second undefeated preseason in three years with a 27-25 victory over the Los Angeles Rams at U.S. Bank Stadium. Thank you to everybody that got their coverage of today’s game right here at The Daily Norseman, and now it’s time to start getting geared up for the regular season.</p>
https://www.dailynorseman.com/2016/9/2/12764232/vikings-cap-undefeated-preseason-with-27-25-victory-over-ramsChristopher Gates2016-09-01T18:00:02-05:002016-09-01T18:00:02-05:00Rams at Vikings: Preseason Game 4 Open Thread
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<figcaption>Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<table class="sbnu-legacy-content-table" border="1" align="center" style="margin-bottom: 0px;" width="454" bgcolor="#ffffff"><tbody> <tr align="center"> <td bgcolor="#0D2948" width="192"><font color="#C4AB7F"><strong>LOS ANGELES RAMS</strong></font></td> <td bgcolor="#000000" width="70"><font color="#ffffff"><strong>PS 4</strong></font></td> <td bgcolor="#3b2764" width="192"><font color="#e8b451"><strong>MINNESOTA VIKINGS</strong></font></td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="192"><img src="https://cdn1.vox-cdn.com/uploads/blog/sbnu_logo/75/large_turfshowtimes.com.full.79219.png" height="200" width="250" style="vertical-align: middle;"></td> <td align="center" style="font-size: 23px; vertical-align: middle;" bgcolor="#d4d4d4" width="70"><h1>@</h1></td> <td align="center" width="192"><img src="https://cdn1.vox-cdn.com/uploads/blog/sbnu_logo/65/large_dailynorseman.com.full.69479.png" height="200" width="250" style="vertical-align: middle;"></td> </tr> </tbody></table>
<table class="sbnu-legacy-content-table" border="1" align="center" height="146" style="margin-top: 0px;" width="546" bgcolor="#ffffff"><tbody> <tr align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee"> <td bgcolor="#d4d4d4" width="100"><strong>Date:</strong></td> <td width="159">1 September 2016<br> </td> <td bgcolor="#d4d4d4" width="106"><strong>Location:</strong></td> <td width="127">Minneapolis, MN</td> </tr> <tr align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee"> <td bgcolor="#d4d4d4" width="100"><strong>Time:</strong></td> <td width="159">7:00 PM Central</td> <td bgcolor="#d4d4d4" width="106"><strong>Stadium:</strong></td> <td width="127"><strong>U.S. BANK STADIUM~!</strong></td> </tr> <tr align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee"> <td bgcolor="#d4d4d4" width="100" style="vertical-align: middle;"><strong>TV:</strong></td> <td style="vertical-align: middle;" width="159">KMSP-9 (FOX)</td> <td bgcolor="#d4d4d4" width="106" style="vertical-align: middle;"><strong>Radio:</strong></td> <td width="127"> <a href="http://www.vikings.com/media-vault/radio.html" target="_blank">Vikings Radio Network</a><br>XM Ch 88<br>Sirius Ch 88</td> </tr> <tr align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee"> <td bgcolor="#d4d4d4" width="100" style="vertical-align: middle;"><strong>TV Announcers:</strong></td> <td style="vertical-align: middle;" width="159">Paul Allen<br>Pete Bercich</td> <td bgcolor="#d4d4d4" width="106" style="vertical-align: middle;"><strong>Know Thy Foe:</strong></td> <td style="vertical-align: middle;" width="127"><a target="_blank" href="http://www.turfshowtimes.com/">Turf Show Times</a></td> </tr> <tr align="center"></tr> <tr align="center"> <td bgcolor="#000000" width="100"><font color="#ffffff"><strong>Weather:</strong></font></td> <td bgcolor="#000000" colspan="3"><font color="#ffffff"><strong>Indoors, because the game is at U.S. BANK STADIUM~!</strong></font></td> </tr> <tr> <td style="text-align: center;" bgcolor="#ffffff" width="100"><strong>Line:</strong></td> <td style="text-align: center;" bgcolor="#ffffff" colspan="3"><strong>If you're betting on preseason football, <a href="http://www.gamblersanonymous.org/ga/" target="_blank">please click here</a>.</strong></td> </tr> <tr align="center"> <td bgcolor="#000000" width="100"><font color="#ffffff"><strong>Chris' Prediction:</strong></font></td> <td bgcolor="#000000" colspan="3"><font color="#ffffff"><strong>As long as there are no injuries, who cares?</strong></font></td> </tr> <tr align="center"> <td bgcolor="#ffffff" width="100"><strong>Final Score:</strong></td> <td bgcolor="#ffffff" colspan="3"></td> </tr> </tbody></table>
<p><br>Here are the ground rules for the Game Threads:</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><em>-Thou shalt not link illegal feeds of today's game, or I shall kick thy arse to the curb until the game is over. Do not promote then, do not mention them, do not even hint at them. Thou hast been warned.</em></strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><em>-Thou shalt make an attempt to keep the swearing to a minimum. Understandable that it will slip occasionally, but do try to limit it. If you really feel the need to curse, use the spoiler tags to keep it covered up. We'll get the sentiment.</em></strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><em>-Thou shalt not feed the trolls. Rather, thou shall simply point them out, and they shall be banished to the fires of Mordor. Or Wisconsin. Whichever we feel is more harsh at the time.</em></strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><em>-Thou shalt not engage in racist, sexist, or other such insulting rhetoric. Somebody disagreeing with you does not make them racist or sexist. It means they disagree with you. Talk it out like adults.</em></strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><em>-Thou shalt not bait the fans of other teams into trolling.</em></strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><em>-Basically, thou shalt not be a jackwagon in the game thread.</em></strong></p>
<p>The 2016 preseason comes to an end tonight at the new home of the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.dailynorseman.com/">Minnesota Vikings</a>. U.S. BANK STADIUM~! Tonight, after a trying few days, the purple will attempt to regroup against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.turfshowtimes.com/">Los Angeles Rams</a>. After this, the next time we'll see the Vikings on the field will be when they battle the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.musiccitymiracles.com/">Tennessee Titans</a> in Week 1 of the 2016 regular season.</p>
<p>So, what are we looking for this evening?</p>
<p><em style="font-weight: bold;">1) No (more) injuries</em> - I'd be surprised if any of the starters play in this one, but after the past couple of days, I'd rather not see anything bad happen to anyone anywhere on the roster, thank you.</p>
<p><em style="font-weight: bold;">2) What's happening at QB</em> - Frankly, I'm hoping that the Vikings are going to have <span>Shaun Hill</span> cryogenically frozen or wrapped in bubble wrap until 11 September. The team brought back <span>Brad Sorensen</span> after the injury to <span>Teddy Bridgewater</span>, and I'm assuming that <span>Joel Stave</span> is going to get the start this evening. You have to believe that the team is going to get some sort of a veteran to sit behind Hill, whether they trade for someone or sign someone off the street. I'm thinking Sorenson is just there to hold a clipboard and/or take the field if something happens to Stave, but who knows at this point?</p>
<p><em style="font-weight: bold;">3) Mo' MoBo?</em> - Moritz Böhringer, the German <em>wunderkind</em> that the Vikings took in the sixth round of this year's <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl-draft">NFL Draft</a>, has played just nine snaps this preseason. He wasn't part of the initial cutdown from 90 to 75, and there's really no chance that he makes the active roster at this point. I'm curious to see how the Vikings are going to use him, if they use him, this evening. Is he actually going to get a shot on the "big stage?" Is the team attempting to keep other teams from getting film on him in hopes of sneaking him onto the practice squad this weekend? In a game that doesn't have a whole lot of other storylines, that's a potential one for our favorite team</p>
<p>We're just about an hour away from kickoff, ladies and gentlemen. Enjoy this evening's contest!</p>
https://www.dailynorseman.com/2016/9/1/12749994/los-angeles-rams-at-minnesota-vikings-preseason-game-4-open-threadChristopher Gates2016-09-01T14:31:05-05:002016-09-01T14:31:05-05:00Teddy Bridgewater Out Of Hospital, Releases Statement
<figure>
<img alt="NFL: Preseason-San Diego Chargers at Minnesota Vikings" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/c5iTimLsq2DhUkW3tGc3j8796iI=/0x1:1989x1327/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/50613003/usa-today-9504425.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p id="YAyhqM">About 48 hours or so after suffering a horrific injury to his left leg, Teddy Bridgewater is out of the hospital in Minneapolis. <a href="http://www.twincities.com/2016/09/01/vikings-teddy-bridgewater-good-spirits-surgery-injury-torn-acl/">According to this story</a> from Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press, the surgery on Bridgewater’s knee will not happen until sometime next week at the earliest, as the swelling still has to go down before surgery can be performed.</p>
<p id="1XZEyF">Upon leaving the hospital, Bridgewater. . .who is said to be in good spirits. . .released a pretty powerful statement on his situation.</p>
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<img alt=" " data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/ZhLChLAMElKI7e5vV7n7sWaRv90=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/7032437/bridgewaterstatement.JPG">
</figure>
<p id="8lppTB">If you’re having difficulty with the picture for whatever reason, here is the statement in its entirety:</p>
<blockquote id="HSKEmN">
<p>I want to thank the Wilf Family and the entire Vikings organization, all of my teammates, friends, Eric Sugarman and the amazing Vikings athletic training staff and the fans who have sent me messages and wished me well. Your thoughts and prayers mean a lot to me and have helped me in this difficult time. There are treat players and great leaders in our locker room who are going to fight to the end to reach the goals we set for 2016. I will be there mentally, physically and in spirit to support them accomplish those goals.</p>
<p>In order to have a testimony, you have to have a test. I come from amazing DNA, I watched my mom fight and win against breast cancer. We will, as a team, attack my rehab with the same vigor and energy. My faith is strong, my faith is unwavering and my vision is clear. My purpose will not be denied.</p>
</blockquote>
<p id="ux3IND">Hey, <em>you</em> bet against the guy. I’m damn sure not going to.</p>
<p id="ldp6RE">I think it’s a pretty safe bet that Bridgewater. . .under the watchful eye of Certified Athletic Trainer Eric Sugarman™. . .is going to be busting his hump the minute he’s able to get back into the locker room and out on the field with his teammates. His 2016 season might be over, but the Teddy Bridgewater Story certainly is not.</p>
<p id="GQuskH"><em><strong>EDIT</strong></em>: And for just that extra special little added touch of awesome. . .</p>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Athletes' statements are often crafted by a PR staff. Teddy Bridgewater's was not. Handed the team a handwritten draft of it.</p>— Ben Goessling (@GoesslingESPN) <a href="https://twitter.com/GoesslingESPN/status/771436490870095872">September 1, 2016</a>
</blockquote>
<script async="" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div>
https://www.dailynorseman.com/2016/9/1/12757514/teddy-bridgewater-out-of-hospital-releases-statementChristopher Gates2016-09-01T09:33:44-05:002016-09-01T09:33:44-05:00Rams at Vikings: ALL THE COVERAGE~!
<figure>
<img alt="NFL: St. Louis Rams at Minnesota Vikings" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/JpA2OlJVmHhSJkt-m-EAixkWK8Y=/0x0:4018x2679/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/50606579/usa-today-8923446.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>These two guys? Yeah, you won’t see either of them tonight. | Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The Vikings’ first 2016 game post-Teddy will take place tonight at U.S. Bank Stadium</p> <p id="suL33r">Well, with everything that’s gone on with this team over the past couple of days, we kind of sort of overlooked the fact that the final preseason game will take place tonight at U.S. Bank Stadium, as the Minnesota Vikings will play host to the Los Angeles Rams.</p>
<p id="h8qP5e">So, if you’re interested in seeing all the guys towards the bottom of the depth chart fighting for a place on the 53-man roster, here’s how you can go about doing that.</p>
<p id="TRngju"><em><strong>Television Info</strong></em></p>
<p id="CLa4Lt">Kickoff for this evening’s game is scheduled for 7:00 PM Central time, and coverage will be handled by the Twin Cities’ FOX affiliate, KMSP Channel 9. Here is a complete list of the other local stations that will be carrying the contest, courtesy of the good folks at The 506.</p>
<ul id="0E1Ks2">
<li><strong>KMSP (FOX/9 - Minneapolis, MN)</strong></li>
<li>WDIO (ABC/10-13 - Duluth, MN)</li>
<li>KTTC (CW/10.2 - Rochester, MN)</li>
<li>KEYC (FOX/12.2 - Mankato, MN)</li>
<li>KVRR (FOX/15 - Fargo, ND)</li>
<li>KNDX (FOX/26 - Bismarck, ND)</li>
<li>KXND (FOX/24 - Minot, ND)</li>
<li>KSFY (CW/13.2 - Sioux Falls, SD)</li>
<li>KGAN (CBS/2 - Cedar Rapids, IA)</li>
<li>KCCI (ThisTV/8.2 - Des Moines, IA)</li>
<li>KPTH (FOX/44 - Sioux City, IA)</li>
<li>KGCW (CW/23 - Quad Cities)</li>
<li>WKBT (CBS/8 - La Crosse, WI)</li>
<li>KETV (ABC/7 - Omaha, NE)</li>
</ul>
<p id="k5gAzX">If you’re a Vikings fan on the West Coast, you might be able to catch the Rams feed of the game on one of the following networks. Their play-by-play is handled by Andrew Siciliano (he of the NFL RedZone Channel, DirecTV version), Eric Dickerson, and Marshall Faulk. Yeah, <em>two</em> Hall of Fame running backs. Nice.</p>
<ul id="YuYIdR">
<li><strong>KCBS (CBS/2 - Los Angeles, CA)</strong></li>
<li>KVVU (FOX/5 - Las Vegas, NV)</li>
<li>KMYU (My/12 - Salt Lake City, UT)</li>
<li>KBAK (CBS/29 - Bakersfield, CA)</li>
<li>KMPH (FOX/26 - Fresno, CA)</li>
<li>KKFX (FOX/24 - Santa Barbara, CA)</li>
<li>KDFX (FOX/33 - Palm Springs, CA)</li>
<li>KRXI (FOX/11 - Reno, NV)</li>
<li>KHON (FOX/2 - Honolulu, HI)</li>
</ul>
<p id="FecD6c">If you miss the game live. . .well, I’ll be honest with you. I <a href="http://www.nfl.com/network/schedule">scanned the NFL Network’s schedule</a> and did not see the Vikings/Rams game among the replay listings anywhere (and I’m pretty certain there was at least one game that was listed twice). Hopefully there will be some sort of clarification.</p>
<p id="Qt4ncY"><em><strong>Radio Info</strong></em></p>
<p id="paragraph7">This game will be broadcast on the Vikings Radio Network, with the call provided by the team of Paul Allen and Pete Bercich. You can find a full list of <strong><a href="http://www.vikings.com/media-vault/radio.html">Vikings Radio Network affiliates</a></strong> on the official team website. See if you can find one in your area. Their call will also be simulcast on the television coverage from FOX 9.</p>
<p id="bJ1rOk">If you’re going to be listening in through satellite radio, you can find the Vikings’ feed on Sirius Channel 135, XM Channel 229 or Channel 818 through the SiriusXM online app. If you’d rather listen to the Rams feed, it appears that you’re stuck with the feed from the SiriusXM online app, which can be found on Channel 816.</p>
<p id="DdNiYk"><em><strong>Referee Info</strong></em></p>
<p id="ZZF8ql">According to the folks at <a href="http://www.footballzebras.com/2016/08/31/referee-assignments-preseason-week-4-2016/">Football Zebras</a>, the officiating crew for this preseason contest will be led by Bill Vinovich. Vinovich has been a referee since 2004, and did two Vikings’ games last season. . .Minnesota’s 26-16 victory over the Detroit Lions in Week 2 and their 20-13 win over the Green Bay Packers in the regular season finale.</p>
<p id="oup8LZ"><em><strong>Streaming Info</strong></em></p>
<p id="paragraph12">From what I can tell, the only legal stream for this game would come from <strong><a href="https://gamepass.nfl.com/nflgp/secure/packages?ttv=0">NFL Game Pass</a></strong>.</p>
<p id="paragraph13">As far as other streams are concerned, do NOT. . .and I mean not in any way, shape, or form. . .promote illegal streaming sites on The Daily Norseman. Not in the comments, not in the FanPosts, not in the FanShots, not in the Game Thread, not anywhere. Don't even hint at them. Trust me on this. If you're that determined to watch the game via an illegal stream, do a Google search and find it on your own. And feel free to not blame us for any ill effects your computer or device might suffer as a result.</p>
<p id="t1IJjV">That should be all of the information you need in order to enjoy this evening’s contest between the Minnesota Vikings and the Los Angeles Rams from U.S. Bank Stadium. We’ll have the Game Thread up and ready to go approximately an hour before kickoff, and we hope to see a lot of you folks there for it.</p>
https://www.dailynorseman.com/2016/9/1/12749366/rams-vikings-game-time-channel-radio-streamingChristopher Gates