As the Minnesota Vikings (7-3) enter a seemingly favorable Week 11 matchup at home against the Denver Broncos (3-6), they face several hurdles. First off, they’re coming off of their biggest win of the season against the Dallas Cowboys (5-4). With a big showdown in two and a half weeks against the Seattle Seahawks (8-2), it would be easy to overlook the talented yet struggling Broncos.
But even with full attention paid to Denver, the late bye week hasn’t given the Vikings much of a break to heal up aches and pains. In fact, on Wednesday the Vikings had 14 players on their injury report. Nine of them were either limited in participation or did not practice at all. Getting their eighth win of the season is important, but the team will be wise to proceed with caution.
A Needed Bye Week Looms as the Minnesota Vikings Injury Report Grows
Starters Banged Up
All four of the players that did not participate were starters. They included wide receiver Adam Thielen (hamstring), guard Josh Kline (concussion), and defensive tackles Linval Joseph and Shamar Stephen (both with knee injuries). Three members of the secondary were limited with cornerbacks Trae Waynes (ankle) and Mackensie Alexander (groin). Safety Anthony Harris also nursed a groin injury. Even though Broncos quarterback Brandon Allen looks to make only his second career start, missing nearly half of a veteran defense could help Allen get comfortable and set up a potential upset.
Balancing Risk With Reward
On Sunday, it will have been four weeks since Thielen injured his hamstring on a 25-yard touchdown reception. Despite saying he could have returned to the game, the Vikings held Thielen out of the remainder of the game and the following week as well. Coming off a week-and-a-half break, the Vikings activated Thielen against the Kansas City Chiefs (6-4). After a few drives, he never returned to the game as his hamstring never felt 100 percent. Coach Mike Zimmer will have this in mind in the days and hours leading up to their noon kickoff against the Broncos. Putting a starter in at 90 percent could seal a victory Sunday. But the cost could be a lingering injury that could have healed with just a few more weeks of rest.
The Last Word
With a tight race in the NFC playoff picture, the Vikings need every win that they can get. Pushing through a tough injury could be a setback with five games remaining in the regular season. Zimmer has tried easing the workload of his players this season but as the playoff race heats up, he will have to make some tough decisions with banged-up players. With only one playoff win in his first five seasons as Vikings coach, Zimmer knows he will need all the help he can get come January.
