Craig: Vikings offensive line down to bare minimum

[dead_poet]

Scary.

Two injuries left the O-line one away from tight end Rhett Ellison playing some offensive tackle Sunday.

http://www.startribune.com/sports/vikin ... 04162.html

[Mothman]

Scary.

Well, we are getting close to Halloween.

Thanks for the link. This amused me;

Playing guard in a pinch is anything but Harris’ niche. In fact, he’s a tackle who hadn’t seen time at guard since he was 10 years old playing Pop Warner football.

“I had to run in and coach was like, ‘Play right guard,’” Harris said. “And I’m like, ‘What? I’ve never done it in my whole life.’”

I also think Pete Carroll has a point:

These kind of laughable scenarios serve as good examples for those who want the NFL to eliminate the rule of making teams deactivate seven of their 53 players before each game. Seahawks coach Pete Carroll is one of the outspoken critics of the rule.

“Why can’t we have 53 guys dress and get them all out there?” Carroll asked earlier this week. “We’re paying them. They’re practicing, and they’re ready.”

The intent of the rule is based on keeping a competitive balance. Teams can put their short-term injured players on the list with the assumption being that both teams will have at least 46 healthy players.

[CbusVikesFan]

Situation is getting pretty dire up front. Yankey or Wentworth not ready? Great news if one was, if not both. Can we grab someone off of another PS?

[dead_poet]

Situation is getting pretty dire up front. Yankey or Wentworth not ready? Great news if one was, if not both. Can we grab someone off of another PS?

Problem with that is what are the odds a practice squad guy that can't make a team's 53 is going to be able to out-perform a guy that made the team in a scheme he may not be familiar with?

I think we're stuck with what we have for the time being.

I haven't heard a lick on Sullivan yet. Anybody know where he is in the concussion protocol and his odds of suiting up on Sunday?

[losperros]

I also think Pete Carroll has a point:

Pete Carroll has a great point. It's getting beyond ludicrous to not dress all 53 players, what with the amount of injuries that can and do happen.

Teams don't ever have 46 truly "healthy" players by mid-season. Guys who are hurting are toughing it out and playing. All the more reason for all 53 players to gear up and be available for every game.

[jackal]

Yes the League wants to talk about player safety ,and then put teams into situations where
they are likely to leave a player on the field to long or force a player to return when they should sit out.

Personally they should be able to dress 60 players IMO

[Mothman]

Pete Carroll has a great point. It's getting beyond ludicrous to not dress all 53 players, what with the amount of injuries that can and do happen.

Teams don't ever have 46 truly "healthy" players by mid-season. Guys who are hurting are toughing it out and playing. All the more reason for all 53 players to gear up and be available for every game.

Well said. Why should any team ever end up have to play a TE at tackle or a WR at QB due to injuries when they have a healthy tackle or QB on their 53 man roster? There's just no compelling reason to have to declare healthy players inactive every week.

[PurpleMustReign]

Didn't the Vikings only dress 43 for the Washington game last year?

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

[mosscarter]

what a joke. bridgewater could very well get ruined as a qb because of this.

[fiestavike]

I'd prefer that teams only be able to bring about 20 guys as active players and then find a way to make it work, but I hate the modernization and specialization that have become hallmarks of the game today. I realize that my position is so far from what the NFL has become that it is totally irrelevant, but ask your grandfathers or great grandfathers about football when it was still a man's game!

[Cliff]

I'd prefer that teams only be able to bring about 20 guys as active players and then find a way to make it work, but I hate the modernization and specialization that have become hallmarks of the game today. I realize that my position is so far from what the NFL has become that it is totally irrelevant, but ask your grandfathers or great grandfathers about football when it was still a man's game!

None of those men were ever hit by J.J. Watt.

[fiestavike]

None of those men were ever hit by J.J. Watt.

But more than a few tasted Concrete Charlie's fist!

[Superfreak84]

The funny part is that our o-line was terrible before these injuries. I seriously can't envision Kalil starting for any other team in the league.

[dead_poet]

Huh.

Tackle Mike Harris still practicing at right guard for Vikings

Keeping Harris at guard is a testament from the coaching staff about how well he filled in for Ducasse. Harris hadn't played guard since his 'Pop Warner' days, he said, but didn't allow any of the Bills' five sacks on quarterback Teddy Bridgewater.

http://www.1500espn.com/sportswire/Tack ... ings102214

[Superfreak84]

Since our season is over after a loss to the BILLS, I'm going to spend the entire game watching our very own top 5 pick Matt Kalil on every offensive snap!