Vikings’ Adam Thielen Has Back Fractures
Although he’s expected to play against the Eagles in tonight’s NFC Championship Game, Vikings wide receiver Adam Thielen had been listed as questionable throughout the week due to a back injury. That ailment is reportedly more serious than originally thought, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link).
Thielen is dealing with slight fractures in his lower back which are — unsurprisingly — “extremely” painful, per Rapoport. The injury was suffered on a hit by Saints cornerback Marshon Lattimore in last week’s Divisional Round contest. While pain tolerance could seemingly be an issue for Thielen during today’s game, he’s expected to manage the discomfort in order to play.
One of the more notable receiver breakout stories in recent memory, Thielen played in all 16 of Minnesota’s regular-season games and suited up for the Vikings’ thrilling walk-off win last Sunday. The 27-year-old Division II product landed on the NFC Pro Bowl roster after a 91-reception, 1,276-yard, four-touchdown slate. He missed practice on Wednesday and went through a limited session Thursday.
Vikings To Consider Ben McAdoo, Mike McCoy For OC Role
Bracing to lose Pat Shurmur to the Giants, the Vikings are planning ahead as they make final preparations for Sunday night’s NFC championship game.
Minnesota is expected to consider the man Shurmur’s replacing with the Giants, Ben McAdoo, along with former Chargers HC Mike McCoy for their soon-to-be vacant offensive coordinator post, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (on Twitter).
McAdoo is in the running for the Browns’ OC job after interviewing earlier this week. However, no reports out of Cleveland have pegged him as the frontrunner there. And Hue Jackson‘s presence as the top offensive coach with the Browns might make the Vikings a more attractive job. That and Minnesota’s superior offensive talent. The 40-year-old McAdoo served as the Giants’ OC for two seasons before being promoted to head coach.
Ousted as the Broncos’ offensive coordinator midway through his first year back in that job, McCoy was mentioned in the Bills’ OC search but never seriously considered. The 45-year-old McCoy served as Broncos OC from 2009-12 and this season, with an up-and-down Chargers tenure sandwiched in between.
Thielen, Sendejo Expected To Play Vs. Eagles
The Vikings have not let key injuries at quarterback or running back deter them this season, and their top wide receiver is set to be available in the franchise’s biggest game in eight years Sunday night.
Adam Thielen will play despite being listed as questionable due to a lower back injury, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reports. Starting safety Andrew Sendejo will join him in playing despite a recent injury, per Schefter.
One of the more notable receiver breakout stories in recent memory, Thielen played in all 16 of Minnesota’s regular-season games and suited up for the Vikings’ thrilling divisional-round walk-off win. The 27-year-old Division II product landed on the NFC Pro Bowl roster after a 91-reception, 1,276-yard, four-touchdown slate. He missed practice on Wednesday and went through a limited session Thursday.
Sendejo still needs to clear final concussion protocol to play Sunday night, but Schefter reports he’s anticipated to do so. Mike Zimmer said this week he’s optimistic the veteran Harrison Smith sidekick will play; Sendejo returned to practice on Wednesday despite leaving a concussion sidelining him during the Vikings’ Round 2 win.
Poll: What Will Be The Super Bowl LII Matchup?
It’s almost here! Super Bowl LII is just a few weeks away, and by Sunday night, we will know what teams will get the chance to play for the Vince Lombardi Trophy. Championship weekend is headlined by a team that everyone thought would be here and three others that have overcome the odds for their opportunity to play under the brightest of lights on February 4. But what will that matchup be come when all is set and done on Sunday? Here are the breakdowns of all four teams that are now a win away from appearing in the Super Bowl.
New England Patriots (14-3)
The defending Super Bowl champs will play in their seventh straight AFC championship game. They’ve won two of the past three Super Bowls and have the greatest coach-quarterback combo in the history of football. However, even entering the playoffs as the favorite, New England has still faced some challenges in the last few weeks. The organization had to deal with a bombshell report that cited major drama between the three most powerful people in the Pats franchise. Despite the story, the team made easy work of the Titans in the divisional round. They’ll face a much tougher test on Sunday against the Jaguars, and they will have to win with Tom Brady dealing with a thumb injury. The five-time Super Bowl winner will almost assuredly be playing this weekend, but it could put more pressure on the team’s stable of running backs to make plays in the rushing and passing game. The Pats defense took a big step up in terms of pressuring Marcus Mariota and a repeat performance in that aspect will go a long way in the Pats getting to their second straight Super Bowl.
Jacksonville Jaguars (12-6)
The Jags were expected to beat the Bills in the Wild Card round, but pulled off an upset of the Steelers in the Divisional round. Blake Bortles and the offense picked up the pace last Sunday, and they’ll need to continue that type of production in order to keep up with the Patriots in the AFC Championship. The team is still led by a fast and opportunistic defense that can cause turnovers at any time. If they can get pressure on Brady, especially with an injured thumb, they may be able to provide their offense with some breathing room throughout the game. The formula remains the same if the Jags are to pull an even bigger shocker on Sunday. They must run the ball, control the clock, play stellar defense and mix in some big plays if they hope to play in their first Super Bowl about two weeks from now.
Philadelphia Eagles (14-3)
The Eagles were a rare underdog as a number one seed in the second round of the playoffs. However, Nick Foles and the offense were just productive enough for the defense to hold the Falcons out of the end zone late in the fourth quarter. Philadelphia is going to need a better effort against a better Vikings team that is possibly the most complete team in football. The Eagles ran the ball a ton last Saturday and found a nice rhythm offensively when Doug Pederson allowed Foles to have options to either pass or run later in the game. They’ll likely do this again to help their quarterback think less and find Alshon Jeffery, Zach Ertz and others for first downs. The Eagles defense led by the likes of Fletcher Cox, Brandon Graham, Derek Barnett, Vinny Curry and Timmy Jernigan need to force mistakes and give the offense some short fields so they can put enough points o the board to win the game and advance to the team’s second-ever Super Bowl.
Minnesota Vikings (14-3)
Mike Zimmer‘s squad doesn’t seem to have a weakness on their roster. They can run the ball with Latavius Murray and Jerick McKinnon. They have an explosive passing game that can work in the redzone or down the field with weapons like Stefon Diggs, Adam Thielen and Kyle Rudolph. The defense has playmakers in every unit as well, so it’s tough for the opposing offense to exploit a certain area when on the field. Nevertheless, the team needed the “Minnesota Miracle” at the end of the game against the Saints in order to advance further into the postseason. They’ll face a different type of team in the Eagles who are more based of their pass rush and controlling the clock. The Vikings will be favored on Sunday because of the way Case Keenum is playing compared to Foles. But the Eagles won’t likely roll over because of the great front seven and the mistakes that they can create on passing downs. Minnesota’s offensive line could be the key to a victory because it would allow Keenum to find his playmakers on the outside to help put up points and force the Eagles to take their chances on Foles’ arm to win the game.
Terence Newman May Try To Play In 2018
- While it still sounds like Joe Berger has a maximum of two NFL games left, the Vikings guard (via Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press) said he won’t decide until March or April if he’s done after this season or not. Berger said before the season he was likely to retire after 2017 and added one of the reasons he decided to come back was Mike Remmers‘ addition. “My thought is that this is it, but I’m not going to try to make that decision now in the middle of all this,” Berger said. Pro Football Focus graded the 35-year-old blocker as the No. 15 NFL guard this season.
- Conversely, the Vikings winning a Super Bowl would not seem to dissuade Terence Newman from coming back for a 16th season and what would be his age-40 campaign. Newman said he’s optimistic he can remain an impact player in 2018, were he to decide to come back. “Let’s just say, hypothetically speaking, that I was able to (win a Super Bowl), then why not try to get two?’’ Newman said, via Tomasson. “You can look at it at both sides.” PFF graded Newman as a middle-of-the-pack corner this season. Newman’s playing on a one-year contract.
Latest On Andrew Sendejo
Vikings safety Andrew Sendejo left Sunday’s Divisional Round game after taking a hit to the head, and while he remains in the concussion protocol, he was able to perform limited individual work during Wednesday’s practice, tweets Lindsay Jones of USA Today. While there’s no definitive word on Sendejo’s status, the mere fact that he was able to participate in practice should be a positive sign as Minnesota prepares to face Philadelphia in the NFC Championship Game. If Sendejo can’t go, fellow defensive back Jayron Kearse — who played 60% of the Vikings’ defensive snaps following Sendejo’s injury — would see more action.
Vikings Haven't Decided On No. 2 QB
- The Vikings have yet to decide whether Sam Bradford or Teddy Bridgewater will be quarterback Case Keenum‘s backup in the NFC Championship game, head coach Mike Zimmer told reporters, including Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press (Twitter link). Minnesota, which rarely keeps three quarterbacks active, used Bradford as Keenum’s No. 2 in the former’s first game since being activated off injured reserve.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 1/16/18
Today’s practice squad updates:
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: WR Walt Powell
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: TE Nick Truesdell
- Waived: T Storm Norton
Minor NFL Transactions: 1/15/18
Giants Down To Shurmur, McDaniels?
And then there were two. Vikings offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur and Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels are the finalists for the Giants’ head coaching position, according to Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press (on Twitter). 
It appears that McDaniels is now a leading candidate for three different head coaching vacancies. Over the weekend, it was reported that he is set to take the Colts’ head coaching job. However, the Titans parted ways with Mike Mularkey on Monday morning, leading to speculation that McDaniels could be in play for Tennessee.
A Shurmur hire could be a popular one in the tri-state area, particularly after he called the game-winning play in Sunday’s thrilling win over the Saints. If he is indeed the next head coach of the Giants, however, fans could be waiting until February for that to be made official. If Shurmur and the Vikings get past the Eagles on Sunday, they’ll be Super Bowl bound.
Panthers defensive coordinator Steve Wilks was said to still be in the running for the Giants’ job, but it appears that is no longer the case. Meanwhile, Shurmur was believed to be a leading candidate for the Cardinals’ vacancy, so they may have to shift their focus elsewhere.