1 00:00:04,080 --> 00:00:06,760 Speaker 1: Welcome into the Two Minute Warning, presented by three M, 2 00:00:06,840 --> 00:00:10,200 Speaker 1: the official science partner of the Minnesota Vikings. I'm your 3 00:00:10,200 --> 00:00:13,320 Speaker 1: host Tatum Everett from the Vikings Entertainment Network, and your 4 00:00:13,400 --> 00:00:16,120 Speaker 1: Vikings are gearing up to take on the Detroit Lions 5 00:00:16,120 --> 00:00:19,239 Speaker 1: in the Motor City this Sunday. There's been a ton 6 00:00:19,320 --> 00:00:22,960 Speaker 1: of player news this week, the biggest headlines centering around 7 00:00:23,160 --> 00:00:27,120 Speaker 1: roster updates at the quarterback position. Head coach Kevin O'Connell 8 00:00:27,120 --> 00:00:30,000 Speaker 1: announced on Monday that Carson Wentz will need season ending 9 00:00:30,080 --> 00:00:34,040 Speaker 1: shoulder surgery and is on injured reserve. JJ McCarthy is 10 00:00:34,080 --> 00:00:37,479 Speaker 1: now the starting quarterback this week. Coach O'Connell talked on 11 00:00:37,560 --> 00:00:40,360 Speaker 1: Friday to discuss the final injury news going into the 12 00:00:40,360 --> 00:00:43,440 Speaker 1: weekend and gave an update on his team's mentality as 13 00:00:43,440 --> 00:00:45,320 Speaker 1: they faced the Lions at Ford Field. 14 00:00:45,560 --> 00:00:47,199 Speaker 2: I'm really proud of our guys for the work of 15 00:00:47,680 --> 00:00:50,520 Speaker 2: the week of preparation that we had, with the extra 16 00:00:50,600 --> 00:00:53,800 Speaker 2: day on Monday and then pairing that with three really 17 00:00:53,800 --> 00:00:55,680 Speaker 2: good days. I feel really good about our team being 18 00:00:55,680 --> 00:00:59,040 Speaker 2: able to go compete a heck of a environment. Dan's 19 00:00:59,080 --> 00:01:01,520 Speaker 2: got a really good football team. We know well, they 20 00:01:01,560 --> 00:01:04,600 Speaker 2: know us well. You know, so just fired up. I 21 00:01:04,600 --> 00:01:06,319 Speaker 2: can tell the team's excited to get a chance to 22 00:01:06,360 --> 00:01:09,920 Speaker 2: go compete. Just a game status update. We'll have three 23 00:01:09,920 --> 00:01:14,319 Speaker 2: players ruled out c J. Ham, Jeff Acuda, and Josh Oliver. 24 00:01:14,880 --> 00:01:19,000 Speaker 2: We'll have four players questionable Andrew van Ginkel, Brian O'Neill, 25 00:01:19,440 --> 00:01:23,640 Speaker 2: Josh Mattelus who just had some foot soreness, and then 26 00:01:24,360 --> 00:01:28,080 Speaker 2: Christian dar saw right there. So other than that good 27 00:01:28,080 --> 00:01:30,959 Speaker 2: week of prep, all those guys that I just mentioned 28 00:01:31,000 --> 00:01:36,440 Speaker 2: as questionable were either limited or full today based upon uh, 29 00:01:36,840 --> 00:01:38,640 Speaker 2: based upon a fast Friday workload. 30 00:01:38,880 --> 00:01:43,440 Speaker 3: So open it up to you, guys. Yes, it was full. 31 00:01:44,720 --> 00:01:47,880 Speaker 2: Uh, by my eyes he was, and by the sheet 32 00:01:47,960 --> 00:01:49,920 Speaker 2: he was as well. Yeah, no, he's had a really 33 00:01:49,920 --> 00:01:52,960 Speaker 2: good week. Anticipate him playing J. J. 34 00:01:53,080 --> 00:01:55,800 Speaker 3: McCarthy's full practice week. How did he look to you? Yeah, 35 00:01:55,880 --> 00:01:56,200 Speaker 3: it was. 36 00:01:56,280 --> 00:01:59,880 Speaker 2: It was great to see him, you know, fully kind 37 00:01:59,880 --> 00:02:04,000 Speaker 2: of look like himself on Monday, you know, he kind 38 00:02:04,000 --> 00:02:05,320 Speaker 2: of felt like he was set up to have a 39 00:02:05,360 --> 00:02:08,200 Speaker 2: great week, went out there and you know, had a 40 00:02:08,200 --> 00:02:10,079 Speaker 2: good day and then that rolled right into every day 41 00:02:10,120 --> 00:02:12,760 Speaker 2: this week and the best thing was just post practice, 42 00:02:13,400 --> 00:02:15,240 Speaker 2: you know, no soreness, know anything like that. 43 00:02:15,360 --> 00:02:20,440 Speaker 3: So he feels one hundred percent ready to go. Think ankle, 44 00:02:20,520 --> 00:02:22,240 Speaker 3: if he plays, would you expect him to be on 45 00:02:22,280 --> 00:02:23,360 Speaker 3: a snap count. 46 00:02:23,200 --> 00:02:25,640 Speaker 2: Or I think I think we're going to talk through that. 47 00:02:26,000 --> 00:02:28,360 Speaker 2: I think all you know, with our defense as a whole, 48 00:02:28,360 --> 00:02:30,880 Speaker 2: one of the things we're pretty excited about was the 49 00:02:30,919 --> 00:02:33,280 Speaker 2: depth we did have and and getting back a little 50 00:02:33,280 --> 00:02:36,600 Speaker 2: closer to that original picture, especially in the front seven. 51 00:02:37,280 --> 00:02:39,880 Speaker 2: Dallas Turner's played a lot, you know, got gotten a 52 00:02:39,880 --> 00:02:42,840 Speaker 2: lot of valuable snaps and now getting ginked back. You know, 53 00:02:42,919 --> 00:02:45,239 Speaker 2: what it looks like could be based on you know, 54 00:02:45,360 --> 00:02:48,160 Speaker 2: situation down in distance or you know, as the game 55 00:02:48,280 --> 00:02:51,559 Speaker 2: kind of goes in the dialogue with the players. 56 00:02:51,280 --> 00:02:52,120 Speaker 3: And the medical staff. 57 00:02:52,160 --> 00:02:54,359 Speaker 2: But I think, you know, he's full, he's ready to go, 58 00:02:54,440 --> 00:02:56,520 Speaker 2: and and and we'll see kind of what his workload 59 00:02:56,520 --> 00:02:56,840 Speaker 2: looks like. 60 00:02:56,880 --> 00:02:59,040 Speaker 3: I'm just excited to get him out there, Havin. 61 00:02:58,960 --> 00:03:02,320 Speaker 4: With the Vince Simms to speed and able to go Sunday. 62 00:03:02,480 --> 00:03:04,639 Speaker 3: Ben Simms is up to speed, he's ready to roll. 63 00:03:04,639 --> 00:03:08,720 Speaker 2: We're gonna, you know, evaluate whether you know that those three, 64 00:03:09,480 --> 00:03:11,919 Speaker 2: you know, with the game plan, we have what it 65 00:03:11,960 --> 00:03:15,040 Speaker 2: looks like for Sunday. Nick Finnett's always a possibility you know, 66 00:03:15,120 --> 00:03:17,600 Speaker 2: as a veteran player that's been working towards this. He 67 00:03:17,720 --> 00:03:19,520 Speaker 2: was up earlier this season and we still have his 68 00:03:19,600 --> 00:03:23,240 Speaker 2: elevations left as well as Bryson. So we'll, uh, you know, 69 00:03:23,240 --> 00:03:25,520 Speaker 2: all those guys kind of took some reps, different phases 70 00:03:25,520 --> 00:03:28,760 Speaker 2: of the game plan and we'll make a determination for Sunday. 71 00:03:29,120 --> 00:03:30,679 Speaker 5: With the way they run the ball, what kind of 72 00:03:30,720 --> 00:03:31,960 Speaker 5: a challenge do they present? 73 00:03:32,200 --> 00:03:33,800 Speaker 4: And you guys have seen them many times, but will 74 00:03:33,840 --> 00:03:35,360 Speaker 4: kind of a challenge the present try to get the 75 00:03:35,400 --> 00:03:35,840 Speaker 4: run defense? 76 00:03:36,040 --> 00:03:40,000 Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean it's I think you know their staff 77 00:03:40,040 --> 00:03:41,680 Speaker 2: and I know Hank's got a lot to do with that, 78 00:03:41,920 --> 00:03:43,120 Speaker 2: you know, Hank Freyley. 79 00:03:44,280 --> 00:03:45,720 Speaker 3: Scheme is very difficult. 80 00:03:45,760 --> 00:03:48,520 Speaker 2: I think they've got, you know, clearly one of one 81 00:03:48,560 --> 00:03:50,400 Speaker 2: of the best backs in football. And then and then 82 00:03:50,440 --> 00:03:53,960 Speaker 2: if you're counting David Montgomery as a as A one A, 83 00:03:54,040 --> 00:03:56,280 Speaker 2: one B, that's a heck of a group. I mean, 84 00:03:56,360 --> 00:03:59,040 Speaker 2: they are the best set of running backs in the NFL. 85 00:03:59,760 --> 00:04:02,520 Speaker 2: It's been that way for a while. And they both 86 00:04:02,560 --> 00:04:06,080 Speaker 2: do so many things at such a high level, whether 87 00:04:06,120 --> 00:04:09,720 Speaker 2: it's explosiveness, power, They both can catch the football, they 88 00:04:09,720 --> 00:04:13,720 Speaker 2: both can protect. Two totally complete backs that are a problem, 89 00:04:13,760 --> 00:04:15,720 Speaker 2: and you pair that with the personnel they have up 90 00:04:15,720 --> 00:04:17,880 Speaker 2: front and the tight ends that they have and their 91 00:04:17,880 --> 00:04:19,920 Speaker 2: ability to block on the perimeter with the wide outs. 92 00:04:19,960 --> 00:04:23,240 Speaker 2: It is an all eleven challenge and you got to 93 00:04:23,240 --> 00:04:24,960 Speaker 2: meet it. You got to meet it against this team, 94 00:04:25,040 --> 00:04:28,480 Speaker 2: especially when they played home, and we know the challenge 95 00:04:28,480 --> 00:04:28,880 Speaker 2: that it is. 96 00:04:28,920 --> 00:04:29,480 Speaker 3: I think flowing. 97 00:04:29,520 --> 00:04:31,880 Speaker 2: The staff have a really good plan and the players 98 00:04:31,880 --> 00:04:33,480 Speaker 2: are excited about it and they just want to get 99 00:04:33,480 --> 00:04:34,480 Speaker 2: a chance to go compete. 100 00:04:34,560 --> 00:04:35,640 Speaker 3: Full week of preparation. 101 00:04:36,640 --> 00:04:38,440 Speaker 2: Kind of a lot of things in our rearview mirror 102 00:04:38,480 --> 00:04:41,960 Speaker 2: as far as circumstance limiting practices here or there, not 103 00:04:42,040 --> 00:04:44,600 Speaker 2: being able to practice, you know, in this country, and 104 00:04:44,640 --> 00:04:46,440 Speaker 2: things like that's all behind us. We just got to 105 00:04:46,480 --> 00:04:48,880 Speaker 2: go play and have confidence that we've had a week 106 00:04:48,920 --> 00:04:49,480 Speaker 2: of preparation. 107 00:04:49,600 --> 00:04:50,400 Speaker 3: Excited about it. 108 00:04:53,360 --> 00:04:56,599 Speaker 1: Despite his injured reserve designation, Curson Wentz spoke with the 109 00:04:56,600 --> 00:04:59,880 Speaker 1: media about his experience in Minnesota, specifically as a pro 110 00:05:00,080 --> 00:05:02,400 Speaker 1: je la where he pushed through the pain in hopes 111 00:05:02,440 --> 00:05:03,440 Speaker 1: of helping the team. 112 00:05:03,640 --> 00:05:08,320 Speaker 6: It's been interesting a couple of weeks, but feeling good 113 00:05:08,600 --> 00:05:12,640 Speaker 6: with the ultimate decision that we've made collectively, and you know, 114 00:05:12,680 --> 00:05:16,280 Speaker 6: it's weird being done this early in the season. Been 115 00:05:16,320 --> 00:05:18,440 Speaker 6: on IR a couple of different times, but never this early. 116 00:05:18,480 --> 00:05:21,800 Speaker 6: So it's a bummer all those things. But life's a 117 00:05:21,839 --> 00:05:25,040 Speaker 6: lot bigger than this. You know, any minutes or day, 118 00:05:25,040 --> 00:05:28,680 Speaker 6: I'm about to have my fourth little girl and surgeries 119 00:05:28,880 --> 00:05:31,080 Speaker 6: on deck, so all the things that are so much 120 00:05:31,120 --> 00:05:34,680 Speaker 6: bigger than this are really occupying my mind in time. 121 00:05:35,360 --> 00:05:37,320 Speaker 6: But it is is a bummer. Obviously, it's a bummer 122 00:05:37,880 --> 00:05:39,080 Speaker 6: the loss, all the things. 123 00:05:39,160 --> 00:05:42,720 Speaker 3: But yeah, I'm doing right in the game. 124 00:05:43,560 --> 00:05:46,239 Speaker 7: Whether you're trying to decide whether you can or should 125 00:05:46,400 --> 00:05:47,159 Speaker 7: go back out there. 126 00:05:47,279 --> 00:05:50,279 Speaker 6: It sounds like it's been reported kind of the situation 127 00:05:50,400 --> 00:05:53,080 Speaker 6: and how it happened against the Browns and all the things, 128 00:05:53,080 --> 00:05:56,240 Speaker 6: But the whole time, I felt I can still help 129 00:05:56,279 --> 00:05:57,560 Speaker 6: this team. You know, at the end of the day, 130 00:05:58,360 --> 00:06:00,839 Speaker 6: I knew what I was signing up for. It wasn't 131 00:06:00,960 --> 00:06:03,320 Speaker 6: like anyone was forcing me to go. I mean, this 132 00:06:03,400 --> 00:06:05,560 Speaker 6: is my tenth year in the league. There's a lot 133 00:06:05,600 --> 00:06:08,000 Speaker 6: bigger things in my in my life to worry about, 134 00:06:08,040 --> 00:06:10,400 Speaker 6: so I wasn't gonna do anything that would be detrimental 135 00:06:10,440 --> 00:06:12,599 Speaker 6: to my own health. So I knew what I was 136 00:06:12,600 --> 00:06:15,680 Speaker 6: getting into and knew there was a chance I'd be 137 00:06:15,680 --> 00:06:18,960 Speaker 6: playing with some pain and discomfort the other nights, and 138 00:06:19,360 --> 00:06:21,360 Speaker 6: I'd be lying if I thought it. I thought it 139 00:06:21,360 --> 00:06:23,680 Speaker 6: would be a little less than what it was. But 140 00:06:23,680 --> 00:06:25,359 Speaker 6: at the end of the day, it's it's pain. And 141 00:06:25,400 --> 00:06:27,480 Speaker 6: I felt like, Okay, the hit happened, and then I 142 00:06:27,520 --> 00:06:29,520 Speaker 6: could go on and I could still help the team. 143 00:06:29,600 --> 00:06:33,080 Speaker 6: And so it was never something and i'd be lying too. 144 00:06:33,240 --> 00:06:35,080 Speaker 6: I mean, as a competitor, like you never want to 145 00:06:35,080 --> 00:06:37,120 Speaker 6: take yourself out, Like, no matter what you're going through, 146 00:06:37,360 --> 00:06:39,880 Speaker 6: it's hard to remove yourself from the game. And you know, 147 00:06:39,920 --> 00:06:43,600 Speaker 6: I'm maybe optimist, too optimistic, like thinking we can still 148 00:06:43,680 --> 00:06:45,200 Speaker 6: mount to come back here, you know, all the things, 149 00:06:45,200 --> 00:06:48,280 Speaker 6: and that it feels crazy. Teams can score fast. We 150 00:06:48,360 --> 00:06:50,520 Speaker 6: have some dudes on this offense, and so scoring in 151 00:06:50,560 --> 00:06:54,520 Speaker 6: a hurry is a is a real expectation and an opportunity. 152 00:06:54,560 --> 00:06:56,440 Speaker 6: So I never once was like, yeah, I need to 153 00:06:56,440 --> 00:06:56,800 Speaker 6: be done. 154 00:06:56,839 --> 00:06:57,000 Speaker 2: You know. 155 00:06:57,040 --> 00:06:59,880 Speaker 6: It's like, yeah, that hurt, but you know, I'm optimistic. 156 00:06:59,880 --> 00:07:01,400 Speaker 6: I'm to get up and not get hit the next 157 00:07:01,400 --> 00:07:03,160 Speaker 6: play and we're gonna, you know, go score and all 158 00:07:03,160 --> 00:07:06,440 Speaker 6: the things. So that didn't really cross my mind. And yeah, 159 00:07:06,520 --> 00:07:08,440 Speaker 6: that's just kind of the way it was. 160 00:07:08,640 --> 00:07:11,320 Speaker 5: A full extentity injury right after the Browns game. 161 00:07:11,800 --> 00:07:12,040 Speaker 1: Yep. 162 00:07:12,520 --> 00:07:15,160 Speaker 6: Yeah, And so you know, after the Browns game, we 163 00:07:15,240 --> 00:07:20,240 Speaker 6: knew surgery was in the future, which was obviously. 164 00:07:19,920 --> 00:07:21,160 Speaker 3: A bummer in and of itself. 165 00:07:21,240 --> 00:07:23,200 Speaker 6: You know, it's never fun. I've had more than I'd 166 00:07:23,320 --> 00:07:27,000 Speaker 6: care to have over my career, but it was one 167 00:07:27,000 --> 00:07:28,800 Speaker 6: of those things, Let's see how long we can we 168 00:07:28,840 --> 00:07:29,720 Speaker 6: can ride with this thing. 169 00:07:29,760 --> 00:07:29,920 Speaker 3: You know. 170 00:07:30,000 --> 00:07:32,520 Speaker 6: It was never anyone forcing me. It was never any 171 00:07:32,520 --> 00:07:34,560 Speaker 6: of that. We just knew let's see kind of how 172 00:07:34,560 --> 00:07:39,120 Speaker 6: we can hold up. And obviously, you know, the Eagles game, 173 00:07:39,280 --> 00:07:42,000 Speaker 6: it was definitely bothering me a little bit, but it 174 00:07:42,040 --> 00:07:43,760 Speaker 6: was it was bearable. I mean, it was doable. The 175 00:07:43,760 --> 00:07:46,680 Speaker 6: short week made it way harder. I'm not gonna lie, 176 00:07:46,680 --> 00:07:49,320 Speaker 6: and I think that game just obviously was kind of 177 00:07:49,480 --> 00:07:51,200 Speaker 6: icing on the cake for me to know, Like, you know, 178 00:07:51,240 --> 00:07:53,280 Speaker 6: I think the frustration that you might have saw on 179 00:07:53,320 --> 00:07:55,720 Speaker 6: the sideline was me knowing, like, yeah, I'm probably not 180 00:07:55,800 --> 00:07:58,040 Speaker 6: playing again this year. So there's a lot of emotions 181 00:07:58,080 --> 00:08:00,240 Speaker 6: there mixed with the pain and all the thing. So 182 00:08:01,360 --> 00:08:03,840 Speaker 6: we knew what was coming. We just didn't know when. 183 00:08:06,120 --> 00:08:09,120 Speaker 1: Quarterback JJ McCarthy will be back under center. This week 184 00:08:09,160 --> 00:08:12,200 Speaker 1: after rehabbing a high ankle sprain for the past six weeks. 185 00:08:12,600 --> 00:08:14,880 Speaker 1: McCarthy is excited to get back out there with his 186 00:08:14,960 --> 00:08:17,280 Speaker 1: Viking squad in a state where he's had a lot 187 00:08:17,280 --> 00:08:20,600 Speaker 1: of collegiate success. There are a lot of fond memories 188 00:08:20,600 --> 00:08:22,600 Speaker 1: for him in the state of Michigan, but he knows 189 00:08:22,640 --> 00:08:26,320 Speaker 1: that the Lions defense won't be welcoming him with open arms. 190 00:08:26,360 --> 00:08:29,840 Speaker 8: Hello, everyone, just finish up a great practice. Felt like 191 00:08:29,880 --> 00:08:32,240 Speaker 8: there was a lot that you know, we did well 192 00:08:32,280 --> 00:08:34,040 Speaker 8: and a lot that we got to improve on this week, 193 00:08:34,080 --> 00:08:36,160 Speaker 8: and you know, got a tremendous opportunity in front of 194 00:08:36,280 --> 00:08:39,280 Speaker 8: us against a divisional opponent, really tough opponent. You know, 195 00:08:39,360 --> 00:08:41,280 Speaker 8: they've done a lot of great things this year and 196 00:08:41,360 --> 00:08:43,240 Speaker 8: it'll be great to see where we stack up against him. 197 00:08:43,280 --> 00:08:45,920 Speaker 8: And you know, we're just really focused on attacking each 198 00:08:45,920 --> 00:08:48,440 Speaker 8: and every day and making sure we're prepared as possible 199 00:08:48,640 --> 00:08:49,880 Speaker 8: going into this one on Sunday. 200 00:08:49,920 --> 00:08:50,800 Speaker 3: So I'll open it up. 201 00:08:51,240 --> 00:08:54,559 Speaker 7: How hard has it been being eighty ninety percent thinking 202 00:08:54,640 --> 00:08:57,240 Speaker 7: probably you could play, but having to wait until you 203 00:08:57,280 --> 00:08:57,959 Speaker 7: got that green light? 204 00:08:58,840 --> 00:08:59,320 Speaker 3: Really hard? 205 00:08:59,440 --> 00:09:02,000 Speaker 8: Everything I pass, you know, how I went about things, 206 00:09:02,040 --> 00:09:04,400 Speaker 8: it was always like if I felt you know, ten percent, 207 00:09:04,480 --> 00:09:06,120 Speaker 8: fifteen percent. I was going to go out there and 208 00:09:06,120 --> 00:09:08,320 Speaker 8: give it my all, but understanding you know how this 209 00:09:08,679 --> 00:09:11,600 Speaker 8: league works and you know how everything operates. I was 210 00:09:11,679 --> 00:09:14,040 Speaker 8: just listening, you know, to my trainers and coach O'Connell 211 00:09:14,040 --> 00:09:16,240 Speaker 8: and you know, obeying orders at the end of the day. 212 00:09:16,280 --> 00:09:18,400 Speaker 8: But I think it was the smartest thing possible, And 213 00:09:18,480 --> 00:09:22,040 Speaker 8: I feel great. How was your amazing Ready to go? 214 00:09:22,120 --> 00:09:24,560 Speaker 8: I feel like myself again, feel like I, you know, 215 00:09:24,720 --> 00:09:28,280 Speaker 8: have those mobility things that I was concerned about, you know, 216 00:09:28,320 --> 00:09:30,920 Speaker 8: going into last week, in the prior weeks. 217 00:09:30,960 --> 00:09:32,000 Speaker 3: So yeah, ready to go. 218 00:09:32,440 --> 00:09:34,400 Speaker 4: Po Jokana talking about how you guys went back and 219 00:09:34,440 --> 00:09:36,120 Speaker 4: watched your first couple of starts. What were some of 220 00:09:36,160 --> 00:09:39,720 Speaker 4: the main things you took away from those first two games. 221 00:09:39,760 --> 00:09:43,560 Speaker 8: The biggest thing I took away was just how, you know, 222 00:09:43,640 --> 00:09:46,080 Speaker 8: we keep saying it, when we do the simple things right, 223 00:09:46,400 --> 00:09:49,280 Speaker 8: what does the outcome look like? So really just focusing 224 00:09:49,320 --> 00:09:52,080 Speaker 8: on my process is weak, you know, going through the reads, 225 00:09:52,480 --> 00:09:54,720 Speaker 8: making sure I'm taking the right footwork and staying you know, 226 00:09:54,920 --> 00:09:57,800 Speaker 8: kind of calm minded, and you know, duct mentality in 227 00:09:57,880 --> 00:10:00,199 Speaker 8: terms of you know, just how I go about each 228 00:10:00,240 --> 00:10:02,520 Speaker 8: play in each situation. So it really just came down 229 00:10:02,559 --> 00:10:05,200 Speaker 8: to the simple things and making sure we master that 230 00:10:05,280 --> 00:10:06,280 Speaker 8: going into each and every week. 231 00:10:06,480 --> 00:10:09,520 Speaker 4: How confident do you feel coming off missing those games, 232 00:10:09,840 --> 00:10:12,360 Speaker 4: going back to Michigan and being able to play well. 233 00:10:12,960 --> 00:10:15,400 Speaker 8: Extremely confident every time we step out there. You know, 234 00:10:15,720 --> 00:10:17,600 Speaker 8: it's the work that we put in every single week. 235 00:10:17,800 --> 00:10:20,280 Speaker 8: It's the trust in my teammates and coaches and all 236 00:10:20,320 --> 00:10:22,080 Speaker 8: of that's been at all time high. You know, it 237 00:10:22,200 --> 00:10:24,640 Speaker 8: sucks not being able to get the reps and you know, 238 00:10:24,720 --> 00:10:27,959 Speaker 8: be able to continue to progress all the fundamentals and 239 00:10:28,000 --> 00:10:29,520 Speaker 8: all the little things. But there was a lot of 240 00:10:29,559 --> 00:10:31,679 Speaker 8: areas that you know, I picked up and think I 241 00:10:31,760 --> 00:10:35,079 Speaker 8: be benefited from, you know, just watching and observing from 242 00:10:35,080 --> 00:10:38,080 Speaker 8: the sideline. So, you know, extremely confident and ready to 243 00:10:38,080 --> 00:10:38,679 Speaker 8: get after it. 244 00:10:38,880 --> 00:10:39,840 Speaker 3: You're sorry. 245 00:10:40,040 --> 00:10:42,680 Speaker 7: You know your EARLD teammate Aiden Hutchinson spoke about you yesterday. 246 00:10:42,679 --> 00:10:44,480 Speaker 7: Imagine the only contact you're hoping to up with them 247 00:10:44,520 --> 00:10:45,640 Speaker 7: is a handshake at the end of the game. 248 00:10:45,800 --> 00:10:48,000 Speaker 8: That would be nice, that's for sure. But I'm sure 249 00:10:48,040 --> 00:10:50,400 Speaker 8: you know he's a great player, you know, fantastic leader, 250 00:10:50,400 --> 00:10:52,400 Speaker 8: and he's gonna have that defense rolling and you know, 251 00:10:52,520 --> 00:10:55,520 Speaker 8: we're we're not expecting him, but we're also expecting him 252 00:10:55,520 --> 00:10:57,160 Speaker 8: to make some plays because you got to give him 253 00:10:57,160 --> 00:10:59,600 Speaker 8: that credit. He is that good. So just being able to, 254 00:10:59,800 --> 00:11:02,000 Speaker 8: you know, take advantage of all the little details in 255 00:11:02,040 --> 00:11:04,000 Speaker 8: the game plan and make sure we execute, you know, 256 00:11:04,040 --> 00:11:06,120 Speaker 8: all the little things, and I'll give us our best shot. 257 00:11:06,520 --> 00:11:09,320 Speaker 1: There's more coming up after a quick break, we'll hear 258 00:11:09,640 --> 00:11:12,920 Speaker 1: from a few of the players, including Justin Jefferson and 259 00:11:13,040 --> 00:11:15,960 Speaker 1: Jonathan Grenard. But first from the field to the roof 260 00:11:16,000 --> 00:11:19,240 Speaker 1: and everywhere in between. Three am. The official science partner 261 00:11:19,440 --> 00:11:22,720 Speaker 1: of the Minnesota Vikings is here. Visit Vikings dot com 262 00:11:22,720 --> 00:11:27,959 Speaker 1: slash skull Science to learn more. Minnesota needed a go 263 00:11:28,000 --> 00:11:31,080 Speaker 1: to source for everything high school sports. That's why the 264 00:11:31,120 --> 00:11:35,080 Speaker 1: Minnesota Star Tribune created Strib Varsity. Sign up now at 265 00:11:35,120 --> 00:11:40,080 Speaker 1: startribune dot com slash strib Varsity. Welcome back to the 266 00:11:40,080 --> 00:11:43,000 Speaker 1: two minute Warning once again. I'm your host, Tatum Everett, 267 00:11:43,040 --> 00:11:45,360 Speaker 1: and Ford Field has turned into one of the more 268 00:11:45,400 --> 00:11:49,080 Speaker 1: hostile environments in the NFL. One way to neutralize the 269 00:11:49,080 --> 00:11:51,840 Speaker 1: noise is to strike early and often to take the 270 00:11:51,920 --> 00:11:55,160 Speaker 1: crowd right out of it. One way, let's get Justin 271 00:11:55,200 --> 00:11:58,400 Speaker 1: Jefferson the ball. He's had success against the Lions with 272 00:11:58,559 --> 00:12:01,360 Speaker 1: six career performances of more than one hundred yards against 273 00:12:01,400 --> 00:12:04,520 Speaker 1: the kiddies. Justin spoke this week about his mindset heading 274 00:12:04,559 --> 00:12:05,840 Speaker 1: into this divisional battle. 275 00:12:06,720 --> 00:12:10,480 Speaker 9: I feel like me and Ko's relationship has been great 276 00:12:10,880 --> 00:12:13,679 Speaker 9: with that and especially with how the defense have been 277 00:12:13,760 --> 00:12:18,840 Speaker 9: covering covering me and especially this exact team, So the 278 00:12:18,920 --> 00:12:22,160 Speaker 9: relationship and the communication has been, you know, a top tier. 279 00:12:22,679 --> 00:12:25,160 Speaker 9: It's just all about just going out there and knowing 280 00:12:25,200 --> 00:12:26,960 Speaker 9: that I'm going to get doubled, knowing the plays that 281 00:12:27,000 --> 00:12:29,240 Speaker 9: I have, knowing the ross that I have. It's just 282 00:12:29,280 --> 00:12:32,280 Speaker 9: going out there and still winning against that double team. 283 00:12:32,320 --> 00:12:34,760 Speaker 8: Speaking of the Lions defense, do you feel like they 284 00:12:34,880 --> 00:12:37,040 Speaker 8: look similar to how they have in the past, even 285 00:12:37,040 --> 00:12:39,080 Speaker 8: with the coordinator change or different. 286 00:12:39,800 --> 00:12:44,640 Speaker 9: A little mixture of both. I know the coordinator very 287 00:12:44,720 --> 00:12:46,840 Speaker 9: very well. You know, he played at LSU with my brother, 288 00:12:47,600 --> 00:12:51,240 Speaker 9: so the relationship has always been kind of there, and 289 00:12:51,400 --> 00:12:53,600 Speaker 9: you know, we always talked before and after the game, 290 00:12:54,080 --> 00:12:56,000 Speaker 9: so it definitely would be great to, you know, see 291 00:12:56,000 --> 00:12:59,160 Speaker 9: how he covered me, and especially with the past talks, 292 00:12:59,160 --> 00:13:01,640 Speaker 9: how he's been talking about how he's been covering me 293 00:13:01,679 --> 00:13:05,960 Speaker 9: throughout the game. So, uh, it's gonna be fun. I 294 00:13:06,120 --> 00:13:10,040 Speaker 9: love going against these type of matchups and especially their 295 00:13:10,720 --> 00:13:13,600 Speaker 9: division team. So h, the juices will be high. You know, 296 00:13:13,640 --> 00:13:16,720 Speaker 9: hopefully everybody else feel that juice as well. Uh, and 297 00:13:16,760 --> 00:13:18,160 Speaker 9: we're going out there and just play out ball. 298 00:13:18,640 --> 00:13:18,840 Speaker 2: Brother. 299 00:13:18,880 --> 00:13:23,679 Speaker 3: It will be any advice how to attack. Uh, it's 300 00:13:23,679 --> 00:13:26,240 Speaker 3: gonna be physical. Just know that it's gonna be physical. 301 00:13:26,440 --> 00:13:26,559 Speaker 4: You know. 302 00:13:26,720 --> 00:13:29,440 Speaker 9: They of course they will try to get hands on Uh. 303 00:13:29,480 --> 00:13:32,400 Speaker 9: That's kind of what they've been doing in the past. Uh, 304 00:13:32,480 --> 00:13:34,600 Speaker 9: but you know, knowing this person and knowing how he 305 00:13:34,679 --> 00:13:39,440 Speaker 9: plays and he has that defensive mindset, I definitely will 306 00:13:39,480 --> 00:13:42,480 Speaker 9: be working against the press and the cover two man 307 00:13:42,640 --> 00:13:44,520 Speaker 9: and just getting hands on being pa. 308 00:13:45,040 --> 00:13:46,559 Speaker 7: They do a lot of the same stuff they used 309 00:13:46,600 --> 00:13:48,840 Speaker 7: to do, and so putting their hands on you and 310 00:13:48,880 --> 00:13:51,040 Speaker 7: making you know, basically daring. 311 00:13:50,840 --> 00:13:53,160 Speaker 3: Officials to uh to make your power not. 312 00:13:53,280 --> 00:13:55,680 Speaker 8: So how is your approach sort of evolved in terms 313 00:13:55,679 --> 00:13:57,680 Speaker 8: of how you deal with that, you know, knowing that 314 00:13:57,760 --> 00:13:58,520 Speaker 8: like that's it. 315 00:13:58,679 --> 00:13:59,640 Speaker 3: Was a lot of physicality. 316 00:13:59,720 --> 00:14:02,559 Speaker 9: But yeah, I mean I kind of put that into 317 00:14:02,760 --> 00:14:06,320 Speaker 9: emphasis this past offseason, just working in the weight room, 318 00:14:06,360 --> 00:14:10,040 Speaker 9: getting stronger and kind of knowing that I'm going to 319 00:14:10,080 --> 00:14:12,400 Speaker 9: get those double teams, knowing I'm going to get that 320 00:14:13,080 --> 00:14:15,040 Speaker 9: cover two man where they try to put hands on 321 00:14:15,120 --> 00:14:18,480 Speaker 9: the kind of slow me, uh, slow the route process down. 322 00:14:19,320 --> 00:14:22,360 Speaker 9: So just kind of knowing that and working on my releases, 323 00:14:22,400 --> 00:14:27,360 Speaker 9: working on just being stronger, stronger throughout the route. But 324 00:14:27,520 --> 00:14:29,320 Speaker 9: you know, of course, you know, looking at it and 325 00:14:29,360 --> 00:14:32,560 Speaker 9: seeing the past games, they've been penalized, one of the 326 00:14:32,560 --> 00:14:34,800 Speaker 9: most in the league. So just trying to work on, 327 00:14:35,160 --> 00:14:38,160 Speaker 9: work on just getting off the hold. We know it's 328 00:14:38,200 --> 00:14:40,800 Speaker 9: going to happen, and it's not really something that we're gonna, 329 00:14:41,040 --> 00:14:43,840 Speaker 9: you know, complain about to the refs. It's just all 330 00:14:43,840 --> 00:14:46,520 Speaker 9: about playing through the contact and playing strong and physical 331 00:14:46,760 --> 00:14:48,240 Speaker 9: and of course making the kilt. 332 00:14:49,240 --> 00:14:52,080 Speaker 1: Edge rusher Jonathan Gernard has been a strong presence for 333 00:14:52,120 --> 00:14:55,440 Speaker 1: this Vikings defense all season long. He leads the Vikings 334 00:14:55,440 --> 00:14:59,000 Speaker 1: with thirty pressures in seven games and hopes that continues 335 00:14:59,040 --> 00:15:02,720 Speaker 1: against Lions core Jared Golf on Sunday. As a key 336 00:15:02,760 --> 00:15:05,480 Speaker 1: part of the Minnesota run defense, Grenard sat down with 337 00:15:05,520 --> 00:15:08,160 Speaker 1: me this week to break down how he self scouted 338 00:15:08,240 --> 00:15:11,120 Speaker 1: during the break and how the Vikings front seven plans 339 00:15:11,160 --> 00:15:15,040 Speaker 1: on stopping the Lions tough running back tandem. Jonathan how 340 00:15:15,240 --> 00:15:18,080 Speaker 1: was the mini buy the back to. 341 00:15:18,040 --> 00:15:20,800 Speaker 4: Back Yeah, I think that was like the most needed 342 00:15:20,800 --> 00:15:22,640 Speaker 4: part that we kind of didn't look forward to as much. 343 00:15:22,960 --> 00:15:24,920 Speaker 4: We knew that we're gonna come off of a short week. 344 00:15:24,920 --> 00:15:26,560 Speaker 4: We're coming into the show week on Thursday. 345 00:15:27,120 --> 00:15:27,680 Speaker 3: But it was great. 346 00:15:27,760 --> 00:15:29,320 Speaker 4: I think that to just kind of get a little 347 00:15:29,360 --> 00:15:31,480 Speaker 4: small reset. On top of that, actually having a bye 348 00:15:31,520 --> 00:15:34,160 Speaker 4: week previously helped us out. You know, we obviously had 349 00:15:34,160 --> 00:15:35,920 Speaker 4: a little small injuries. I had a couple of little 350 00:15:35,920 --> 00:15:38,840 Speaker 4: small things and things, so everybody deafite benefited for sure. 351 00:15:39,640 --> 00:15:43,240 Speaker 1: When you have that time, how do you personally use 352 00:15:43,280 --> 00:15:44,520 Speaker 1: it to self scout? 353 00:15:44,680 --> 00:15:47,280 Speaker 4: Yeah, really just to go back through the old film 354 00:15:47,280 --> 00:15:48,840 Speaker 4: that you've Arobady put out there, you know, just kind 355 00:15:48,840 --> 00:15:51,000 Speaker 4: of ask yourself, Listen, is this the best film. 356 00:15:50,720 --> 00:15:51,360 Speaker 3: I put it out there? 357 00:15:51,400 --> 00:15:53,760 Speaker 4: And I putting my best for four I'm not actually 358 00:15:53,840 --> 00:15:55,760 Speaker 4: using the techniques that I've worked in the off season. 359 00:15:55,840 --> 00:15:57,960 Speaker 4: So it was a good self reflection. I think it 360 00:15:57,960 --> 00:16:00,200 Speaker 4: was really good. Overall. We know that we have a 361 00:16:00,240 --> 00:16:03,040 Speaker 4: lot of things to work on, myself included, but we 362 00:16:03,120 --> 00:16:04,920 Speaker 4: also know that there's small things and I think the 363 00:16:05,000 --> 00:16:07,200 Speaker 4: smaller things are turning into big things now in this game, 364 00:16:07,240 --> 00:16:09,200 Speaker 4: and I think that's where I just kind of went 365 00:16:09,240 --> 00:16:10,960 Speaker 4: back to the table and kind of asked myself, you know, 366 00:16:11,080 --> 00:16:12,960 Speaker 4: am I doing those little small things right? And I 367 00:16:12,960 --> 00:16:15,320 Speaker 4: think everybody did that, So I think we should definitely 368 00:16:15,320 --> 00:16:18,480 Speaker 4: see a positive, you know result coming from that fishing. 369 00:16:18,720 --> 00:16:21,480 Speaker 1: What is one small thing you learned that you want 370 00:16:21,520 --> 00:16:23,840 Speaker 1: to attack now that you're back in the in the 371 00:16:23,880 --> 00:16:24,960 Speaker 1: regular routine thing. 372 00:16:25,160 --> 00:16:27,920 Speaker 4: Yeah, I think ultimately the first things first is we know, 373 00:16:28,040 --> 00:16:29,560 Speaker 4: just got to stop the run. I think it's just 374 00:16:29,560 --> 00:16:33,280 Speaker 4: getting off blocks more violently, actually putting just that little 375 00:16:33,280 --> 00:16:35,600 Speaker 4: bit more effort into trying to get off the back 376 00:16:35,680 --> 00:16:37,680 Speaker 4: or making making that play because as we know, a 377 00:16:37,680 --> 00:16:39,400 Speaker 4: lot of guys in this league, I mean we're playing 378 00:16:39,440 --> 00:16:42,040 Speaker 4: some top back to literally every single week, and they're 379 00:16:42,040 --> 00:16:43,720 Speaker 4: not just going to go down on you know, one 380 00:16:43,760 --> 00:16:46,240 Speaker 4: guy grabbing them and one guy tackling them. We're just 381 00:16:46,240 --> 00:16:48,040 Speaker 4: trying to have that mentality to get everybody there. And 382 00:16:48,040 --> 00:16:50,600 Speaker 4: I think that's where we kind of challenge ourselves and 383 00:16:50,840 --> 00:16:53,240 Speaker 4: going to challenge ourselves this week is getting off the 384 00:16:53,240 --> 00:16:54,880 Speaker 4: blocks a little bit more violently so that way we 385 00:16:54,920 --> 00:16:56,640 Speaker 4: can kind of go make those plays so that we 386 00:16:56,680 --> 00:16:59,240 Speaker 4: don't give them the chance to make these spontaneous plays. 387 00:16:59,720 --> 00:17:03,680 Speaker 1: Face it said, really tough to punch backfield with the 388 00:17:03,720 --> 00:17:07,640 Speaker 1: Lions and Jamior Gibbs David Montgomery, what is the key 389 00:17:07,840 --> 00:17:09,760 Speaker 1: to slowing that down? 390 00:17:09,840 --> 00:17:10,560 Speaker 3: Yeah, I think. 391 00:17:10,480 --> 00:17:12,560 Speaker 4: Ultimately just getting a living hats to the ball. Don't 392 00:17:12,600 --> 00:17:14,720 Speaker 4: give him any lanes, because as we know, Jimmie is wanted, 393 00:17:14,880 --> 00:17:17,360 Speaker 4: if not the fastest back in the league to make 394 00:17:17,400 --> 00:17:19,280 Speaker 4: that one cut and kind of stop and start at 395 00:17:19,320 --> 00:17:20,679 Speaker 4: times to be able to hit a gap when he 396 00:17:20,720 --> 00:17:23,400 Speaker 4: sees it. As we know, Montgomery has been a back 397 00:17:23,400 --> 00:17:25,520 Speaker 4: in this league and been in division. Obviously, what Chicago's 398 00:17:25,640 --> 00:17:28,440 Speaker 4: was that down to one cut guy who's their bruiser. 399 00:17:28,480 --> 00:17:30,040 Speaker 4: You know, you you really think that you're going to 400 00:17:30,080 --> 00:17:31,639 Speaker 4: tackle him or he's down, and next thing you know, 401 00:17:31,680 --> 00:17:34,439 Speaker 4: he's breaking two more tackles. I think he doesn't have 402 00:17:34,600 --> 00:17:37,280 Speaker 4: as much as the top end as Jimmier obviously respectfully, 403 00:17:37,560 --> 00:17:38,439 Speaker 4: but he can still take it. 404 00:17:38,440 --> 00:17:39,240 Speaker 3: To the distance as well. 405 00:17:39,280 --> 00:17:40,840 Speaker 4: So having a w onet two punch that can both 406 00:17:40,920 --> 00:17:42,840 Speaker 4: kind of take it the distance is something that we 407 00:17:42,920 --> 00:17:44,720 Speaker 4: basically got to throw them off by, like I said, 408 00:17:44,720 --> 00:17:46,480 Speaker 4: just being disruptive and having living hats a well. 409 00:17:47,840 --> 00:17:50,480 Speaker 1: One of the biggest names covering the NFL is NFL 410 00:17:50,520 --> 00:17:55,440 Speaker 1: Network reporter and Minnesota native Tom Pellisero. Tom the Insider 411 00:17:55,520 --> 00:17:58,399 Speaker 1: has his finger on the pulse of everything happening across 412 00:17:58,480 --> 00:18:00,680 Speaker 1: the league. We brought him in the week to give 413 00:18:00,720 --> 00:18:03,560 Speaker 1: his thoughts on the biggest talkers going into the Vikings 414 00:18:03,640 --> 00:18:06,359 Speaker 1: end Lions game Sunday. We've got a lot of storylines 415 00:18:06,359 --> 00:18:11,560 Speaker 1: heading into this divisional matchup. Obviously JJ McCarthy returning Saturday 416 00:18:11,640 --> 00:18:15,440 Speaker 1: or Sunday for the game when he's under center, what 417 00:18:15,480 --> 00:18:18,119 Speaker 1: do you expect to see as he's only making his 418 00:18:18,240 --> 00:18:19,480 Speaker 1: third career NFL start. 419 00:18:19,640 --> 00:18:22,400 Speaker 5: Expectations are hard because we just haven't seen JJ McCarthy 420 00:18:22,680 --> 00:18:25,120 Speaker 5: play a whole lot of football. In my mind, your 421 00:18:25,280 --> 00:18:27,760 Speaker 5: hope if you're the coaching staff, if you're Kevin O'Connell, 422 00:18:28,080 --> 00:18:31,000 Speaker 5: is you see him function within the offense that you're 423 00:18:31,040 --> 00:18:33,520 Speaker 5: able to play within rhythm, the ball's going where it's 424 00:18:33,520 --> 00:18:36,399 Speaker 5: supposed to, the operation in and out of the huddle. 425 00:18:36,720 --> 00:18:38,679 Speaker 5: He's missed twenty two out of twenty four games so 426 00:18:38,720 --> 00:18:41,359 Speaker 5: far in his career because of injury, and he's missed 427 00:18:41,400 --> 00:18:43,840 Speaker 5: a ton of practice reps along the way as well, 428 00:18:43,880 --> 00:18:46,320 Speaker 5: and that's a big part of the driving force behind 429 00:18:46,320 --> 00:18:48,800 Speaker 5: why they gave him the full six weeks to get 430 00:18:48,840 --> 00:18:50,960 Speaker 5: recovered from the high ankle sprain. It wasn't just so 431 00:18:51,040 --> 00:18:53,680 Speaker 5: the ankle was healed, it was also have the time 432 00:18:53,720 --> 00:18:55,639 Speaker 5: to get him in a groove and really feel like 433 00:18:55,960 --> 00:18:58,119 Speaker 5: he's ready to go out there and play. Well, what 434 00:18:58,200 --> 00:19:00,360 Speaker 5: exactly does that translate to? I just got the phone, 435 00:19:00,440 --> 00:19:03,479 Speaker 5: Jamier Gibbs. It's gonna be loud. It's gonna be wild 436 00:19:03,520 --> 00:19:07,240 Speaker 5: in Detroit, like it always is every time in that stadium. 437 00:19:07,280 --> 00:19:10,080 Speaker 5: They're going to have to be able to come back 438 00:19:10,240 --> 00:19:13,200 Speaker 5: at the noise, come back at the challenges created by 439 00:19:13,200 --> 00:19:15,359 Speaker 5: the environment here. I'm sure the ko is gonna have 440 00:19:15,359 --> 00:19:16,960 Speaker 5: a great plan in terms of just trying to get 441 00:19:17,000 --> 00:19:19,840 Speaker 5: him some confidence nearly going some easy throws and things 442 00:19:19,920 --> 00:19:22,239 Speaker 5: like that. But everything's easier said than done when you're 443 00:19:22,280 --> 00:19:24,119 Speaker 5: playing a division game on the road in the NFL. 444 00:19:24,359 --> 00:19:26,320 Speaker 1: Yeah, no doubt, forfield is one of the loud of 445 00:19:26,359 --> 00:19:29,040 Speaker 1: stadiums I know I have ever been to. When you 446 00:19:29,080 --> 00:19:31,240 Speaker 1: think of the offense, it's almost that it's healthy. It's 447 00:19:31,280 --> 00:19:34,919 Speaker 1: it's been this season. Heading into the game, what improvements 448 00:19:35,000 --> 00:19:36,439 Speaker 1: would you like to see from that? 449 00:19:36,680 --> 00:19:38,760 Speaker 5: Well, the first thing, just going back to the Thursday 450 00:19:38,840 --> 00:19:41,480 Speaker 5: night of game heins the Chargers, is life is hard 451 00:19:41,520 --> 00:19:43,200 Speaker 5: in the NFL, not just when you're playing with the 452 00:19:43,240 --> 00:19:46,880 Speaker 5: backup quarterback, but when that backup quarterback is behind your 453 00:19:46,920 --> 00:19:50,560 Speaker 5: fourth and fifth offensive tackles, which realistically Christian Dara saw. 454 00:19:50,600 --> 00:19:52,919 Speaker 5: He tried to give it a go, but three days 455 00:19:52,960 --> 00:19:54,679 Speaker 5: when you're not used to playing the full snaps like 456 00:19:54,680 --> 00:19:56,960 Speaker 5: he did against the Eagles, it's hard. And then Brian 457 00:19:57,000 --> 00:20:00,360 Speaker 5: O'Neil same thing, quick turnaround isn't able to go. That 458 00:20:00,400 --> 00:20:03,080 Speaker 5: creates just all kinds of a domino effect along the 459 00:20:03,119 --> 00:20:05,959 Speaker 5: offensive line and it just makes it harder to function 460 00:20:06,000 --> 00:20:08,639 Speaker 5: as a whole. They didn't run the football much more 461 00:20:08,720 --> 00:20:11,520 Speaker 5: effectively in that game. That's also a product of some 462 00:20:11,560 --> 00:20:14,040 Speaker 5: of the o line issues that they've had here. So 463 00:20:14,560 --> 00:20:17,000 Speaker 5: presumably we'll see exactly how this works out. But Christian 464 00:20:17,040 --> 00:20:19,639 Speaker 5: derris I was full in practice, so he should be 465 00:20:19,680 --> 00:20:22,960 Speaker 5: out there. You're hoping Brian O'Neil is able to get back. 466 00:20:23,840 --> 00:20:25,680 Speaker 5: You know, the last time that JJ McCarthy was playing, 467 00:20:25,720 --> 00:20:28,919 Speaker 5: Jordan Addison was still suspended, Aaron Jones got hurt. Jones 468 00:20:28,960 --> 00:20:31,119 Speaker 5: is now back. You'd anticipate that gets ramped up more 469 00:20:31,160 --> 00:20:33,280 Speaker 5: than Addison will be out there on the field. So 470 00:20:33,720 --> 00:20:35,480 Speaker 5: Ryan Kelly is still out. That's a big deal not 471 00:20:35,520 --> 00:20:37,320 Speaker 5: having your center, But all those other pieces of the 472 00:20:37,320 --> 00:20:40,760 Speaker 5: way you envisioned it in the offseason they'll be there. Now, 473 00:20:40,800 --> 00:20:43,040 Speaker 5: let's figure out if this quarterback who just hasn't played 474 00:20:43,080 --> 00:20:46,359 Speaker 5: a whole lot, is able to not just hold his 475 00:20:46,440 --> 00:20:49,000 Speaker 5: own but also potentially elevate some of those things that 476 00:20:49,040 --> 00:20:51,520 Speaker 5: the past couple of weeks just were really really hard 477 00:20:51,560 --> 00:20:52,359 Speaker 5: for the Vikings to do. 478 00:20:52,960 --> 00:20:55,560 Speaker 1: In your eyes, how critical is this game for this 479 00:20:55,680 --> 00:20:56,320 Speaker 1: Vikings team? 480 00:20:56,600 --> 00:20:59,080 Speaker 5: Oh, it's big, you know, try before the trade deadline. 481 00:20:59,080 --> 00:21:02,440 Speaker 5: One game shouldn't imping, but certainly psychologically there would be 482 00:21:02,480 --> 00:21:05,399 Speaker 5: a big difference between being four and four, two and 483 00:21:05,480 --> 00:21:08,320 Speaker 5: zero in the division and being three and five and 484 00:21:08,400 --> 00:21:11,080 Speaker 5: knowing we're gonna have to go on some kind of run. 485 00:21:11,119 --> 00:21:13,320 Speaker 5: We're gonna have to go seven and two, eight and 486 00:21:13,400 --> 00:21:15,920 Speaker 5: one the rest of the way to get into the playoffs. 487 00:21:16,160 --> 00:21:19,199 Speaker 5: Everyone is important. It's seventeen games. It's a longer season, 488 00:21:19,520 --> 00:21:21,000 Speaker 5: you know, than we had ever had as of a 489 00:21:21,000 --> 00:21:23,440 Speaker 5: couple of years ago. So there's a lot of opportunities. 490 00:21:23,680 --> 00:21:25,960 Speaker 5: But it does put you behind. I mean, you always 491 00:21:25,960 --> 00:21:28,320 Speaker 5: say two game win when it's in the division, especially 492 00:21:28,320 --> 00:21:30,439 Speaker 5: when it's the team up top. The Vikings right now 493 00:21:30,480 --> 00:21:32,880 Speaker 5: are in last place in the division. It's a really 494 00:21:32,920 --> 00:21:35,520 Speaker 5: tough division. The Bears have played a lot better. They 495 00:21:35,520 --> 00:21:37,400 Speaker 5: had won four in a row prior to last week. 496 00:21:37,520 --> 00:21:39,560 Speaker 5: The Packers right now would be the number one seed, 497 00:21:39,600 --> 00:21:41,400 Speaker 5: and then you got the Lions, who are right there 498 00:21:41,440 --> 00:21:45,840 Speaker 5: on their heels. To beat Detroit in Detroit, I think 499 00:21:45,880 --> 00:21:48,119 Speaker 5: would just be a galvanizing type of thing. Again, it 500 00:21:48,200 --> 00:21:51,639 Speaker 5: counts the same relative to being a division game, but 501 00:21:51,680 --> 00:21:54,959 Speaker 5: it would just feel like a momentous moment. You all 502 00:21:54,960 --> 00:21:57,080 Speaker 5: of a sudden have a ton of a ton of momentum, 503 00:21:57,119 --> 00:21:59,159 Speaker 5: as opposed to if you slog out of there and 504 00:21:59,200 --> 00:22:01,679 Speaker 5: you've lost, or if you lose badly. It's just going 505 00:22:01,760 --> 00:22:05,000 Speaker 5: to feel heavier walking back into this building and knowing 506 00:22:05,280 --> 00:22:07,000 Speaker 5: kind of the treacherous road that you got ahead. 507 00:22:08,400 --> 00:22:11,199 Speaker 1: Sunday's game is a noon kickoff on Fox with the 508 00:22:11,240 --> 00:22:14,200 Speaker 1: A team of Kevin Burkhardt, Tom Brady, Tom Rinaldey, and 509 00:22:14,280 --> 00:22:17,879 Speaker 1: Aaron Andrews. You could also catch Pa Pete Bursich and 510 00:22:17,960 --> 00:22:21,240 Speaker 1: Mike Mussman right here on Sunday morning with the pregame 511 00:22:21,240 --> 00:22:25,440 Speaker 1: show beating at ten am on Kfan. It's the Vikings 512 00:22:25,520 --> 00:22:29,240 Speaker 1: and Lions live from Ford Field. Thanks for listening to 513 00:22:29,280 --> 00:22:31,720 Speaker 1: the two minute warning presented by three AM, the official 514 00:22:31,760 --> 00:22:35,560 Speaker 1: science partners of the Minnesota Vikings. Enjoy the game, and 515 00:22:35,600 --> 00:22:37,160 Speaker 1: we'll see you back here next week.