Fickle fans are quick to embrace local sports figures, and even quicker to spurn them

Shortly after Dalvin Cook planted his left leg in the U.S. Bank Stadium turf Sunday and felt his knee buckle, instinctively grabbing it with his left hand as the Lions’ Tavon Wilson dislodged the ball from Cook’s right arm, it felt as if the rookie running back’s predicament had stolen the breath from the 66,730 in attendance.
But though coach Mike Zimmer first mentioned the term “ACL” in a somber tone after the Vikings’ 14-7 loss to the Lions, it cast nowhere near the pall on Cook’s career that it once might have.
“I told him, he’s not the first great running back to have an ACL, if it is one, and come back pretty good,” Zimmer said. “Dalvin will have a great career.”
To be sure, the prospects for Cook’s return are good. He has modern medicine — and the example of running backs such as Adrian Peterson — to thank for that. A Northwestern Medicine study showed that 80 percent of NFL players return to play after undergoing an orthopedic procedure like an ACL repair, and Peterson’s stirring performance — winning MVP honors and rushing for 2,097 yards after making a nine-month recovery from a torn ACL in 2012 — helped to demystify the injury to some degree.
http://www.startribune.com/acl-injury-ne...449919903/

https://twitter.com/CodyWorsham/status/9...5648618496

Vikings QB Sam Bradford strings together another practice ahead of Bears gameQuarterback Sam Bradford donned a helmet Saturday and led the pecking order with Case Keenum and Kyle Sloter during some pitch and catch near the goal line.
It marks the third straight practice for Bradford, who was limited in Thursday and Friday’s sessions due to his swollen left knee and has not played since the Sept. 11 season opener against the Saints.
Bradford said this week he shouldn’t be a game-time decision, expecting to know after Saturday’s practice whether or not he’ll be able to play Monday night in Chicago.
http://www.startribune.com/vikings-qb-sa...449897283/

The Chicago Bears’ offense doesn’t have much bite. They currently rank 29th in points per game and 23rd in total yards. But Chicago’s lone offensive success story this year, an overtime win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, included 222 yards rushing.Overall the Bears rank seventh in yards per carry, but the Minnesota Vikings are currently tied for the third best defense against the run, allowing just 3.1 yards per carry.

Defensive coordinator George Edwards said the team’s run stuffing has started in the middle with Pro Bowl nose tackle Linval Joseph.
http://www.1500espn.com/vikings-2/2017/1...n-defense/

The Vikings’ offensive line is unlikely to let McPhee harrass their quarterback the way he did last Halloween. The line has taken huge leaps forward in pass protection, ranking 11th by Pro Football Focus ratings and fifth in Football Outsiders’ Adjusted Sack Rate statistic.
Right tackle Mike Remmers, who will likely see the most of McPhee, has given up just one sack this season and rates as PFF’s 19th best tackle out of 68. That’s a big change from last year’s starter at right tackle TJ Clemmings, who rated as PFF’s second worst tackle.
http://www.1500espn.com/vikings-2/2017/1...me-around/

Sam Bradford said Friday he is feeling better about the long-term outlook of his knee injury after visiting Dr. James Andrews for a second opinion.”I think it was definitely good news down there,” Bradford said. “It was comforting knowing that, if things go according to plan, it should be something that eventually goes away.”
Visiting Dr. Andrews, Bradford said, was to “make sure there wasn’t anything else there” with his knee injury, which NFL Network reported to be a bone bruise.
http://www.1500espn.com/vikings-2/2017/1...goes-away/

I've got Lynch in the lineup, but it looks like Gallman is going to get the majority of the work Sunday...he looked really good vs the Bucs last weekend...Lynch without Carr seems like a bad option...

Post your FF quandaries HERE...

Sam Bradford - QB - Vikings



Sam Bradford (knee) said he feels "much better" and will practice again on Friday.

That's two practices in a row for Bradford to start the week, putting him on track to suit up Monday night in Chicago. "The two weeks between practices, it's night and day," he said. The Bears aren't a lay-down matchup, especially at Soldier Field, but Bradford's return should elevate Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielen.





Source: Andrew Krammer on Twitter