DAILY CLIPS

THURSDAY, JANUARY 9, 2020 LOCAL NEWS: Thursday, January 9, 2020

Star Tribune

Mike Shanahan's influence runs through NFC playoff picture By Ben Goessling http://www.startribune.com/mike-shanahan-s-influence-runs-through-nfc-playoff-picture/566819812/

Getting ahead of ourselves: What about Vikings at Packers for a Super Bowl spot? By Michael Rand http://www.startribune.com/getting-ahead-of-ourselves-what-about-vikings-at-packers/566814482/

Film review: 49ers' flurry of pre-snap motion a unique challenge for Vikings defense By Andrew Krammer http://www.startribune.com/49ers-flurry-of-motion-poses-unique-challenge-for-vikings-defense/566810921/

Stefon Diggs misses second practice with illness, Adam Thielen added to injury report By Mark Craig http://www.startribune.com/stefon-diggs-misses-second-practice-with-illness-adam-thielen-on-injury- report/566821102/

Was it the best week ever for the Gophers, Vikings? By Sid Hartman http://www.startribune.com/was-it-the-best-week-ever-for-the-gophers-vikings/566831062/

Sold online, gloves of Vikings' Kyle Rudolph raise money for charity after all By Tim Harlow http://www.startribune.com/sold-online-gloves-of-vikings-kyle-rudolph-raise-money-for-charity-after- all/566839222/

Pioneer Press

Locker-room deception over gloves has happy ending for Vikings’ Kyle Rudolph By Chris Tomasson https://www.twincities.com/2020/01/08/locker-room-deception-over-gloves-has-happy-ending-for-vikings- kyle-rudolph/

Then: See Kyle Rudolph block. Now: See him catch … and Vikings win. By Paul Hodowanic https://www.twincities.com/2020/01/08/then-see-kyle-rudolph-block-now-see-him-catch-and-vikings-win/

Can Mike Zimmer, Vikings’ defense outfox another top-notch offense? By Chris Tomasson https://www.twincities.com/2020/01/08/after-upsetting-saints-vikings-could-unveil-more-defensive- surprises-against-49ers/

After training camp chaos, Vikings have ‘a lot of confidence’ in kicking game when it matters most By Jace Frederick https://www.twincities.com/2020/01/08/after-training-camp-chaos-vikings-have-a-lot-of-confidence-in- kicking-game-when-it-matters-most/

John Shipley: Mr. Garoppolo, here comes Vikings’ Danielle Hunter, your worst nightmare By John Shipley https://www.twincities.com/2020/01/08/john-shipley-mr-garoppolo-here-comes-vikings-danielle-hunter- your-worst-nightmare/

Concern about Vikings’ receivers? Stefon Diggs misses another practice, Adam Thielen limited By Chris Tomasson https://www.twincities.com/2020/01/08/concern-about-vikings-receivers-stefon-diggs-misses-another- practice-adam-thielen-limited/

SKOR North

To stop the best DEs, Brian O’Neill is staying calm and studying on By Matthew Coller https://www.skornorth.com/vikings-2/2020/01/to-stop-the-best-des-brian-oneill-is-staying-calm-and- studying-on/

Zulgad: Vikings coach has every right to get defensive By Judd Zulgad https://www.skornorth.com/vikings-2/2020/01/zulgad-vikings-coach-has-every-right-to-get-defensive/

The Athletic

Middlekauff: The Vikings have a loaded roster, but two key weaknesses could be enough for the 49ers to exploit By John Middlekauff https://theathletic.com/1519413/2020/01/09/middlekauff-the-vikings-have-a-loaded-roster-but-two-key- weaknesses-could-be-enough-for-the-49ers-to-exploit/

That’s a wrap: The 2019 NFL All-Rookie Team By Dane Brugler https://theathletic.com/1504139/2020/01/08/thats-a-wrap-the-2019-nfl-all-rookie-team/

Graff: Being a little injur—uh, ‘banged-up’ was never going to stop Dalvin Cook By Chad Graff https://theathletic.com/1517425/2020/01/08/dalvin-cook-injury-banged-up-vikings-playoffs-49ers/

NATIONAL NEWS: Thursday, January 9, 2020

ESPN

Vikings' Kyle Rudolph's game-winning gloves to benefit charity after all By Courtney Cronin https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/28450351/vikings-kyle-rudolph-game-winning-gloves-benefit-charity-all

Vikings' Adam Thielen suffers ankle injury; Stefon Diggs again sits out practice By Courtney Cronin https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/28448489/vikings-adam-thielen-suffers-ankle-injury-stefon-diggs- again-sits-practice

CBS Sports

Stefon Diggs misses practice again with illness, Adam Thielen added to injury report ahead of divisional round By Jordan Dajani https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/stefon-diggs-misses-practice-again-with-illness-adam-thielen-added- to-injury-report-ahead-of-divisional-round/

Maven Media

With Memories of Their Last Playoff Exit Still Fresh, Vikings Aren't Satisfied With One Win By Will Ragatz https://www.si.com/nfl/vikings/news/vikings-49ers-preview-dalvin-cook-not-satisfied

Complete Effort Shows Vikings' Ceiling in Upset Win Over Saints By Will Ragatz https://www.si.com/nfl/vikings/news/complete-effort-vikings-ceiling-upset-win-saints

MULTIMEDIA NEWS: Thursday, January 9, 2020

GMFB: Is Dalvin Cook The Vikings Key To Beating The 49ers? By NFL Network https://www.vikings.com/video/gmfb-is-dalvin-cook-the-vikings-key-to-beating-the-49ers

Warner on What Cousins' Biggest Challenge Will Be Against 49ers? By NFL Network https://www.vikings.com/video/warner-on-what-cousins-biggest-challenge-will-be-against-49ers

Vikings Wednesday Practice By WCCO http://mms.tveyes.com/PlaybackPortal.aspx?SavedEditID=8b4af4fa-f841-4109-8a63-3886ef888a0a

Wide-Out Worries By KMSP http://mms.tveyes.com/PlaybackPortal.aspx?SavedEditID=daa7c1f3-8dc6-47bd-bdc7-0df4c2c97a2d

NFL Playoffs By KARE http://mms.tveyes.com/PlaybackPortal.aspx?SavedEditID=fc4d3711-5b1a-465d-9357-36a85d4cf1e7

Thielen Injures Ankle By KSTP http://mms.tveyes.com/PlaybackPortal.aspx?SavedEditID=c4873582-9557-4ac1-86b9-b858ffb165db

VIKINGS ENTERTAINMENT NETWORK: Thursday, January 9, 2020

NOTEBOOK: Rudolph, Vikings Have Shifted Full Focus to 49ers By Eric Smith https://www.vikings.com/news/notebook-kyle-rudolph-vikings-have-shifted-full-focus-to-49ers

Wednesday's Vikings-49ers Injury Report By Chris Corso https://www.vikings.com/news/minnesota-vikings-san-francisco-49ers-injury-report

Happy Anniversary: Vikings Stunned 49ers 32 Years Ago By Craig Peters https://www.vikings.com/news/happy-anniversary-vikings-stunned-49ers-32-years-ago

Vikings-49ers Could be … Fight of the Underdogs By Lindsey Young https://www.vikings.com/news/vikings-49ers-divisional-could-be-fight-of-the-underdogs

Vikings, 49ers Offensive Schemes Feature Formulas, Fullbacks and Longevity By Eric Smith https://www.vikings.com/news/vikings-49ers-offensive-schemes-feature-formulas-fullbacks-and-longevity

PUBLICATION: STAR TRIBUNE DATE: 1/9/20

Mike Shanahan's influence runs through NFC playoff picture

By Ben Goessling

Well after the Vikings had returned from their NFC wild-card victory over the Saints on Sunday, Mike Zimmer said he actually took a minute to stop, recall who else was still in the conference’s playoff field — and realized that many of those teams look similar to what the Vikings are doing on offense.

“I was actually up in the defensive room, and I was sitting there trying to remember who is left,” the Vikings coach said Monday. “There are a lot of running teams that are in there, so yeah, I think it’s different from what a lot of teams are doing. I think it can be effective.”

The Vikings’ grand plan to revamp their offense in 2019, after a lost 2018 season in which they fired offensive coordinator John DeFilippo with three games to go, revolved around bringing back a fairly traditional strain of the West Coast offense that new assistant head coach Gary Kubiak had used to win as an offensive coordinator under Mike Shanahan in Denver and as a head coach in Houston.

Now, if they want to reach the Super Bowl, they will have to do so by stopping teams with philosophies similar to their own.

Podcast: Can the Vikings keep rolling in San Francisco? Podcast: Can the Vikings keep rolling in San Francisco? Ben Goessling and Andrew Krammer preview Saturday's NFC Divisional playoff game in San Francisco, where the 49ers defensive line poses a tough challenge for the Vikings offense. Shanahan’s influence runs strong through three of the four teams still playing in the NFC, where Kubiak helped shape the Vikings attack that his son, Kyle, will try to stop in the NFC divisional playoffs on Saturday. Kubiak employed both Kyle Shanahan and Packers coach Matt LaFleur in Houston, and Cousins worked with both Shanahans, LaFleur and Rams coach Sean McVay while he was in Washington. The Seahawks — the NFC’s other remaining team — also base their offense around West Coast principles with coordinator Brian Schottenheimer.

The schemes have followed different strains — the Vikings’ approach hews closer to the one the 49ers used in the 1980s and the Broncos in the 1990s, while Kyle Shanahan’s current scheme evolved from his time with Robert Griffin III in Washington and Matt Ryan in Atlanta and features lots of pre-snap motion and creative uses for his skill players — but there are some notable similarities between the Vikings and their opponent this weekend.

Flush with fullbacks

The 49ers and Vikings, according to Sharp Football Stats, are two of only four teams in the NFL who have three receivers on the field less than 60% of the time; another (Baltimore) is the top seed in the AFC playoffs. Their fullbacks — Kyle Juszczyk of the 49ers and C.J. Ham — are on the field more than any others in the league.

“The one thing about when you have two backs in the game, for instance, like C.J. or these guys — [the 49ers] have the same basic thing,” Zimmer said. “They put the fullback out wide and now they open up the formation and they try to get a matchup with a corner or a linebacker. Really, might be in two backs or backs in protections, now it’s one back and it’s zone read, could be whatever, so there’s a lot of variables to it where you can move players and different positions. It all kind of started way back with Bill Walsh in San Francisco and Mike Shanahan and now Kyle [Shanahan] and Gary [Kubiak] and these guys.”

Despite all the shared history between the coaches, and the common influences that inform their schemes, Kyle Shanahan doesn’t necessarily accept the premise that the 49ers and Vikings (and the Packers, for that matter) are offensive cousins.

“They’re all so different,” said Kyle Shanahan, who was born in Minnesota in 1979 while his father was a Gophers assistant coach. “If you call plays like we do, verbiage-wise, I guess it’s considered West Coast. I did a little bit more of that when I was with [Jon] Gruden, when I went to be with [Gary] Kubiak. He ran more of my dad’s offense than they did in Denver, which originated from San Francisco and the verbiage, but you change it based off teams you’re going against, and fronts you’re going against. I have a hard time, always, when people try to categorize our offense as something. There’s a foundation to what we believe in, but at least for me personally, our offense is totally predicated on what we’re going against.”

Close quarters

Kyle Shanahan was Washington’s offensive coordinator when the team took Cousins in the fourth round of the 2012 draft; he had moved on by the time Cousins became a full-time starter in 2015. At one point, conventional thinking around the NFL had the two reuniting in San Francisco once Cousins left Washington. Instead, the 49ers traded for Jimmy Garoppolo and Cousins ended up in Minnesota.

The Vikings cut Cousins’ passing attempts by an average of eight per game this season.

“They don’t throw it as much, which has made them tougher to beat and a better team,” Shanahan said on Tuesday.

As for the idea that the team can’t win big with Cousins, though, Shanahan said, “I just laugh at it.

“Kirk’s won plenty of big games. I just watch how people look on tape, and I go with how good they look, not what their record is on Monday night.’’

On Saturday, as Cousins tries to win his second playoff game, he’ll have to beat a coach that knows him as well as anyone. The Vikings’ path to the Super Bowl could have him trying to get past two of his former coaches.

Whatever challenge all that familiarity presents will have to be overcome through nuance.

“It’s just individual wrinkles to plays — make something look like it did the week before, the year before, and then do something different,” Cousins said. “That cat-and-mouse game will be going on as long as there’s football.”

PUBLICATION: STAR TRIBUNE DATE: 1/9/20

Getting ahead of ourselves: What about Vikings at Packers for a Super Bowl spot?

By Mihael Rand

It’s amazing the difference a week makes. We’ve gone from “nobody is giving the Vikings a chance to win a game” (to paraphrase Mike Zimmer and a lot of local fans) to “could they make a playoff run?” all on the strength of one imperfect but impressive victory at New Orleans.

The Vikings have already beaten the NFC team that, according to some advanced metrics like Pro Football Focus’ overall rating and Football Outsiders DVOA, was the best in the conference. So sure, why couldn’t they take down San Francisco on Saturday?

Once you’ve allowed yourself to make that mental leap, you’re only one game away from putting the Vikings into the Super Bowl. But then you stop to think: What if that wasn’t just an NFC title game berth as the next step?

What if it was an NFC title game against the Packers at Lambeau Field?

It’s a scenario that seems to be both terrifying and exhilarating to Vikings fans (much more of the latter, according to an unscientific Twitter poll I’ll share in a minute, which surprises me).

The two border rivals have never met in the NFC title game, of course. And in doing a little historical research, I came across this nugget: this is just the third time in history that both the Vikings and Packers have even reached the division round in the same year.

They’ve never played each other in the division round, either — just twice in the wild card round (2012 and 2004, splitting a pair of games at Lambeau) — and they of course won’t this year. The Vikings are at San Francisco on Saturday while Green Bay hosts Seattle on Sunday.

But we are just two outcomes away — wins from both teams — from an epic NFC title game. We’ve only come this close two other times: 1997 and 1982.

In 1997, the Packers had a bye into the division round while the Vikings made it there thanks to an upset of the Giants in the wild card round. Green Bay made it to the NFC title game, but the Vikings’ run of upsets ended … at San Francisco. (The Packers beat the 49ers in the NFC title game before losing to the Broncos in the Super Bowl).

In 1982, the odd strike year in which teams played just nine regular-season games, both the Vikings and Packers won their opening round games before losing in the division round to Washington and Dallas, respectively.

That’s it, even though this is the 11th time both have made the playoffs in the same year (with 10 of those times coming since 1993). They would have both made it to this round in 2015 if Blair Walsh’s kick had split the uprights. Or 2009, if not for a strip sack fumble returned for a TD in overtime by the Cardinals over the Packers. Or 1998, if not for a last-second TD pass from Steve Young to Terrell Owens tripping up Green Bay.

In all three of those years, the Vikings and Packers would have been on opposite sides of the bracket and primed for a title game showdown if both advanced.

But it’s never happened. And I’m stunned that so many of you say you want it to happen — a full 74% of you (out of 789 votes) said “yes” to the question of whether you’d want the Vikings to play the Packers in the NFC title game if they win Saturday.

Three-fourths of you are either emboldened by last week’s win … or believing that Green Bay would be an easier place to win than Seattle … or embracing what would be, win or lose, a game for the ages … or some combination thereof.

But like the headline says: We’re getting ahead of ourselves. The Vikings are underdogs by a touchdown at San Francisco, and Seattle has Russell Wilson’s second half magic on its side.

There will be plenty of time to ruminate about this next week if the thing that has never happened ends up happening. PUBLICATION: STAR TRIBUNE DATE: 1/9/20

Film review: 49ers' flurry of pre-snap motion a unique challenge for Vikings defense

By Andrew Krammer

Before every 49ers snap on Saturday afternoon, Vikings defenders will start solving the puzzle of Kyle Shanahan’s offense that sends its players east and west before heading north.

San Francisco’s second-ranked run game, specifically, is a three-headed speed demon of Raheem Mostert, Tevin Coleman and Matt Breida deployed through mostly traditional designs of an outside zone-heavy team. Unique is the flurry of pre-snap motions run by 49ers players to further spread defenses apart.

“They run the same plays, trying to give you a lot of eye candy,” linebacker Anthony Barr said, “and really make you play slower, I think is what it really comes down to.”

The 49ers use pre-snap motion more than any NFL team, which has been a pillar of Shanahan’s offenses for years, and their repetition and talent have made them excellent at manipulating defenses.

San Francisco’s pre-snap movement opens up the passing game, such as end-around motion one way to shift linebackers and open room for a back-side slant. But let’s focus on how it fuels a 49ers run game with an NFL-high 23 rushing touchdowns against a Vikings defense that allowed just eight run scores (3rd) this season.

“It’s going to happen all the time, I think,” Barr said. “Mostly on first and second downs. It’s happened pretty often.”

1. While Shanahan (as head coach) and Jimmy Garoppolo make their NFL playoff debuts on Saturday, they’ve been together three seasons. Familiarity creates strong communication, much like the Vikings defense, and may help lead to on-field checks like this first down against Seattle.

Garoppolo approaches the line, sees the Seahawks’ 4-3 under alignment and 49ers players tap their helmets for the check. Tight end George Kittle (#85) motions to the field’s boundary (short) side and takes out Seahawks linebacker K.J. Wright. Fullback Kyle Juszczyk (#44) shuffles left pre-snap, giving him a head start on blocking the safety who drops into the alley.

The straight-ahead speed of Raheem Mostert (4.34 40-yard dash), and really all 49ers backs, means San Francisco can run outside zone to the field’s short side and catch a defense if they’re not wise. Left tackle Joe Staley pins the Seahawks’ play-side defensive end, leaving Kittle and Juszczyk to bulldoze the linebacker and safety.

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2. Green Bay’s offense is the closest the Vikings defense has seen this season to San Francisco, other than their own during practices, of course. The 49ers and Vikings can be credited for helping keep the NFL fullback alive, running the two-back formations more than anybody at 26 percent and 22 percent, according to Sharp Football.

The Packers under head coach Matt LaFleur, who followed Kyle Shanahan from Houston to Washington to Atlanta, are also a heavy outside zone running team — like the Vikings and 49ers — and all three have play-action rates ranking top 12 in the league.

So it’s not ideal for the Vikings that Green Bay running backs Aaron Jones and Jamaal Williams racked up 331 rushing yards (5.4-yard average) and three touchdowns in two wins vs. Minnesota. Even removing Jones’ 56-yard touchdown, which came without linebackers Anthony Barr and Eric Kendricks on the field, it was a 4.6-yard average. But the Vikings’ backbone, limiting explosive plays and making red-zone stops, kept Green Bay to 23 and 21 points in those losses, and could keep them afloat in San Francisco.

Some of Green Bay’s gains were fullback-lead runs the Vikings will certainly see Saturday. Below is how the Vikings could look to counter the 49ers’ explosive early-down passing game with two deep safeties, putting pressure on the seven-man front to run stop.

The Vikings are much better equipped, in both scheme and personnel, to stop the run than the Seahawks. In the clip below, watch the Vikings defensive line shift with the tight end motion. Once settled, watch how wide defensive end Danielle Hunter (#99) sets, ensuring he’s on the outside of the right tackle (remember the Seahawks DE getting pinned inside?). This helps force Jones back inside, from where you’ll want to watch the backfield view.

In the backfield view (around :21), two things stand out — Kendricks’ balance to mirror Jones and prevent a huge run, and nose tackle Linval Joseph (#98) using his left hand to cleverly hold the Packers center (around :24) and prevent him from blocking Kendricks.

The Vikings’ front knows how to subtly disrupt zone schemes.

“They know how to stop it when they have to,” Shanahan said. “Zim has got all the calls to put the D-line where they need to put them, to put the safeties where they need to put them. So they’ve got the scheme to do it, and they’ve got some very impressive players. Their linebackers and safeties are really hard to block. Their front four is very good.”

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3. The 49ers dress up similar run plays with varying motions, like this fullback-lead counter akin to the previous 17- yard toss play to Mostert. Below, Kittle (#85) again shifts toward the boundary (short) side of the field like he did on the 17-yard toss. This time, Juszczyk motions the opposite way. The ball still goes to the short side on a counter run.

Keys to San Francisco’s run-game success are again the blocking of Kittle (#85), who gets away with a crafty hold on linebacker K.J. Wright (#50), and Juszczyk, the fullback who single blocks the Seahawks defensive end. Watch how Kittle’s pre-snap motion widens the Seahawks defense to the left, further opening the middle where the defensive tackles are driven out. The Vikings have better anchors inside.

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4. The Packers ran a similar fullback-lead counter against the Vikings during the Week 16 loss. Since the Vikings defensive line plays blocks and doesn’t shoot gaps very often, this kind of scheme could be problematic. The Packers fullback motions left before the snap, and the Vikings’ line leans right to mirror the zone blocking.

Linebacker Eric Wilson (#50), who will be playing the same weak-side role on Saturday, makes the correct read and aggressively fills the alley. But Packers receiver Allen Lazard (#13) delivers a crackback block, freeing Aaron Jones (#33) and the fullback to the outside.

Safety Anthony Harris (#41) makes a quick read and saves an even bigger play on this 7-yard run.

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5. The 49ers get receivers involved with ‘ghost’ motions, mimicking end-around handoffs and/or jet sweeps to distract/widen defenses before and right after the snap. Even though San Francisco is facing a nine-man front, Mostert scores the 13-yard touchdown up the middle in part because of receiver Emmanuel Sanders (#17) ghost motion helping take two defenders out of the picture.

Again, San Francisco doesn’t do much double-team blocking as Kittle (#85) handles the defensive end, allowing left tackle Joe Staley to run freely at middle linebacker Bobby Wagner, which stuns him briefly enough for Mostert (#31) to breeze past for six.

The Vikings defense will need to be wary of how the 49ers deploy ghost motions to get key players — like defensive ends Danielle Hunter and Everson Griffen — out of the picture. The Packers used a jet sweep motion back in Week 2 on this 8-yard run, which seemingly prevented Hunter from closing the cutback lane.

PUBLICATION: STAR TRIBUNE DATE: 1/9/20

Stefon Diggs misses second practice with illness, Adam Thielen added to injury report

By Mark Craig

The only Vikings' starter to miss both practices this week has been receiver Stefon Diggs. But head coach Mike Zimmer shrugged off Wednesday that absence on Wednesday.

“He’s sick,” Zimmer said. “He’ll be fine.”

In addition, receiver Adam Thielen was added to the injury report with limited participation on Wednesday with an ankle problem. Thielen missed most of the second half of the regular season with a hamstring injury suffered in Detroit before his big game on Sunday at New Orleans.

The only other starter to miss part of Wednesday’s practice was nose tackle Linval Joseph (knee). He was limited after missing Tuesday’s practice.

Nickel back Mackensie Alexander, who had arthroscopic knee surgery, did not practice. Neither did backup safety Jayron Kearse (toe/knee).

Asked about his concern now that Kearse has been added to the list of beat-up defensive backs, Zimmer pointed to how well the Vikings played at New Orleans while missing their top two slot corners.

“We played pretty well the other day against a pretty good offensive team,” Zimmer said. “We should be fine.”

Other starters on the injury report who haven’t missed any practice time this week are Xavier Rhodes (ankle/shoulder), Shamar Stephen (knee), Dalvin Cook (shoulder) and Kline (elbow).

Backup defensive tackle Ifeadi Odenigbo (hamstring) was taken off the injury report on Wednesday.

Turning a negative into a positive

Kyle Rudolph can catch. He can block. And, apparently, he can spin a negative into a positive with the best of them.

The Vikings are the only divisional team playing on a short week. They’ll play in San Francisco on Saturday, six days after a physical overtime game at New Orleans.

The offense played a season-high 79 snaps against the Saints. Kirk Cousins, Riley Reiff, Pat Elflein, Garrett Bradbury and Josh Kline played every snap. Brian O’Neill and Rudolph played 78 and 73 snaps, respectively.

But in Rudolph’s opinion, the short week comes in handy when it comes to keeping the Vikings focused more on their next game rather than basking in the afterglow of their past win, à la two years ago when the “Minneapolis Miracle” was followed by the Philly Flop.

“Being on a short week forces you to mentally put it aside,” Rudolph said.

VideoVideo (02:25): Minnesota Vikings TE Kyle Rudolph talks about preparing for the 49ers after his game winning touchdown against the Saints. He said it also helps that the core group of this year’s team was around for that 38-7 NFC title game beatdown at Philadelphia.

“We were all there two years ago when we had the greatest win ever and thought we were destined to win the Super Bowl [when] it was in our stadium, and we laid an egg,” Rudolph said. “We’re certainly glad we’re still playing, but we need to go out and play well in San Francisco or it’s going to be over just like that.”

Zimmer was asked if there are any advantages to playing on a short week. He laughed.

“No,” he said. “Not really. The short week isn’t a big deal. It’s the recovery time for the players. We played a really physical game on Sunday and then trying to get back and recovered and get the bodies healthy and get ready to go play another physical, emotional football game this weekend.”

Stefanski focusing on 49ers

Vikings offensive coordinator Kevin Stefanski wouldn’t talk about his interview with the Browns set for Thursday in the Twin Cities.

“I would prefer to just keep the focus on what we’re doing and San Francisco, our players and really not worry about anything else,” Stefanski said.

Asked a follow-up question about the Browns, who also interviewed him last year for the job that went to Freddie Kitchens, Stefanski said, “There’s a lot to focus on this week. I’m going to keep it on the 49ers.”

Rudolph a terrible OC

Rudolph said he’d be terrible as Vikings offensive coordinator.

Why?

“Because when I play Madden, I just throw it to myself every time,” he said. “If I were calling the plays, that’s what I would do no different. So, Kevin doesn’t have an easy job spreading the ball around.”

Does he win playing Madden?

“No because I just throw the ball to myself,” he said. “I’m usually tired and get taken out of the game.” PUBLICATION: STAR TRIBUNE DATE: 1/9/20

Was it the best week ever for the Gophers, Vikings?

By Sid Hartman

There’s an argument to be made that last week was the best combined stretch of football for the Gophers and the Vikings since the NFL came to Minnesota in 1961.

It marked only the second time the Gophers won a bowl game and the Vikings won a playoff game in the same week. In the 2004 season, the Gophers defeated Alabama 20-16 in the Music City Bowl on December 31, 2004, and the Vikings defeated the Packers 31-17 at Lambeau Field on January 9, 2005, in an NFC wild-card matchup.

The similarities between that season and last week, when the Gophers defeated Auburn 31-24 at the Outback Bowl on Wednesday and the Vikings defeated the Saints 26-20 in overtime in New Orleans on Sunday, are evident.

Both times the Gophers had to defeat an SEC opponent who was considered vastly superior and the Vikings had to go win a contest in hostile territory. The pundits weren’t giving either team a shot.

Podcast: Can the Vikings keep rolling in San Francisco? Podcast: Can the Vikings keep rolling in San Francisco? Ben Goessling and Andrew Krammer preview Saturday's NFC Divisional playoff game in San Francisco, where the 49ers defensive line poses a tough challenge for the Vikings offense. This past week, the Gophers were seven-point underdogs to Auburn while the Vikings were 7½-point underdogs to the Saints.

In that 2004 postseason, the Gophers were three-point underdogs to Alabama while the Vikings were 6½-point underdogs to the Packers.

Still, you’d have to say that the 2004 Gophers team, which finished the season 7-5 overall and just 3-5 in Big Ten Play, didn’t come anywhere near the 11-2 campaign that P.J. Fleck’s squad put together this year.

And that 2004 Vikings season was just average, as they finished the regular season 8-7-1 compared with the 10-6 mark that Mike Zimmer’s club had going into its wild-card matchup with the Saints.

Yes, football fans in this state should be rejoicing with this stretch of surprise victories and excellent seasons, and the fact is that the Vikings have a real shot to compete with the 49ers this weekend to try to reach the NFC Championship Game.

In 2005, they followed their victory over the Packers with a loss at Philadelphia. But that Eagles club was coming off three straight NFC Championship Game appearances and ended up reaching the Super Bowl after beating the Vikings.

This 49ers club may be excellent, but they don’t have the playoff pedigree that then-Eagles coach Andy Reid and quarterback Donovan McNabb brought to that victory over the Vikings.

The fact is that San Francisco head coach Kyle Shanahan and their quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo have never appeared in a playoff game.

In the 49ers’ regular-season finale, the Seahawks had the ball at the 1-yard-line late in the fourth quarter. If they had punched the ball in for a touchdown and won the game, the 49ers would have been the No. 5 seed in the NFC, not No. 1.

Cook, Thielen healthy

If you want one reason why no one was giving the Vikings a shot vs. the Saints and why a lot of people think they have a shot against the 49ers, look no further than the health of wide receiver Adam Thielen and running back Dalvin Cook.

The fact is that those two players struggled with injuries all season and the Vikings were not the same club when they weren’t on the field together.

There was a lot of uncertainty with how healthy both players were, but they looked like their old selves against the Saints.

Thielen had totaled just three receptions for 27 yards in the two games before catching a team-high seven passes for 129 yards against the Saints. Cook had rushed for just 144 yards in the four games before he was shelved for the final two regular-season games.

Against the Saints, Cook rushed for 94 yards, scored two touchdowns and added three receptions for 36 yards. It was his best day since Week 7, when he rushed for 142 yards against the Lions.

Thielen, of course, made the greatest catch of his career on Sunday, when Kirk Cousins lobbed a 43-yard pass to him in overtime that set up the winning touchdown to lead the Vikings to the NFC Divisional Playoffs against the 49ers on Saturday.

Thielen has been doing this his whole career for the Vikings, making big catch after big catch. And there’s no doubt this has been his most difficult season, having missed multiple games for the first time in his six-year NFL career. That had to make his contribution on Sunday all the more rewarding for the former Minnesota State Mankato standout.

After having back-to-back years with over 1,000 receiving yards, Thielen this year finished with just 418 on 30 receptions in 10 games.

He described what it was like to make the most important catch of his career.

“Kirk just gave me a shot,” Thielen said. “It couldn’t have been [a more] perfect ball. Something we haven’t thrown for a long time. We had been practicing it and things like that, but never thought it would come in that situation. But obviously just kudos to him. That thing dropped right in the bucket and thankful that he is our guy back there.”

The All-Pro wide receiver told me before the Saints game that he was feeling healthier than he had in years, and that has to bode well for the Vikings’ chances against the 49ers on Saturday.

Cook changes offense

There is no doubt that with Cook healthy, the entire offense runs more smoothly.

Offensive coordinator Kevin Stefanski told me earlier this season how Cook changes the Vikings’ game plan.

“We have seen over the course of the season that when he gets the ball in space it is hard for defenses to get him down,” Stefanski said. “Whether we hand it to him or throw it to him, he’s making plays, making explosive plays. In this day and age you need those to be able to move the ball on any defense, because there are some really stout defenses out there.”

Cook, meanwhile, said he knows that having balance between the running and passing game is what turned this offense into one of the best in the league when everyone was healthy.

“It shows that if you can run the football and you can get players involved in the passing game, it opens a lot up for a lot of other people,” he said. “Rudy [Kyle Rudolph] has been doing his thing. We get Adam back, we know what he’s going to do. Olabisi [Johnson] has been stepping up. It can open a lot of people up once guys are trying to key in on us, I guess. It has been great playing with these guys all year.”

PUBLICATION: STAR TRIBUNE DATE: 1/9/20

Sold online, gloves of Vikings' Kyle Rudolph raise money for charity after all

By Tim Harlow

There appears to be a happy ending in the saga surrounding the gloves that Vikings' tight end Kyle Rudolph wore when he made the game-winning catch in the team's wild-card win Sunday over the New Orleans Saints and thought he was donating to charity.

As of Wednesday night, they have brought in more than $1,600 for the University of Minnesota Children's Hospital, one of Rudolph's favorite charities.

But it appeared the Rudolph had been the victim of a trick.

Rudolph gave the gloves to a media member who said he wanted them for a charitable event. Rudolph handed them over and even autographed them.

Three days later, the gloves ended up on eBay where a New Jersey sports fan snagged them for a mere $375.

"I saw this … it's disappointing," Rudolph said in a tweet. "A member of the media in the locker room after the game asked if he could have my gloves for a charity benefit, so I said of course and I will even sign them for you! Well he got me, sold on eBay 3 days later."

Within hours, social media was a buzz, and the gloves' new owner, Jason King, announced that he would donate to a charity of Rudolph's choice.

"Hopefully I can help turn this into a good situation and help raise some money for the children's hospital," King wrote.

Rudolph replied, "Hey Jason, really cool of you to do this! @UMNChildrens will greatly appreciate it."

King has received more than $1,630 in donations, which he has turned over University of Minnesota Children's Hospital,

"This is amazing! On behalf of our children and families, thank you for supporting @KyleRudolph82's End Zone at our hospital," the hospital tweeted.

As a special gesture, Rudolph promised to give King the gloves he will wear in the Vikings game Saturday at San Francisco. PUBLICATION: Pioneer Press DATE: 1/9/20

Locker-room deception over gloves has happy ending for Vikings’ Kyle Rudolph

By Chris Tomasson

After Vikings tight end Kyle Rudolph caught the winning touchdown pass last Sunday at New Orleans, he gave his gloves to someone for what he thought was for charity.

He found out differently Wednesday.

Rudolph wrote on Twitter he was disappointed to see that the gloves had been sold on eBay for $375.50 three days after his 4-yard touchdown reception in overtime secured a 26-20 playoff win over the Saints at the Superdome.

“It’s disappointing,” Rudolph wrote. “A member of the media in the locker room after the game asked if he could have my gloves for a charity benefit, so I said of course and I will even sign them for you! Well, he got me.”

Kyle Rudolph ✔ @KyleRudolph82 I saw this.. it’s disappointing. A member of the media in the locker room after the game asked if he could have my gloves for a charity benefit, so I said of course and I will even sign them for you! Well he got me, sold on eBay 3 days later.. https://twitter.com/flamingbagofpoo/status/1215023428903854082 …

Nate Baustad @flamingbagofpoo @KyleRudolph82 You probably already heard this, but looks like someone sold your gloves from the Saints playoff game on ebay already. Hope they didn’t deceive you for a quick buck.

View image on Twitter 57.5K 3:44 PM - Jan 8, 2020 Twitter Ads info and privacy 8,623 people are talking about this However, the story has a happy ending. Jason King, a memorabilia collector and Vikings fan in Woodbridge Heights, N.J., had bought the gloves before he knew the backstory. After he saw Rudolph’s tweet, he reached out to Rudolph on Twitter and King is planning to donate the gloves to be put on display at Kyle Rudolph’s End Zone at the University of Minnesota Masonic Children’s Hospital. That is the charity Rudolph supports.

“I’m a game-used memorabilia collector and we have a big group on Facebook,” King said in a phone interview. “One of the guys in the group sent me a picture of those gloves and I immediately was interested… I bought them and I didn’t know the backstory.”

King said he purchased the gloves at about 2 p.m. Central on Wednesday and found out a few hours later about Rudolph’s tweet.

“As soon as I saw it, I wanted to reach out to Kyle and make this right,” King said.

King has done more than that. In addition to planning to donate the gloves, King has been encouraging people on Twitter to donate to Rudolph’s charity. As of late Wednesday night, he said more than $1,600 had been raised.

As for the seller of the gloves, King said he doesn’t know the individual’s name. Rudolph tweeted that he did not believe it was a Minnesota-based reporter.

“The guy changed his eBay handle after all this came out,” King said of the seller. “And then he messages me and he said the whole thing was a mix-up and he was going to donate the money he got from me to a children’s orphanage. But who knows? Maybe it’s just because he got caught.”

With shipping, King said he spent a little more than $400. He’s hopeful now that the gloves actually will arrive, so he can donate them.

Rudolph later took to Twitter to thank King, and promised him his gloves from Saturday’s divisional playoff game at San Francisco. Rudolph wrote, “Hey Jason, really cool of you to do this! @UMNChildrens will greatly appreciate it and I will make sure to get you my pair from this weekend’s game!”

ALL-PRO KENDRICKS Vikings linebacker Eric Kendricks said he has gotten over last month’s disappointment of not been selected to the Pro Bowl. After all, last week he got an even more prestigious honor, when he was named all-pro.

“Things happen,” he said of the Pro Bowl. “It’s some things you can’t control. It’s all good, though.”

Kendricks was flattered to become just the second linebacker in Vikings history named first-team all-pro. The first was Matt Blair in 1980.

“I was excited,” he said. “I felt like I worked hard for it, not just this year but over my career. I’m just happy my teammates got to experience it with me.”

Kendricks returned at New Orleans after suffering a quadriceps injury Dec. 23 against Green Bay and sitting out the Dec. 29 regular-season finale against Chicago. He said he feels “good” now.

STEFANSKI MUM Vikings offensive coordinator Kevin Stefanski declined to comment on the interview he will have in the Twin Cities on Thursday for the Cleveland Browns’ head coaching position.

The interview will take place during a short week as the Vikings prepare for Saturday’s game. If the Browns don’t interview Stefanski this week, NFL rules would require them to wait until after Minnesota’s season ends.

“I’d prefer to just keep the focus on what we’re doing at San Francisco, our players, and really not worry about any periphery right now,” Stefanski said.

RELATED ARTICLES Then: See Kyle Rudolph block. Now: See him catch … and Vikings win. Can Mike Zimmer, Vikings’ defense outfox another top-notch offense? After training camp chaos, Vikings have ‘a lot of confidence’ in kicking game when it matters most John Shipley: Mr. Garoppolo, here comes Vikings’ Danielle Hunter, your worst nightmare Concern about Vikings’ receivers? Stefon Diggs misses another practice, Adam Thielen limited WATTS’ INJURY Rookie defensive tackle Armon Watts revealed Wednesday the injury that led to him being placed on injured reserve last week.

He pulled a left hamstring in the finale against the Bears and was placed on injured reserve Dec. 31, ending his season. He said the time frame he was told for the injury to heal was four to six weeks.

“I had a great season for the limited games I was in there, so I pretty much did what I wanted to accomplish,” Watts said. “Of course, I wanted to play in the playoffs, but I’ll be back next year ready to go.”

Watts, a sixth-round draft pick out of Arkansas, was inactive for the first nine games of the season. He played in six of the final seven games and had 1 1/2 sacks. PUBLICATION: Pioneer Press DATE: 1/9/20

Then: See Kyle Rudolph block. Now: See him catch … and Vikings win.

By Paul Hodowanic

In the spare moments Vikings tight end Kyle Rudolph has to relax at home and play some video games, it should come as no surprise that the first game he pulls out is Madden. It should be even less shocking to know that his sole offensive strategy when he plays is to get a certain Vikings nine-year veteran tight end the ball … as often as he can.

“I just throw it to myself. I’m usually tired and get taken out of the game,” Rudolph explained Wednesday, adding that the strategy hasn’t won him a lot of games.

The Vikings should be happy to know they have offensive coordinator Kevin Stefanski calling plays, not Rudolph, who said he doesn’t envy Stefanski’s job of trying to spread the ball around in real life to the Vikings’ many talented, hungry weapons.

And while Stefanski hasn’t employed Rudolph’s Madden strategy to the offense just yet, the emphasis to get Rudolph more involved has certainly grown.

After a notably slow start to the season saw Rudolph limited to less than two targets a game — and no touchdowns through the first six weeks — Rudolph has found the end zone seven times and is being targeted nearly five times per game in his past 10 games.

Although his targets and yards over the course of the full season dropped, his seven touchdowns catches are an increase from 2018, when he had four. And his resurgence left him only two TDs off his pace in 2017 when he had a career-high nine.

His play after an uncharacteristic start to the season has put to bed much of the talk about his potential transformation from a pass-catching threat into one focused mostly on blocking. It was a mentality Rudolph had seemingly accepted, at least publicly. Leading into Week 7, Rudolph said he had expected the tight end room to get more targets heading into the season and that blocking had become “pretty much my only job.”

Instead, Rudolph has increasingly been called upon not as a blocker but as a receiver in big moments, none bigger than his touchdown off a goal-line fade he caught on third down to give the Vikings a 26-20 overtime victory Sunday over the New Orleans Saints in the wild-card round.

“(I’m) obviously proud of the way he played in that game and certainly the last play,” Stefanski said, adding that Rudolph is one of the team’s hardest-working players. “But there were a bunch of plays prior to that where he’s doing a great job, and he’s a big part of any success we’re having.”

And it was only a matter of time before Rudolph saw his role increase, Stefanski said.

RELATED ARTICLES Locker-room deception over gloves has happy ending for Vikings’ Kyle Rudolph Can Mike Zimmer, Vikings’ defense outfox another top-notch offense? After training camp chaos, Vikings have ‘a lot of confidence’ in kicking game when it matters most John Shipley: Mr. Garoppolo, here comes Vikings’ Danielle Hunter, your worst nightmare Concern about Vikings’ receivers? Stefon Diggs misses another practice, Adam Thielen limited “It’s a pendulum. Sometimes it swings one way or the other and the opportunities don’t come early,” he said. “But every week we go in with a player of this caliber looking for ways he can impact the game.”

For Rudolph, the season has been a lesson in patience as he navigated the early struggles to become one of Kirk Cousins’ top targets in the late stretch of the season, and he has become a better all-around player for it.

“It gave me an opportunity to do different things to help this team win outside of catching balls,” he said. “And throughout that whole period of time, in my mind, I never lost sight of the fact that it’s still something I can do, something that I’ve done for a long time in this league.” PUBLICATION: Pioneer Press DATE: 1/9/20

Can Mike Zimmer, Vikings’ defense outfox another top-notch offense?

By Chris Tomasson

Vikings coach Mike Zimmer reached into his bag of tricks to start the playoffs at New Orleans. Expect that to happen again Saturday.

The defensive specialist surprised the Saints in a 26-20 overtime wild-card win last Sunday by moving defensive ends Danielle Hunter and Everson Griffen inside for about a dozen pass rushes against veteran quarterback Drew Brees. Zimmer also utilized safety Andrew Sendejo as a nickel back, a position he played for the first time in New Orleans.

After being roughly a touchdown underdog at New Orleans, the sixth-seeded Vikings (11-6) are in a similar position entering Saturday’s divisional playoff at San Francisco (13-3), the top seed in the NFC. Defensive lineman Ifeadi Odenigbo hinted Wednesday that more surprises could be in store.

“(Zimmer) can improvise,” Odenigbo said. “That’s why he’s one of the best, if not the best. … (The Saints) didn’t know what to expect. We hit them with the element of surprise. I think we have a nice game plan also against the 49ers. …. They’ve got a good offense, but it’s going to be a good chess match.”

Zimmer thrives on chess matches. Defensive tackle Jaleel Johnson said he’s not sure what his coach will roll out against the 49ers, but he is excited to see what it will be.

“I don’t know what’s up his sleeve,” Johnson said. “To be honest, Zimmer is a mastermind when it comes to that. We’ll see on Saturday.”

Zimmer was one of the NFL’s top defensive coordinators before getting his first head coaching position with Minnesota in 2014. The Vikings finished in the top four in the NFL in total defense the previous three years before slipping to No. 14 this season, but it looked like the unit of old at New Orleans.

The Vikings held the Saints to 324 yards, nearly 50 less than the 373.9 they averaged during the regular season. They sacked Brees three times and forced him into two turnovers — an interception and fumble.

Now, the Vikings will run into an even more potent offense, led by quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo. The 49ers were fourth during the regular season in total offense at 381.1 yards per game.

“Each week, we try to look at something different,” Zimmer said. “But it’s playoff time and so you’re always going to try to add a little bit different looks for the other team. Maybe it takes them a little while to catch on to whatever you’re doing.”

The Saints had just 158 yards in the first three quarters. By the time they really started to catch on, they trailed 20-10.

Whatever Zimmer does Saturday, he must try to overcome a shorthanded secondary, like last week. For the second straight game, the Vikings will be without their top two nickel backs, Mackensie Alexander and Mike Hughes. Alexander will have arthroscopic knee surgery Thursday, and Hughes is on injured reserve.

Many thought safety Jayron Kearse would take over at nickel back against the Saints, but Sendejo got the nod. Kearse sat out practices Tuesday and Wednesday with toe and knee injuries, and his availability for Saturday is uncertain.

“I thought we played pretty well the other day against a pretty good offensive team, so we should be fine,” Zimmer said of the secondary.

Safety Anthony Harris agrees.

“He’s creative,” Harris said of Zimmer. “He’s not afraid to make adjustments, if need be.”

It remains to be seen if the Vikings again move Hunter and Griffen inside at times, leaving Odenigbo and Stephen Weatherly to play defensive end. Odenigbo said that was done primarily to combat Brees.

“Drew Brees sets up so shallow in the pocket and those two (Saints) tackles are legitimate all-pros, so we knew getting to him is nearly impossible as a D-end,” Odenigbo said.

RELATED ARTICLES Locker-room deception over gloves has happy ending for Vikings’ Kyle Rudolph Then: See Kyle Rudolph block. Now: See him catch … and Vikings win. After training camp chaos, Vikings have ‘a lot of confidence’ in kicking game when it matters most John Shipley: Mr. Garoppolo, here comes Vikings’ Danielle Hunter, your worst nightmare Concern about Vikings’ receivers? Stefon Diggs misses another practice, Adam Thielen limited San Francisco coach Kyle Shanahan vows to be ready for any look on the defensive line.

“We’ll see where (Hunter and Griffen) are against us, but regardless of where they are, there’s five guys that can block them, and we’ll see which ones they put in front of them,” Shanahan said. “Those guys are a challenge wherever they’re at.”

Whatever it is, Zimmer will have something in store for the 49ers.

“It’s an ultra chess match the whole game,” linebacker Eric Kendricks said. “He’s been a successful coach. That’s why he prepares the way he prepares, so he can be ready for these opportunities.”

PUBLICATION: Pioneer Press DATE: 1/9/20

After training camp chaos, Vikings have ‘a lot of confidence’ in kicking game when it matters most

By Jace Frederick

One of the biggest issues facing the Vikings in training camp more than four months ago: the kicking game.

One of the most reliable components of this team heading into another key postseason contest Saturday in San Francisco: the kicking game.

So far gone is the preseason kicking competition between Dan Bailey and Kaare Vedvik, the long snapping conundrum between Kevin McDermott and Austin Cutting and the general uncertainty as to who would punt and hold for this team. The steady success throughout the season of the Bailey, Cutting, Colquitt trio has even earned the trust of head coach Mike Zimmer, which is saying something.

“Both our punter and kicker have done really well,” Zimmer said this week. “I have a lot of confidence in those two guys.”

For good reason. Colquitt’s first touchback of the season came last week against New Orleans, and Bailey has made 21 straight field-goal attempts.

As Vikings fans well know, regular-season success doesn’t guarantee postseason kicking proficiency, but there’s plenty of reasons for optimism that, should Minnesota need to rely on the kicking game Saturday, it is in good hands.

Bailey certainly didn’t look rattled in New Orleans, nailing both of his field-goal attempts and his extra points. On the flip side, Saints kicker Will Lutz’s missed field-goal try just prior to halftime is as big a reason as any that Minnesota left New Orleans with a victory.

Examples like that are why Bailey puts just as much stock into a first-quarter field goal as he does a kick with two seconds to play. That mentality helps him keep the proper pressure on himself throughout while avoiding having any one moment feel too big.

Perhaps that’s a mind-set Bailey has developed over time. He went 1 for 3 for Dallas during his first playoff run in 2015, and is 5 for 5 in the postseason since. He admits you get some “comfortability” on this type of stage.

“But I think the main thing is these opportunities don’t come up that often,” Bailey said. “This is my ninth year, … this is my (fifth) playoff game. So these opportunities are few and far between, so you’ve just got to embrace that and have fun with it and go out there and execute.”

The belief he and his unit will do so only increases with continued success.

“Any time you can string some (makes) together, it’s a confidence booster, for sure,” he admitted.

But he gets just as much confidence from the fun he has working with his crew each day, from kicking consultant Nate Kaeding, whom Bailey called “a great asset” who was on hand Wednesday,- to Cutting and Colquitt. Bailey noted the Vikings did a lot of “experimenting” in training camp with all three factors in the field goal kicking equation, but he loves the crew they ended with.

RELATED ARTICLES Locker-room deception over gloves has happy ending for Vikings’ Kyle Rudolph Then: See Kyle Rudolph block. Now: See him catch … and Vikings win. Can Mike Zimmer, Vikings’ defense outfox another top-notch offense? John Shipley: Mr. Garoppolo, here comes Vikings’ Danielle Hunter, your worst nightmare Concern about Vikings’ receivers? Stefon Diggs misses another practice, Adam Thielen limited “You couldn’t ask for anything more. They’re both pros on every level,” Bailey said. “They make my job easy. It’s been fun. It’s been a really fun year working with those guys, and obviously when the team is having success, that makes it fun. We’ve come a long way since training camp, and I’m just happy to be a part of it.”

As for all of the training camp competition, which at one point left Bailey’s job in jeopardy, it’s all “water under the bridge” for the Vikings’ kicker.

“You just try to push yourself every day, and if there are some bumps in the road, you try to make the most of it and try to come out on top,” he said. “It’s been fun, it’s been a really fun year, for sure. Just looking forward to keeping it going.”

PUBLICATION: Pioneer Press DATE: 1/9/20

John Shipley: Mr. Garoppolo, here comes Vikings’ Danielle Hunter, your worst nightmare

By John Shipley

The Vikings had such a good draft in 2015 that’s it’s impossible to pick where they did best. Four of their top five picks will start for Minnesota on Saturday when they open the second round of the NFC playoffs against the 49ers in Santa Clara, Calif.

Not just start, really, but star.

First-round pick Trae Waynes has become the best cornerback on a very good defense, and second-round linebacker Eric Kendricks is first-team all-pro this season. Receiver Stefon Diggs, a fifth-round pick, has been recognized as one of the NFL’s best since the rest of the country saw him single-handedly win a playoff game with the Minnesota Miracle two seasons ago.

Then there is defensive lineman Danielle Hunter, who might be the most important player on the field when the Vikings try to stop the 49ers’ fourth-ranked offense. Moved from end to tackle for much of last weekend’s 26-20 victory at New Orleans, Hunter and Everson Griffen terrorized Saints quarterback Drew Brees and threw a wrench into everything the league’s third-ranked offense wanted to do.

Hunter’s fourth-quarter sack and forced fumble, recovered by Minnesota, was the biggest defensive play in a game full of great defense. The big question this week — maybe relevant, probably not — has been whether Hunter and Griffen will play inside again this week.

“We did what we had to do to win the game,” Hunter said Tuesday. “I’m not going to tell you (this week’s) game plan.”

Prudent.

Hunter’s pass-rushing prowess has him on pace for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. With three sacks against the Detroit Lions on Dec. 8, he reached 50 sacks faster than anyone in NFL history. The Vikings got Hunter in the third round of that 2015 draft with the 88th overall pick.

“I don’t know what they saw,” Hunter said this week. “There were 32 teams, and, uh, I guess …”

Yes, 31 teams passed on Hunter, twice. It happens, but don’t underestimate the Vikings’ decision to pull the trigger on him, or the team’s ability to make Hunter the force he is today. He is the total package: 6-foot-5, 255 pounds, thoughtful and eager to work.

In two full seasons at LSU, Hunter had 4.5 sacks and 21 tackles for a loss.

“In college, it was different,” he said. “It was a different scheme. So, in college I did what I was told to do, a two-gap playing type-five technique.”

That means responsible for two gaps while playing outside of the tackle. In other words, not a rush end.

“I did what I had to do in order to help my team win,” Hunter said. “I came here, got more coaching by more experienced people, and it turns out it helps.”

In five seasons with the Vikings, Hunter has 54.5 sacks and 67 tackles for losses. He’s only 25 years old. Further, head coach Mike Zimmer — a lifelong defense maven — believes Hunter hasn’t fully tapped his potential.

“If he ever gets just one more thing, two more things, he’s going to be unstoppable,” Zimmer said last month.

Whatever those one or two more things are, Zimmer declined to share. Asked about it this week, and whether he can even better than he has been, Hunter wasn’t much help, either.

RELATED ARTICLES Locker-room deception over gloves has happy ending for Vikings’ Kyle Rudolph Then: See Kyle Rudolph block. Now: See him catch … and Vikings win. Can Mike Zimmer, Vikings’ defense outfox another top-notch offense? After training camp chaos, Vikings have ‘a lot of confidence’ in kicking game when it matters most Concern about Vikings’ receivers? Stefon Diggs misses another practice, Adam Thielen limited “That’s a question I can’t answer, man,” he said. “I’m a player that goes out there and I try to get better and better every day, every year, every practice. So, I’m going to do whatever I need to do to help my team win games.”

Coming off a bye, the 49ers (13-3) are 6.5-point favorites in Saturday’s 3:35 p.m. kickoff, but by the numbers, the match-up is nearly even — balanced, top-10 scoring offenses, top-10 scoring defenses anchored by strong front lines.

If the Vikings (11-6) can clog running lanes and rattle first-time playoff quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo without a lot of extra bodies up front, they’ll be difficult to beat. It won’t be easy, and Hunter will be the key.

Wherever he plays on Saturday, Hunter is going to have to play as well as he did in New Orleans. He’s going to have to be, in Zimmer’s words, unstoppable. PUBLICATION: Pioneer Press DATE: 1/9/20

Concern about Vikings’ receivers? Stefon Diggs misses another practice, Adam Thielen limited

By Chri Tomasson

Is there any reason to be concerned about the Vikings’ two star receivers?

Heading into Saturday’s divisional playoff game at San Francisco, Stefon Diggs on Wednesday missed his second straight practice because of illness and Adam Thielen was limited because of an ankle injury.

Speaking after practice, Vikings coach Mike Zimmer said he was not concerned about Diggs.

“No,” Zimmer said. “He’s sick. He’ll be fine.”

Zimmer was not asked about Thielen since the injury report had not come out at the time. Thielen was listed as limited after not being on the report Tuesday.

The Vikings had called Tuesday’s report an “estimation” since they had a walkthrough.

Also listed as not practicing Wednesday for a second straight day were cornerback Mackensie Alexander (knee) and safety Jayron Kearse (toe/knee). Alexander will undergo arthroscopic surgery Thursday to repair a torn meniscus and won’t play against the 49ers. Kearse watched Wednesday’s session.

Zimmer said he has no concern about again being shorthanded in the secondary. In last Sunday’s 26-20 overtime win at New Orleans in a wild-card playoff game, the Vikings were without Alexander and cornerback Mike Hughes, who had been put on injured reserve with a neck injury. Safety Andrew Sendejo played nickel back for the first time in his career.

Nose tackle Linval Joseph (knee) returned to practice Wednesday on a limited basis after being listed Tuesday as a non-participant.

The 49ers on Wednesday listed as limited in practice defensive ends Dee Ford (quadriceps, hamstring) and Kentavius Street (knee) and guard Mike Person (neck). PUBLICATION: SKOR North DATE: 1/9/20

To stop the best DEs, Brian O’Neill is staying calm and studying on

By Matthew Coller

EAGAN — In the second round of the 2018 draft, the Minnesota Vikings a player who wasn’t considered a Day 1 starter.

After all, Brian O’Neill was about 20 pounds under the average weight for a tackle and wasn’t far removed from playing tight end at Pitt. But now, less than two years removed from being viewed as a project, O’Neill has become a key weapon for the Vikings’ offense. And there’s a lot that went into how he got from Point A to Point B.

O’Neill said on Wednesday that everything starts with staying in the moment under the most tense of circumstances.

“Staying calm comes with experience,” he said. “It comes with practice. It comes with being there before and understanding in the past the things that have made you fail and trying not to do those. The things that you have done in the past that have been successful, you try to hone in on those.”

Last Sunday’s performance — which largely came against one of the NFL’s best defensive ends Cam Jordan — was the culmination of O’Neill’s growth. On 35 pass blocking snaps, he gave up just one QB hurry, zero QB hits and zero sacks. The highly-athletic lineman was also dominant in the run game, scoring the highest run blocking grade from PFF of his season (80.4 of 100).

Here are some of O’Neill’s best run blocking plays from Sunday:

00:00 00:34

Back in the day, right tackles like O’Neill might have had things a little easier than their counterparts on the left side but in today’s NFL the sheer number of dominant edge rushers in the league opens the door to O’Neill matching up with the likes of elite players off the right side, including Jordan and Chicago’s Khalil Mack.

Spending every day from OTAs to minicamp to training camp to practice over the last two years matching up with Danielle Hunter put him in a position to either grow quickly or get run over on the field at TCO Performance Center.

“I’ve had a lot of practice preparing for great pass rushers because I block Danielle every day,” O’Neill said. “That helps a lot. Any time you’re able to have more time on task on something — whether it’s more games or more practices or whatever and you’ve been through something before you’re going to have a little more comfort and familiarity with it.”

Earlier this year, Hunter told SKOR North that he could sense O’Neill turning a corner.

“It’s a tremendous difference. Last year he came in and was just trying to get used to the program and use the right technique,” Hunter said. “You could tell when the season came he got thrown in there and went up against top notch pass rushers that he did pretty good. He has really good feet, that helps him out a lot. He took his time to get down the technique aspect of it and as the season went on he did pretty good. You could tell in the offseason he trained and got better and better. When this year started I could tell he got better. There were things that I used to do to him and I would win and he would catch onto it now.”

This week O’Neill is set to match up with several of the best rushers in the NFL. Nick Bosa spends time on both sides with 566 snaps over the left tackle and 139 over the right tackle this season. Arik Armstead, who ranks in the top five in QB pressures is likely to be the D-end O’Neill faces the most this week. Former Chief Dee Ford is also expected to be in the mix on the right side.

Here are several of his top pass blocking snaps.

00:00 00:25

The best NFL players are often those who understand what’s coming before it happens. Each week O’Neill will look through tape of his likely opponent and watch what worked and didn’t for a similar right tackle.

“I wouldn’t say I have The Brian O’Neill System of Studying Defensive Linemen but I have a good idea going into games how guys are going to attack me,” he said.

“You look at everything. You look at the moves they have success with, you look at the moves they have success with against guys you think that you would play similarly to. So you find a common opponent that you think has a tackle that you play like. I’m not going to turn on the tape of a 340-pound tackle who doesn’t move very well and try to base my judgement off that. It’s just not my game. It’s just studying details.”

Those details, says Trench Warfare Podcast host Brandon Thorn, are most noticeable in the way the young tackle uses his hands.

“I think the biggest thing from last year to this year is the use of his hands as a pass protector,” Thorn said. “He’s able to keep them inside better than he did and I think that part of it comes from getting stronger. He’s a little bit more confident in himself to stand strong at the point of attack and not try to get over-aggressive with his hands. As a rookie I think he tried to wrap up too much and would allow them into his chest. Now he’s standing firm and striking guys from a powerful position.”

Of course, there are still things to work on. Despite only giving up one sack in two years, O’Neill is still susceptible to getting overpowered. He still only graded as a mid-pack tackle by PFF (28th out of 60) because of plays like this:

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The ceiling hasn’t yet been hit with O’Neill and he knows it. Increased comfort does not equal mastery.

“I’m not saying I can be like, ‘Oh I’ve got it now,’ because these guys present a whole new set of challenges and obstacles and they’re very good but we’ve been there before and we’ll try to rely on those experiences,” O’Neill said.

On Saturday, however, he won’t need to be a master. He just needs to stay calm and do whatever it takes to hold down some of the league’s best for the second straight week. PUBLICATION: SKOR North DATE: 1/9/20

Zulgad: Vikings coach has every right to get defensive

By Judd Zulgad

The demise of Mike Zimmer’s defense was one of the silliest storylines broached by many throughout the 2019 season. Yes, the Vikings had some issues on that side of the ball — namely the dropoff of starting cornerbacks Xavier Rhodes and Trae Waynes — but that didn’t mean Minnesota’s defense had fallen off the map.

The Vikings finished the regular season tied for fifth in scoring defense, making them one of seven NFL teams in the Top 10 in that category to make the postseason. Still, it was fair to ask last week how the Vikings were going to stop a Saints offense that was led by future Hall of Fame quarterback Drew Brees and standout wide receiver Michael Thomas. Thomas entered Sunday’s playoff game in the Superdome having caught an NFL-leading 149 passes for 1,725 yards and nine touchdowns.

The loss of nickel corner Mackensie Alexander and rotational corner Mike Hughes didn’t help matters. Ultimately, none of this bothered Zimmer.

He unveiled defensive packages that included veteran safety Andrew Sendejo in the nickel corner position and called for edge rushers Danielle Hunter and Everson Griffen to pressure the 6-foot Brees up the middle. Brees spent the afternoon looking lost and Thomas caught seven passes for a pedestrian 70 yards in the Vikings’ 26-20 overtime victory.

Zimmer’s brilliant game plan resulted in two reactions. 1) Where the heck was that creativity in key games earlier in the season? and 2) What’s the next trick in your defensive playbook, Mike?

Question No. 2 is the big reason there is so much anticipation about the Vikings’ second-round matchup with the San Francisco 49ers on Saturday afternoon in Santa Clara, Calif. Zimmer might be 63 years old but his defensive mind remains among the sharpest in the NFL and what we learned Sunday is that’s especially true when the season is on the line.

The Philadelphia Eagles embarrassed the Vikings, 38-7, in the 2017 NFC title game and it was pretty clear in New Orleans that Zimmer wasn’t about to see his pride-and-joy fail him again.

On Saturday, it will be one of the brightest young offense minds in the game who will take the next shot at delivering a knockout punch to Zimmer’s defense. Kyle Shanahan, who was born in Minneapolis in 1979 while his father, Mike, was an assistant on the University of Minnesota staff, led the 49ers to the top seed in the NFC this year in his third season as the 49ers’ coach.

Shanahan had stints as the offensive coordinator with the Texans (2008-09), Washington (2010-13), the Browns (2014) and the Falcons (2015-16) before being hired by San Francisco. There are two things that probably come to mind when Shanahan’s resume is mentioned.

The first is that his final two seasons in Washington were spent working with a backup quarterback named Kirk Cousins, It was long assumed that Cousins would end up back with Shanahan in San Francisco when Washington let him walk, only by that point the 49ers had acquired Jimmy Garoppolo from New England. The second is that Shanahan was the coordinator for the Falcons team that blew a 25-point lead against New England and lost in overtime in Super Bowl LI.

Zimmer, of course, doesn’t care about either of those things and is only focused on what Shanahan’s current offense might try to do to his defense. Last week, it was Thomas who scared Vikings fans. This time it’s former Iowa tight end George Kittle, who is from Madison, Wis. Kittle’s connections to Wisconsin and Iowa make it easy for Vikings fans to dislike him, but stopping him is another matter.

Field Yates ✔ @FieldYates 49ers TE George Kittle had 85 catches on without a single drop this year (34 more than any other TE), led the NFL in receiving yards after contact (252) and was the most dominant blocker at the position.

Such a force.

3,024 9:53 AM - Jan 8, 2020 Twitter Ads info and privacy 540 people are talking about this Zimmer’s game plan against the Saints and offensive-minded coach Sean Payton was so good that instead of fearing Kittle, this time there’s an anticipation to see what type of curveball the Vikings attempt to throw at the 49ers to slow them down. Is Sendejo back in the slot trying to disrupt Kittle? Can standout linebacker Eric Kendricks handle him? Do the Vikings focus on making Garoppolo‘s life difficult by making this the game where linebacker Anthony Barr is finally turned loose to apply pressure?

The chess match between Zimmer and Shanahan will be great fun to watch. And after what Zimmer did to Payton’s offense last Sunday, one thing is certain: The talk that Zimmer’s defense had passed its expiration date couldn’t have been further from the truth. PUBLICATION: The Athletic DATE: 1/9/20

Middlekauff: The Vikings have a loaded roster, but two key weaknesses could be enough for the 49ers to exploit

By John Middlekauff

I talked to several NFL scouts who evaluated the Vikings roster over the past two seasons about their specific personnel and how it matches up against the 49ers heading into Saturday’s divisional-round playoff games. The Vikings players are good, but it’s clear after talking with people in the league that there are two key spots where the 49ers can win.

For as loaded as Minnesota’s roster is, the Vikings have clear weaknesses at cornerback and on the offensive line. That’s where the 49ers’ head coach Kyle Shanahan and defensive coordinator Robert Saleh will try to take advantage, but they’ll be matching up against another good coach in Minnesota’s Mike Zimmer.

“He’s a top-flight defensive mind in this league,” a scout said. “Think (Bill) Belichick, (Vic) Fangio — Zimmer is on that level when it comes to defense. He loves early-down blitzes, selling out on the run, getting you into second- or third- and-long. He has two elite pass rushers and loves to mix up man/zone coverage behind his front. That causes problems for quarterbacks and play-callers. You have no clue what coverage he’ll run. Look what he did to (Drew) Brees and (Sean) Payton (in Sunday’s Vikings victory). They looked lost. Zimmer dictated that game. They played it on his terms. When he’s been able to do that over the years, he wins.”

Zimmer might be one of the league’s older head coaches at 63, but he sure can coach defense. Zimmer versus Shanahan pits two of the best schemers in the league, on opposite sides of the ball, calling plays against each other. It’s really an elite coaching matchup.

“I think Danielle Hunter and Everson Griffen is the best pass-rushing duo in the NFL,” the scout said. “If your offense is consistently in passing situations, those two will kick your ass. I don’t care who you have at tackle, you’ll struggle to block them. I think they’re borderline unstoppable when they get a lead. The Saints have a really good offensive line and got worked by those two.”

The video below speaks for itself.

NFL ✔ @NFL Everson Griffen and Danielle Hunter have the @Vikings defense looking SCARY out there.  (via @BaldyNFL)@EversonGriffen | @DHunt94_TX | #SKOL

Embedded video 1,036 8:00 AM - Jan 8, 2020 Twitter Ads info and privacy 149 people are talking about this 49ers fans know the importance of good pass rushers. It’s a big moment Saturday for Joe Staley and Mike McGlinchey. This is also where Shanahan shines, scheming around high-end players up front. He must stop Hunter and Griffen. Or neutralize them with the run, so they can’t just tee off against the pass.

Minnesota’s linebacker group is led by two former high picks in outside linebacker Anthony Barr and middle linebacker Eric Kendricks, who have developed into impact players. But there is a specific weakness in the group that the 49ers can exploit.

“The Vikings want to avoid matching up Barr on running backs at all costs,” a scout said. “He’s a downhill player. Does his best work in the run game. He can run the seam with tight ends, but playing in space is his downfall. I’d imagine Shanahan will do what he can to match up his group of backs against Barr. He can’t change direction very well, so option routes kill him. If the 49ers can do that, which Kyle is great at, Barr is in trouble. He has no chance against their backs in space.

“Kendricks is really the engine of the defense. He does everything well. A tacking machine who’s super smart and just has a nose for the football. He was a first-team All-Pro for a reason. He makes plays on the ball in the passing game and has a good feel for zone and man coverage. Has good ball skills and plus instincts in space. You block him in the run game, you can win. But that’s hard. He is used to seeing this scheme, given that his team runs it, too, so he should be around the ball a lot Saturday.”

I’ve watched Kendricks since he played at Hoover High in Fresno. I never thought he’d be this good, but he’s become a stud NFL linebacker. Unlike Barr, Kendricks doesn’t look the part, but he’s basically Zimmer on the field. The 49ers must block him to get their run game going. And when it comes to the passing game, going after Barr whenever possible is a key.

The Vikings secondary isn’t quite what it used to be, but it’s still a solid unit.

“The corners are really the weakness of the defense,” a scout said. “While Xavier Rhodes is first-team getting off the bus, his days as a top corner are over. Gets way too many penalties, lacks the movement skills/change of direction to mirror guys at this point. That’s where he gets in trouble. He is really physical, and can win while pressing at the line, but if he doesn’t, it’s all bad. Rhodes still thinks he is an elite athlete, so he hasn’t adapted his playing style. Shanahan will surely attack; most good coaches do. Trae Waynes is decent, can really run, but just has no ball skills. MacKensie Alexander is a good twitchy nickel corner. Not the smartest player, he can be tricked with different route combos. Pretty average group.

“Harrison Smith is just an all-around stud. When he matches up against George Kittle, it’ll be box office. There might not be a better man-to-man cover guy attempting to slow the 49ers’ best player. Think two star NBA players checking each other all game. LeBron vs. Kawhi. I’m not sure anyone can cover Kittle, but Smith is as good of an option as you’ll find. He’s also a hammer in the run game and a great blitzer. Just a game-changer. Basically the heart and soul of the team.

“Anthony Harris, the other safety, has really come on. While he’s not a great athlete, he’s a total ball hawk (seven interceptions in 2019) and a playmaker in space. He’ll bait quarterbacks, which leads to his production, something I’m sure Kyle is harping on (Jimmy) Garoppolo about. With Smith up near the line of scrimmage a lot, it’s Harris just floating around in space. He’ll sag off a route, knowing the quarterback will go there, then break on the ball. It leads to his big plays. Garoppolo must keep an eye on 41.”

So to put a bow on this defense, it’s good. The Vikings have star players at every level and really just one weakness, the corners. The 49ers will need a big day out of their wideouts. That is where you can take advantage of the Vikings defense.

How about the offense led by quarterback Kirk Cousins?

“Cousins is obviously a polarizing player,” a scout said. “That happens when you make huge money at quarterback and haven’t won a damn thing. Let’s start with the positives. He’s excellent at pre-snap reads. If you show what you are going to run before he snaps it, he’ll get you. If he can get comfortable, he’ll pick you apart with their weapons. His rhythm in the offense, when the running game is rolling, led to a big statistical season. The new OC (Kevin Stefanski) did a great job of balancing everything this season. You saw it Sunday: run first, pass second. That’s when he flourishes.

“(Cousins’) problem is once he sees something pre-snap, he’s all in on that defense/coverage. It’s why he can be fooled so easily when the defense changes post-snap. He’s robotic. He can’t adjust on the fly. He lacks the physical ability and clearly his football mind just doesn’t work like that. It’s why some of his interceptions look high school- level. He either can’t see it or his mind can’t process in real-time. Saleh needs to mix up coverages/looks pre- and post-snap. It throws him off.

“The other key with him, where teams have success, is forcing him to carry their offense. Stop the run and put it on him. The Saints could not do that. Make him be a drop-back quarterback. Especially with their defensive line, the 49ers can create problems. Once you hit him, he gets rattled, and that’s where the turnovers and sideline blowups with the skill guys happen. The formula with him is simple. He reminds me of Jared Goff. When he gets comfortable, he can light you up. When he’s uncomfortable, it can fall apart fast.”

I could not agree more. Stopping the run leads to hits on Cousins. The Vikings can’t protect him without the run game. The Packers gave the blueprint three weeks ago. When you let Dalvin Cook and the running game get going, like the Saints did, you might lose. That being said, Minnesota’s overall skill unit is fantastic around the quarterback.

“Cook is a top-5 NFL back, and really the engine of the offense,” a scout said. “Just an ideal fit for the offense. You’d never know he was 210 pounds. He runs like he’s 240. It’s why he gets banged up. His style is violent. Teams that sell out to stop him take the right approach; he makes it all go.”

NFL ✔ @NFL .@DalvinCook's best plays from a 130-yard Wild Card performance! #Skol | #WeReady | #NFLPlayoffs

Embedded video 709 2:00 PM - Jan 6, 2020 Twitter Ads info and privacy 98 people are talking about this “The two wideouts are dynamic,” the scout also said. “(Adam) Thielen is the ultimate route runner. He’s so smart and crafty. His ball skills are elite. The ball he tracked Sunday, before the (Kyle) Rudolph touchdown, was special. He won’t give you much after the catch, but that’s (Stefon) Diggs’ job. The diva of the team. A highly emotional, elite athlete. His talent is top 10 in the league. Speed, moves, plays in the open field — he’s got it all. His problem is emotional control. Type of guy the 49ers can rattle. He’s not a fan of physical corners, so whenever he’s on (Richard) Sherman’s side, it’s a chance to get him worked up. He also gets frustrated when Cousins doesn’t feed him the rock, which leads to the sidelines antics. But he’s a major game-changer when his head is right. The key is to mess with him, force him to implode mentally. He’s shown he will.”

FG  @ForeverGridiron The Vikings might be winning, but Stefon Diggs is definitely not happy https://twitter.com/FTBeard11/status/1213912715460136961/video/1 …

406 2:00 PM - Jan 5, 2020 Twitter Ads info and privacy 82 people are talking about this “Rudolph is like a post player in hoops,” the scout continued. “Not very fast, not going to create much separation, but his ball skills are really good. His size is where he wins. The jump ball, red zone plays, that is his niche. Cousins has a lot of trust with him on most downs. He’s a functional blocker, and in their zone scheme, he doesn’t have to shove guys around, just stay in front of them. The Alabama rookie Irv Smith is a little bit of a wild card. He’s a talented high pick. He can run, good with the ball in his hands. Doesn’t get much pub, since they have so much firepower, but he’s really talented.”

It’s crazy how much talent the Vikings have on offense. It’s clear their roster is full of blue-chip players. Elite talent and playmakers everywhere. Their downfall is really the offensive line. It’s their team’s major weakness.

“The Vikings offensive line is not good,” a scout said. “But they don’t really ask their guys to man up, especially in the run game. It’s all about positioning. The scheme covers up a lot. Look at the 49ers, they plugged in random guys and didn’t skip a beat. Minnesota can’t relate; they’ve had some issues. Their first-round pick, Garrett Bradbury, is just a guy. Both guards are average at best. Their right tackle, Brian O’Neill, is easily their best player on the unit. I’d expect the Niners to heat up the other side. Left tackle Riley Reiff has to win early or it’s trouble. He’s an average athlete at best, and should struggle against (Nick) Bosa or (Dee) Ford in the passing game. If the Niners get them in second-, third-and-long, watch out. Game could get ugly.”

Bottom line for me — it starts up front for the 49ers. Stopping the run is all that matters. If Cook is neutralized, we’re talking about major trouble for Minnesota. That leads to Bosa, Arik Armstead, DeForest Buckner and now Ford against those guys in the passing game. I’ll take Saleh’s front all day. If Cook gets loose, we’ve got ourselves a game.

The formula is easy on paper, now it’s just on them to do it on the field Saturday. Is it kickoff yet?

PUBLICATION: The Athletic DATE: 1/9/20

That’s a wrap: The 2019 NFL All-Rookie Team

By Dane Brugler

As we head into the second week of the postseason, it is time to reflect on the first-year players and recognize which rookies performed the best at each position during the regular season.

Who lived up to their draft grade? Who proved to be a steal for where they were drafted? And how did our position- by-position All-Rookie teams change throughout the four quarters of the regular season?

Quarterback Quarter mark: Gardner Minshew, Jacksonville Jaguars (6th round, No. 178 overall) Halfway mark: Minshew Three-quarter mark: Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals (1st round, No. 1 overall)

Full season: Murray

The first quarterback (and player) drafted proved to be the best passer in the class through one season in the NFL. Murray finished his rookie season with 64.4% completions (349-for-542), 3,722 passing yards and 20 passing touchdowns, adding 544 rushing yards and four scores on the ground. He became just the sixth quarterback in NFL history to reach 3,500 passing yards and 500 rushing yards in a season, joining Cam Newton as the only rookies to ever accomplish that feat (Newton won the offensive rookie of the year award in 2011).

Despite finishing with only five wins, the Cardinals have to feel great about their young quarterback and the positive progress he showed in year one. It won’t be easy in a division with the 49ers, Seahawks and Rams, but with a few upgrades on the offensive line and at the skill positions, Arizona is at least trending in the right direction.

Final line from his scouting report: Overall, Murray, who is incredibly unique with a skill-set unlike anything currently in the NFL, has the arm talent and playmaking instincts that translate to any level, projecting as an NFL starter.

Runner-up: Gardner Minshew, Jacksonville Jaguars (6th round, No. 178 overall) Minshew gets the edge over Daniel Jones and Drew Lock, finishing his rookie campaign with the second-most completions, passing yards and passing touchdowns among rookies. And despite having more pass attempts than Jones, he finished with half as many interceptions (six, compared to Jones’ 12). Is Minshew the long-term answer in Jacksonville? That is debatable, but his rookie season showed a quarterback capable of being a productive NFL starter.

Honorable Mentions: Daniel Jones (New York Giants); Drew Lock (Denver Broncos); Dwayne Haskins (Ohio State); Devlin Hodges (Pittsburgh Steelers)

Aside from the box score numbers, Josh Jacobs also lived up to the expectations of being an all-around running back.(Photo: Jason O. Watson/Getty Images) Running Back Quarter mark: Josh Jacobs, Oakland Raiders (1st round, No. 24 overall) Halfway mark: Jacobs Three-quarter mark: Jacobs

Full season: Jacobs

The only running back drafted in the top-50 picks, Jacobs was undoubtedly the top rookie runner this season. Despite missing three games due to injury, he finished with 1,150 rushing yards and his 88.5 rushing yards per game ranked third-best in the league behind Derrick Henry and Nick Chubb. Jacobs also led all rookie running backs in rushing touchdowns (seven) and broken tackles (30), adding 20 catches for 166 yards as a pass-catcher.

Aside from the box score numbers, Jacobs also lived up to the expectations of being an all-around running back. He fumbled only once and was repeatedly lauded by Derek Carr and the coaches for his willingness and effectiveness in pass protection as a blocker. Much of the season, Jacobs was considered the favorite for NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, but the race is much closer after he missed the final two games of the regular season with a shoulder injury.

Final line from his scouting report: Overall, Jacobs is just scratching the surface of his multi-dimensional skill-set, displaying the explosive and versatile traits to be a three-down feature weapon in the NFL with Pro Bowl upside.

Runner-up: Miles Sanders, Philadelphia Eagles (2nd round, No. 53 overall) No rookie produced more yards from scrimmage in 2019 than Sanders with 1,327 yards (818 rushing, 509 receiving), which is 11 yards more than Jacobs’ 1,316 total yards. He averaged 4.6 yards per rush, but his impact as a receiver is what set him apart this season – he finished with more catches than Marquise Brown and posted the same number of touchdown grabs as Deebo Samuel. Only two running backs were drafted in the top-60 picks last April and they were the top-two performing backs in 2019.

Honorable Mentions: Devin Singletary (Buffalo Bills), David Montgomery (Chicago Bears), Alexander Mattison (Minnesota Vikings), Tony Pollard (Dallas Cowboys), Alec Ingold (FB, Oakland Raiders), Benny Snell (Pittsburgh Steelers), Ty Johnson (Detroit Lions), Travis Homer (Seattle Seahawks).

Wide Receiver Quarter mark: Terry McLaurin, Washington Redskins (3rd round, No. 76 overall) Halfway mark: McLaurin Three-quarter mark: McLaurin

Full season: A.J. Brown, Tennessee Titans (2nd round, No. 51 overall)

There is no shortage of options for the top rookie receiver this season with a handful of deserving candidates. But with his strong play over the final month of the season, which helped the Titans earn a playoff berth, Brown gets my vote with 52 catches for 1,051 yards and eight scores. Not only was he the only rookie in 2019 to eclipse 1,000-yards receiving, but he is the only rookie since 1970 to surpass 1,000-yards and averaged over 20.0-yards per catch.

Brown also dominated in the important, but lesser-publicized statistical categories. He was targeted 84 times this season and dropped only two passes – no rookie with 50+ targets had fewer drops. He was a beast after the catch, accounting for 465 yards post-reception, which tied Deebo Samuel for the rookie-lead. With his numbers and impact, Brown has a legitimate case for NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year.

Final line from his scouting report: Overall, Brown is a very natural route runner and pass catcher with the athletic profile and competitive character that make it easy to bet on his upside as an NFL starter.

Runner-up: McLaurin McLaurin was in the driver’s seat as the top rookie receiver most of the season, but other receivers pulled even toward the end of the year, especially with McLaurin injured in Week 17. It was a remarkable first year for the former Ohio State pass-catcher, finishing second among rookies in catches (58), receiving yards (919) and receiving touchdowns (seven). He dropped only four passes on 93 targets with 43 of his 58 catches resulting in a first down. Aside from the numbers, McLaurin’s film was also tremendous, using his combination of speed and route savvy to school proven NFL corners.

Honorable Mentions: Deebo Samuel (San Francisco 49ers), DK Metcalf (Seattle Seahawks), Marquise Brown (Baltimore Ravens), Darius Slayton (New York Giants), Hunter Renfrow (Oakland Raiders), Diontae Johnson (Pittsburgh Steelers), Mecole Hardman (Kansas City Chiefs), Preston Williams (Miami Dolphins), Jakobi Meyers (New England Patriots), Kelvin Harmon (Washington Redskins), KeeSean Johnson (Arizona Cardinals), Myles Boykin (Baltimore Ravens), Olabisi Johnson (Minnesota Vikings), Steven Sims (Washington Redskins).

Tight End Quarter mark: T.J. Hockenson, Detroit Lions (1st round, No. 8 overall) Halfway mark: Hockenson Three-quarter mark: Hockenson

Full season: Noah Fant, Denver Broncos (1st round, No. 20 overall)

Hockenson had the edge over his college teammate most of this season, but with an ankle injury that put him on injured reserve, Fant took over as the top rookie tight end in 2019. He led all first-year tight ends in most receiving categories, including catches (40), receiving yards (562), first downs (23), receptions of 20-plus yards (10) and yards per catch (14.1). His three receiving scores ranked second among tight ends, behind only Foster Moreau with five.

Where Fant really impressed as a rookie was after the catch, which was responsible for 58.7% of his receiving yardage. Averaging 8.3 yards after the catch per reception ranked third-best among all rookies with at least 30 catches — better than Deebo Samuel (8.2), Marquise Brown (5.4) and DK Metcalf (4.7).

Final line from his scouting report: Overall, Fant shows promise as a blocker and offers the explosive athleticism as a pass catcher that will cause problems for defenders, projecting as a hybrid joker tight end.

Runner-up: Hockenson Although he didn’t live up to the lofty expectations of being a top-10 pick, Hockenson had a solid season when he was on the field, both as a receiver and blocker. He finished second behind Fant in most rookie tight end receiving categories including receiving yards (367) and receptions of 20-plus yards (six). He led all rookie tight ends in catches per game (2.7), missing the final four games due to an ankle injury.

Honorable Mentions: Irv Smith (Minnesota Vikings), Foster Moreau (Oakland Raiders), Dawson Knox (Buffalo Bills).

Offensive Tackle Quarter mark: Jawaan Taylor, Jacksonville Jaguars (2nd round, No. 35 overall) Halfway mark: Taylor Three-quarter mark: Taylor

Full season: Taylor

From start to finish, Taylor was the best rookie offensive tackle throughout the 2019 season. The former Gator was considered a first-round caliber prospect, but he slipped to the second round (mostly medical-related) where he was a steal for the Jaguars. He was the only rookie to play literally every snap this season (1,022) and was one of only two rookie tackles who started every game (Atlanta Falcons’ Kaleb McGary was the other).

Lining up at right tackle, Taylor led all rookies in penalties (15), which was enough of a reason to choose someone else for this spot. But no other rookie tackle was close to his volume of steady-level play throughout the season. While the quarterback position is unsettled moving forward, Jacksonville has its two book-end tackles with Cam Robinson on the left side and Taylor on the right.

Final line from his scouting report: Overall, Taylor is not a technically sound blocker right now, but his contact balance and competitive finish are why he is one of the best run blockers in this class and one of the most promising in pass protection, projecting as an NFL starter at tackle or guard.

Runner-up: Tytus Howard, Houston Texans (1st round, No. 23 overall) Despite missing half the season due to injury, Howard was arguably the best rookie pass protector in the league this season. Lining up primarily at right tackle, his shuffle athleticism and ability to reset on the move allowed him to shut down edge rushers and maintain the integrity of the pocket. If he started 16 games (instead of only eight), he might have overtaken Taylor on the top line. Although he was labeled as a reach on draft day, Howard is well on his way to vindicating Houston for the selection and changing the narrative.

Honorable Mentions: Justin Skule (San Francisco 49ers), Cody Ford (Buffalo Bills), Andre Dillard (Philadelphia Eagles), Dennis Daley (Carolina Panthers), Greg Little (Carolina Panthers), Chuma Edoga (New York Jets), Trey Pipkins (Los Angeles Chargers), Kaleb McGary (Atlanta Falcons)

Offensive Guard Elgton Jenkins, Green Bay Packers (2nd round, No. 44 overall)

After spending the majority of his college career at center, Jenkins won the starting left guard job as a rookie and blossomed into one of the best interior blockers in the NFC. He was impenetrable in pass protection, sliding well and resetting on the move to maintain a clean pocket. Although he wasn’t as impressive in the run game, he was still better than most rookie guards, helping make room for a career year by Aaron Jones.

Final line from his scouting report: Overall, Jenkins checks several desired boxes with his size, balanced movements, stout anchor and intelligence to make the line calls, projecting as a starting NFL guard or center.

Runner-up: Dalton Risner, Denver Broncos (2nd round, No. 41 overall) The only rookie guard to start all 16 games, Risner won the left guard job out of camp and played at a consistent level all season (only three penalties). He wasn’t without rookie moments from time to time, occasionally struggling with quick interior rushers. But the play strength and toughness kept his head above water as the Broncos’ offense appeared to gel late in the year.

Honorable Mentions: Max Scharping (Houston Texans), Chris Lindstrom (Atlanta Falcons), Michael Deiter (Miami Dolphins), Michael Jordan (Cincinnati Bengals), Nate Davis (Tennessee Titans), Deion Calhoun (Miami Dolphins).

Considered a possible first-round pick, Erik McCoy somehow fell through the cracks and into the laps of New Orleans at No. 48 overall, making him one of the steals of the 2019 NFL Draft.(Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images) Offensive Center

Erik McCoy, New Orleans Saints (2nd round, No. 48 overall)

A legitimate candidate for NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, McCoy has been an integral reason for the Saints winning the NFC South for the third straight season. Considered a possible first-round pick, he somehow fell through the cracks and into the laps of New Orleans at No. 48 overall, making him one of the steals of the 2019 NFL Draft.

While most young blockers are better pass protectors or run blocks, McCoy has been equally impressive in both areas. He did commit eight penalties but didn’t attract a flag over the final five games of the season. McCoy had to feel the pressure joining a veteran offensive line with an all-time great at quarterback, but he has risen to the occasion and could establish himself as a top-five center in the NFL very early in his career.

Final line from his scouting report: Overall, McCoy might not be elite in any one category, but he displays a well-rounded skill set to keep blockers occupied, projecting as a scheme-versatile NFL starter with upside.

Runner-up: Patrick Mekari, Baltimore Ravens (Undrafted) Despite going undrafted out of Cal, Mekari made the Baltimore roster out of training camp and initially saw his snaps at right guard before taking over at center, starting the final five games. He isn’t the best athlete on that Ravens’ line, but he’s very composed and the game doesn’t move too fast for him. When starting center Matt Skura went down with an injury around Thanksgiving, Baltimore’s offense didn’t miss a beat over the final month of the season and Mekari deserves a lot of credit for that.

Honorable Mentions: Garrett Bradbury (Minnesota Vikings)

Defense

The younger Bosa’s 16.0 tackles for loss tied for best among rookies and ranked fifth-best in the NFL. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) Edge Rusher Quarter mark: Nick Bosa, San Francisco 49ers (1st round, No. 2 overall) Halfway mark: Bosa Three-quarter mark: Bosa

Full season: Bosa

The clear favorite for the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, Bosa was not only the top defensive rookie but one of the best defensive players in the NFL in 2019. Seven players reached 50 pressures this season: TJ Watt, Aaron Donald, Cameron Jordan, Shaquil Barrett, Za’Darius Smith and the Bosa brothers. The younger Bosa’s 16.0 tackles for loss tied for best among rookies and ranked fifth-best in the NFL.

Aside from the box score numbers, Bosa’s tape and impact were even more impressive. The main reason he was my No. 1 ranked player in the 2019 draft class was his diversity as a pass rusher. Bosa gains an immediate advantage with his ability to launch off the line, using proper biomechanics to maximize his body force and convert speed-to- power. His aggressive, well-timed hands look like they belong to a five-year NFL veteran, not a rookie. As long as he stays healthy, Bosa will be a high-impact NFL player for a long time.

Final line from his scouting report: Overall, Bosa is a carbon copy of Joey Bosa with his blend of athleticism and violent hands, gaining ground and defeating blocks in a variety of ways to make an impact rushing the passer and stopping the run.

Runner-up: Josh Allen, Jacksonville Jaguars (No. 7 overall) The Raiders’ Maxx Crosby has a strong argument for this spot, but Allen is the pick, who finished the season as the rookie-leader in sacks (10.5). He also finished second in pressures (38) and joined Bosa and Crosby as the only rookies with double-digit tackles for loss. Most of his snaps came in pass rush situations so his maturation as a run defender is the next step in Allen’s development.

Honorable Mentions: Maxx Crosby (Oakland Raiders), Brian Burns (Carolina Panthers), Montez Sweat (Washington Redskins), Clelin Ferrell (Oakland Raiders), Chase Winovich (New England Patriots), Oshane Ximines (New York Giants), Malik Reed (Denver Broncos), Jaylon Ferguson (Baltimore Ravens), Kyle Phillips (New York Jets), Ben Banogu (Indianapolis Colts)

Interior Defensive Line Quarter mark: Ed Oliver, Buffalo Bills (1st round, No. 9 overall) Halfway mark: Dexter Lawrence, New York Giants (1st round, No. 17 overall) Three-quarter mark: Lawrence

Full season: Lawrence

There were several strong candidates for this top spot at defensive tackle – Quinnen Williams led rookies in pressures per game (1.0), Ed Oliver led all rookie interior linemen with 5.0 sacks and Jeffery Simmons and Christian Wilkins showed why they were drafted in the first round. But Lawrence was the most consistent rookie on the interior from start to finish.

Despite only average production (38 tackles, 3.0 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks), Lawrence was dominant as a run plugger in the middle. And not only was he a space-eater, but his brute power and hand violence helped create interior pressure. The only rookie defensive tackle to start all 16 games, Lawrence was a problem for blockers all season.

Final line from his scouting report: Overall, Lawrence isn’t yet the sum of his parts, but he possesses a rare blend of size, strength and movement skills, projecting as a space-eating run defender with the potential to be more as a pass rusher.

Runner-up: Jeffery Simmons, Tennessee Titans (1st round, No. 19 overall) If not for his ACL tear during the draft process, Simmons would have been drafted in the top-10 picks, but the injury put a discount sticker on his evaluation, giving the Titans a steal at No. 19 overall. And even though he only played the second half of the season, he flashed the dominant qualities that made him worth a mid-first rounder despite his injury. In only seven starts and 311 snaps, Simmons finished his rookie season with 32 tackles, 4.0 tackles for loss and 2.0 sacks.

Honorable Mentions: Quinnen Williams (New York Jets), Ed Oliver (Buffalo Bills), Dre’Mont Jones (Denver Broncos), Shy Tuttle (New Orleans Saints), Christian Wilkins (Miami Dolphins), Charles Omenihu (Houston Texans), Jerry Tillery (Los Angeles Chargers)

Linebacker Quarter mark: Ryan Connelly, New York Giants (5th round, No. 143 overall) Halfway mark: Devin Bush, Pittsburgh Steelers (1st round, No. 10 overall) Three-quarter mark: Bush

Full season: Bush

Traditionally, the Steelers are not a team that likes to trade up in the first round of the NFL Draft. But they aren’t shy doing so if they see a chance to add an impact player. Since 2003, they have made aggressive jumps in the first round three times, adding a soon-to-be Hall of Famer in 2003 (Troy Polamalu), a Super Bowl hero (Santonio Holmes) and a future Pro Bowler (Bush). Pittsburgh traded a pair of day two draft picks (2019 second-rounder, 2020 third rounder) to move up from No. 20 to No. 10 in the 2019 NFL Draft to select Bush, but that gamble paid off well in Year One.

Bush led all rookies in tackles (109) and all linebackers in tackles for loss (9.0), adding a pair of interceptions and two forced fumbles while playing in all 16 games. He was far from perfect – he led all rookies in missed tackles (14) and he still has a lot of room to improve as a cover defender. However, Bush’s play speed and diagnose skills were outstanding for a first-year player and should only continue to improve with a full season of experience under his belt.

Final line from his scouting report: Overall, Bush doesn’t have ideal take-on skills for a MIKE, but his ability to diagnose, his reaction quickness and his closing speed are special, projecting as an impact starter in the NFL.

Runner-up: Devin White, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1st round, No. 5 overall) Washington’s Cole Holcomb put together a strong first season, joining Bush as the only rookies with 100-plus tackles on the season. The 49ers’ Dre Greenlaw also deserves a mention with his performance as a rookie, especially over the second half of the year. But White gets the edge because of his importance to the Tampa defense when he was in the line-up. Despite missing three games, he led all rookies in tackles per game (6.9), finishing with 90 tackles, 4.0 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks and three forced fumbles.

Honorable Mentions: Cole Holcomb (Washington Redskins), Dre Greenlaw (San Francisco 49ers), Jahlani Tavai (Detroit Lions), Bobby Okereke (Indianapolis Colts), Mack Wilson (Cleveland Browns), Blake Cashman (New York Jets), Drue Tranquill (Los Angeles Chargers), Troy Reeder (Los Angeles Rams), Sam Eguavoen (Miami Dolphins), Germaine Pratt (Cincinnati Bengals), Quincy Williams (Jacksonville Jaguars).

Cornerback Quarter mark: Byron Murphy, Arizona Cardinals (2nd round, No. 33 overall) Halfway mark: Murphy Three-quarter mark: Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, New Orleans Saints (4th round, No. 105 overall)

Full season: Jamel Dean, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3rd round, No. 94 overall)

Despite not seeing many meaningful snaps the first half of the season, Dean was too good over the final two months not to earn this spot. Playing only 368 snaps (for reference, Byron Murphy played 1,104 snaps as a rookie), Dean led all rookies with 17 passes defended (six more than second on the list), which also ranked fourth-best in the NFL, three behind Stephon Gilmore who led the NFL with 20.

While his decisiveness and durability were both question marks coming out of Auburn, Dean has flourished in Todd Bowles’ aggressive press-man scheme. His physical traits were never a concern (4.30 40-yard dash at 6-feet-1 and 206 pounds) and he doesn’t lack confidence on an island, challenging receivers and making plays on the football. With Dean, Carlton Davis and Sean Murphy-Bunting, the Buccaneers have a very intriguing trio of young cornerbacks.

Final line from his scouting report: Overall, Dean has elite size, length and speed for the position, but the absence of burst causes him to labor vs. savvy route runners and his long-term durability is a concern.

Runner-up: Gardner-Johnson Listed as a safety on the depth chart, Gardner-Johnson did his best work as a slot cornerback for the Saints, similar to his time in college at Florida. He finished his rookie season with 46 tackles, 6.0 tackles for loss, eight passes defended, one interception and one forced fumble. Although character concerns knocked him down from a top-40 pick to the fourth round, New Orleans ended up with a steal, somehow ending up with two first-round talents with picks No. 48 (Eric McCoy) and No. 105 (Gardner-Johnson).

Honorable Mentions: Trayvon Mullen (Oakland Raiders), Sean Murphy-Bunting (Tampa Bay Buccaneers), Rock Ya- Sin (Indianapolis Colts), Byron Murphy (Arizona Cardinals), Nik Needham (Miami Dolphins), Marvel Tell (Indianapolis Colts), Deandre Baker (New York Giants), Blessuan Austin (New York Jets), Greedy Williams (Cleveland Browns), Jimmy Moreland (Washington Redskins), Kendall Sheffield (Atlanta Falcons), Julian Love (New York Giants).

Taylor Rapp’s combination of football intelligence, diagnose skills and toughness will keep him thriving in the NFL for a long time. (Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports) Safety Quarter mark: Darnell Savage, Green Bay Packers (1st round, No. 21 overall) Halfway mark: Juan Thornhill, Kansas City Chiefs (2nd round, No. 63 overall) Three-quarter mark: Taylor Rapp, Los Angeles Rams (2nd round, No. 61 overall)

Full season: Rapp

Rapp started the season as a back-up before entering the starting line-up mid-October and emerging as one of the best young safeties in the league. Playing in 15 games (10 starts), he led all rookie safeties in tackles (99) and passes defended (eight), finishing second with a pair of interceptions. Not only did he finish third among all rookies in tackles, but he missed only three tackles on the season, giving him one of the best tackling ratios in the league.

Based on his college tape, Rapp was arguably the best safety in the 2019 NFL Draft class, but a 4.78 40-yard dash tanked his draft stock, dropping him to the late second round as the fifth safety drafted. His poor testing numbers proved to be a blessing for the Rams who looked past his workout and trusted the tape, landing a steal. Rapp’s combination of football intelligence, diagnose skills and toughness will keep him thriving in the NFL for a long time.

Final line from his scouting report: Overall, Rapp’s subpar 40-yard dash sticks out like a sore thumb, but his smarts, toughness vs. the run and ability to handle coverage responsibilities make him a high floor prospect, projecting as a decade-long NFL starting safety.

Runner up: Thornhill One of five rookies to start all 16 games in 2019, Thornhill quickly established himself as an integral piece of the Chiefs’ pass defense, primarily lining up as the deep safety. He was tasked with covering a lot of green grass, but with his athletic profile and nose for the football, he did a nice job recognizing routes and taking away downfield opportunities for the offense. Unfortunately, an ACL tear in Week 17 prematurely ended his rookie season and his value will likely show the most in the playoffs as Kansas City attempts to replace his impact.

Honorable Mentions: Darnell Savage (Green Bay Packers), Khari Willis (Indianapolis Colts), Marquise Blair (Seattle Seahawks), Amani Hooker (Tennessee Titans), Mike Edwards (Tampa Bay Buccaneers), Will Harris (Detroit Lions), Roderic Teamer (Los Angeles Chargers), Jalen Thompson (Arizona Cardinals), Sheldrick Redwine (Cleveland Browns)

Special Teams Kicker Quarter mark: Joey Slye, Carolina Panthers (Undrafted) Halfway mark: Austin Seibert, Cleveland Browns (5th round, No. 170 overall) Three-quarter mark: Matt Gay, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5th round, No. 145 overall)

Full season: Seibert

This came down to Seibert and Matt Gay and both were deserving. While Gay has the lead in made field goals (27 to 25), Seibert finished with a much better percentage, connecting on 86.2% (25-for-29) of his field goal tries compared to 77.1% (27-for-35) for Gay.

Honorable Mentions: Matt Gay (Tampa Bay Buccaneers), Joey Slye (Carolina Panthers), Chase McLaughlin (San Francisco 49ers)

Punter Quarter mark: Jake Bailey, New England Patriots (5th round, No. 163 overall) Halfway mark: Jamie Gillan, Cleveland Browns (Undrafted) Three-quarter mark: Gillan

Full season: Gillan

Gillan, or maybe better known as the “Scottish Hammer,” led all rookie punters in gross punt average (46.2) and net punt average (41.6), giving him the edge over the other three rookie punters.

Honorable Mentions: Jake Bailey (New England Patriots), Mitch Wishnowsky (San Francisco 49ers), A.J. Cole (Oakland Raiders).

PUBLICATION: The Athletic DATE: 1/9/20

Graff: Being a little injur—uh, ‘banged-up’ was never going to stop Dalvin Cook

By Chad Graff

Dalvin Cook took exception at first to the question. Or, rather, to a word in the question. It started with an inquiry about when he suffered his initial chest injury against Denver in Week 11 and whether he was worried then that it could derail his breakout season — that it might, perhaps, keep him from this stage, prepping for a divisional-round game against the NFC’s top seed.

“What injury?” Cook responded.

Of course, injuries have long been a part of Cook’s story. He’d already been through a devastating yearlong injury as a rookie when his ACL tore and then was hampered by a lingering hamstring injury the following year. Those were impossible to play through. This was different. Cook scored a touchdown in each of the first two games he played despite the chest injury before suffering a shoulder injury too in Week 15.

By that point, the Vikings were already at 10 wins and likely headed to another playoff berth. So Cook sat out the final two weeks of the regular season, an absence that at least made it worth wondering if he’d have any rust upon returning from injury in New Orleans. Of course, he put that notion to rest with 130 yards and two touchdowns on 31 touches in a 26-20 overtime win.

But the chest injury was the one referenced in the question on Tuesday. Cook looked at it differently. He took offense to the I-word.

“I ain’t never got injured,” Cook said. “I got banged up. Injury and getting banged up is two different things. I didn’t get injured this year, I got banged up. We took a precaution of sitting me out and taking care of me so I could be ready for the stretch. I was good.”

Minnesota Vikings ✔ @Vikings  @dalvincook addresses the media before practice. #Skol https://twitter.com/i/broadcasts/1rmxPXkryjbxN …

Live from TCO Performance Center in Eagan Minnesota Vikings @Vikings

280 11:53 AM - Jan 7, 2020 Twitter Ads info and privacy 22 people are talking about this There was another question about Cook recovering from injury to set himself up for this moment, the focal piece of an offense that has a tall task looming Saturday in San Francisco. Cook smiled and his eyebrows raised. The Athletic really wanted to know, once again, about his injuries, the topic he seemingly can’t avoid? Come on.

“Why you keep talking about injuries?” Cook said.

In July, Cook agreed to let The Athletic see what his offseason life was like. He was going to meet me for his morning, on-field workout alongside a dozen other NFL players, then hit up his favorite local spot for lunch. Maybe we’d check out Central High School, where his powerhouse team once beat Lamar Jackson’s in a playoff game.

But plans changed. He’d been called in for a drug test by the league and the better part of his day was shot because of it. When he finally got back, the sweltering mid-afternoon heat in Miami was reaching its peak.

I walked through his neighborhood looking for the right house while carrying a bag of quickly-melting frozen squid. (That’s another story.) The entire neighborhood was inside to avoid the triple-digit heat, coupled with brutal humidity. But Cook was outside. He wore a black Nike shirt without sleeves and held a football in his right arm. He had a rope ladder on the ground that he was using for practice on his footwork.

The whole scene, I thought as I walked up the driveway, seemed a bit manufactured. He knew a reporter was coming and now he was really running through a ladder with a football under his arm? I had just spent the last three hours in a Cold Stone Creamery to avoid the heat and he was doing sprints because he missed one morning workout? Please.

After Tuesday’s news conference, he said he wasn’t actually offended by the questions about his injury and I explained why I thought they were pertinent. We talked about the driveway sprints and how hard he had worked to get here. Then I asked another question. Was that whole driveway scene real?

“I swear,” Cook said. “That’s how it be in Miami.”

His childhood made him grow up fast. He avoided what he calls, “The Miami life,” even as it claimed several teammates and classmates. He had to skip dinner some nights if food wasn’t on the table. “You see a lot of things and grow up fast,” he said in July. “You’ve got to come to grips with it.”

But he always knew football could be his out. It’s why he was so frustrated when his rookie season ended early and he couldn’t showcase what he felt he worked all his life for. The hamstring injury was almost as maddening last year, because it seemed on some days he was ready to return and on others he could barely walk.

Dalvin Cook On Sunday, Cook showed just how critical he can be for the Vikings’ hopes, racking up 130 total yards and two touchdowns in the upset of the Saints. (John David Mercer / USA Today) Knowing that background helps understand why Cook wasn’t going to stop playing because of a chest injury earlier this season. He’s still not fully healthy and appears on the team’s injury report even if he participates in full at practice.

“I never get down about being hurt,” Cook said. “That comes with the game. That comes with playing physical and playing my position. Some guys can shoulder the load a little different. Some guys are different. I’m just a little different than other guys, so I can play through a lot of things. I just got banged up. I didn’t get injured.”

Back in July, as fishing lures were tossed into the water behind his house, the Super Bowl was mentioned. It’s in Miami this year in a stadium only a few miles from the house Cook grew up in. If the Vikings win two more games, it could mean a rematch against Jackson. But that’s all talk for another day.

For now, Cook has to prep for a 49ers front seven that Cook called better than any other the Vikings will face. And he has to seek daily treatment for the injuries — excuse me, banged-up parts — that he doesn’t want to admit hurt.

He gave little thought to missing these games, and for the Vikings, that means a chance to fulfill the goals that only a week ago seemed far-fetched but now have this team believing in the possibility of a deep run. The pessimism stemmed, in part, because of how the team looked without Cook. In their lone true game with Cook sidelined (Week 17 doesn’t count since no starters played), the offense was a disaster against Green Bay. They were waxed 23-10 by their rival while Cook watched in a sweatshirt. Hope dwindled.

But Cook offered a reminder in New Orleans of the game-changer he can be. Eight times this season, Cook totaled 120 yards of offense or more. The Vikings were 7-1 in those games. It may be rare to say of a running back in 2020, but the team’s offense largely goes as far as he takes them. He gives them the balance Mike Zimmer seeks and takes pressure off Kirk Cousins. Even 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan, Cousins’ first coordinator in the NFL and someone who praises Cousins more than just about anyone, noted on Tuesday the importance Cook has in bringing out the best in Cousins.

Cook, of course, knows all of that, too. He often deflects to talking about his teammates and what they do well, but he knows how important he is to this team. So he’d prefer not to think of himself as injured with all that’s riding on the game. He’s finally where he long thought he could be, the Vikings’ best offensive weapon readying for the biggest stage.

“We’re having fun,” Cook said. “I’m good, everybody on the team is good. We’ve got our starting lineup that we started with on Day 1 going into this thing. I’m fine, just to let y’all know. It’s all about us at this point, it ain’t really about me.”

PUBLICATION: ESPN DATE: 1/9/20

Vikings' Kyle Rudolph's game-winning gloves to benefit charity after all

By Courtney Cronin

EAGAN, Minn. -- Kyle Rudolph thought he was donating the gloves he wore while catching the winning touchdown in overtime to lift the Minnesota Vikings past the New Orleans Saints to a charitable cause. It turns out the tight end was duped by someone who went directly to eBay to sell his game-worn memorabilia for profit.

Rudolph expressed frustration Wednesday with a situation that played out postgame Sunday inside the visitors locker room at the Superdome.

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Kyle Rudolph ✔ @KyleRudolph82 I saw this.. it’s disappointing. A member of the media in the locker room after the game asked if he could have my gloves for a charity benefit, so I said of course and I will even sign them for you! Well he got me, sold on eBay 3 days later.. https://twitter.com/flamingbagofpoo/status/1215023428903854082 …

Nate Baustad @flamingbagofpoo @KyleRudolph82 You probably already heard this, but looks like someone sold your gloves from the Saints playoff game on ebay already. Hope they didn’t deceive you for a quick buck.

View image on Twitter 58.2K 3:44 PM - Jan 8, 2020 Twitter Ads info and privacy 8,702 people are talking about this "And to clarify it was not anyone I knew.. so wasn't a local reporter I see daily or national reporter," a follow-up tweet read. "Locker room was a zoo, he asked for them, I said of course and even offered to sign them..."

Fortunately, there's a happy ending to this story.

Jason King, a lifelong Vikings fan from Woodbury Heights, New Jersey, purchased Rudolph's gloves around 3 p.m. ET on Wednesday after he saw them being sold on eBay. King is a member of a "Minnesota Vikings Game Used/Issued Memorabilia Group" on Facebook and an avid collector of sports memorabilia. The 34-year- old verified the gloves' authenticity by matching a thread hanging from the left middle finger to a photo taken by Getty Images of Rudolph spiking the ball after his touchdown.

King messaged the account to get more information about the gloves and was told the seller received them "directly" from Rudolph. Nowhere in their message exchange, or the product's post, does the seller detail anything about the proceeds from the gloves being donated to charity.

Rudolph's gloves, which were listed on Wednesday, had a starting bid of $280 and a "buy it now" price of $375, which is the amount King paid.

Shortly after making his purchase, King began to see news of the scam circulating on Twitter. Upon seeing Rudolph's post, King tweeted the tight end that he was the buyer of the gloves and would gladly donate them to charity.

Rudolph responded, directing King to the University of Minnesota Masonic Children's Hospital, where he and his wife, Jordan, have done extensive charitable work throughout his nine-year career with the Vikings. Rudolph then said he would send King the gloves he plans to wear during the Vikings' NFC divisional playoff matchup against the San Francisco 49ers.

King has yet to receive confirmation from the seller that the gloves are on the way to his home in New Jersey.

"If I end up receiving the gloves, I would like them to be displayed at the children's hospital in honor of Kyle," King told ESPN. "I have four kids myself, and I really appreciate the work he does off the field."

If he does not receive his purchase, King said he plans to donate the money he spent on the gloves toward Kyle Rudolph's End Zone, a 2,500-square-foot space designed to help children and teenagers find a place to play, relax, engage in healing therapies and socialize at Masonic Children's Hospital. He tweeted to encourage others to donate as well.

PUBLICATION: ESPN DATE: 1/9/20

Vikings' Adam Thielen suffers ankle injury; Stefon Diggs again sits out practice

By Courtney Cronin

EAGAN, Minn. -- Already without Stefon Diggs for a second straight day, the Minnesota Vikings got more bad news at the wide receiver position with Adam Thielen suffering an ankle injury in practice Wednesday.

Thielen, whose overtime catch set the Vikings up for a 26-20 win against the New Orleans Saints in the NFC wild-card game Sunday, was listed as limited on the team's injury report and was not seen walking off the field following practice.

The injury isn't believed to be too significant in terms of affecting his availability for Saturday's NFC divisional playoff game against the San Francisco 49ers, but his official status for the game will be determined on the final injury report Thursday, according to sources.

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Thielen was not on the injury report Tuesday, and he went through normal stretching and individual drills during the portion of practice that was open to the media Wednesday. He was also scheduled to speak with the media Wednesday, but his session was postponed.

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Ranking the NFL's best playoff moments: The Catch, Hail Mary and more Diggs, meanwhile, is dealing with an illness, and coach Mike Zimmer did not express concern over how his absence might affect his availability to play at the 49ers on Saturday.

"No, he's sick," Zimmer said of Diggs. "He'll be fine."

This is Thielen's second injury this season. He hurt his hamstring in the first quarter of a Week 7 win at Detroit and made a brief return in Week 9, only to reinjure himself early in a loss at Kansas City.

The Vikings shut Thielen down for the next six weeks until he returned against the Los Angeles Chargers on Dec. 15.

Thielen's breakout performance against the Saints -- seven catches for 129 yards -- came after totaling 109 total receiving yards in the last five games he played in 2019, including a Week 16 loss to Green Bay in which he was held without a catch.

The Vikings on Wednesday were also without safety Jayron Kearse (toe/knee) and nickel corner Mackensie Alexander, who is slated to have surgery to repair a tear in his lateral meniscus, a league source told ESPN. Nose tackle Linval Joseph was upgraded to limited participation with a knee injury. PUBLICATION: CBS Sports DATE: 1/9/20

Stefon Diggs misses practice again with illness, Adam Thielen added to injury report ahead of divisional round

By Jordan Dajani

The Minnesota Vikings registered a huge, 26-20 overtime victory over the New Orleans Saints to advance to the divisional round, but two of their most important offensive weapons could be dealing with injuries when they take the field in San Francisco to take on the 49ers this Saturday.

For the second straight day, wide receiver Stefon Diggs missed practice with an illness, while fellow wideout Adam Thielen was added to the injury report with an ankle injury. According to Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press, Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer is optimistic that Diggs will be fine for Saturday, and that he's just "sick."

Diggs caught two passes for 19 yards on Sunday, but both were big catches that resulted in first downs on scoring drives. He also rushed two times for eight yards.

PAID CONTENT BY VERIZON More savings on more phones Right now, get one of our best phones when you buy one. That’s Verizon. As for Thielen's ankle injury, details on his situation were not readily made available, but he was at least able to be a limited participant in practice on Wednesday. It will be interesting to see if he's a limited participant in practice on Thursday or if he will return to 100 percent.

The two-time Pro Bowl wideout played a big role for the Vikings in the win over the Saints last week, as he caught a team-high seven passes for 129 yards. He rebounded from fumbling on the opening drive of the game to catch a 43- yard pass in overtime which got Minnesota down to the 2-yard line. Three plays later, Kirk Cousins hit tight end Kyle Rudolph in the corner of the end zone for the game-winning score.

The Vikings need both Diggs and Thielen if they want to upset the No. 1 seed 49ers on Saturday, and it doesn't seem as though Zimmer is worried about the possibility of them being inactive.

PUBLICATION: Maven Media DATE: 1/9/20

With Memories of Their Last Playoff Exit Still Fresh, Vikings Aren't Satisfied With One Win

By Will Ragatz

EAGAN, Minn. — Dalvin Cook didn't feel like celebrating.

As teammates mobbed Kyle Rudolph, who had just caught the game-winning touchdown in overtime, Cook turned and walked away from the chaos. He wanted to get going on his postgame routine, which includes media obligations and brief conversations with opposing players. He was elated, of course, that his team had just stunned the heavily- favored Saints in their building to advance to the next round of the playoffs. Cook had played a big role in the victory, with 130 yards from scrimmage and two rushing touchdowns.

But he didn’t feel a sense of accomplishment. Within seconds of the game ending, Cook had already turned his focus to the future. That was clear during his first postgame task, an interview with Westwood One radio. “Remarkable, man,” Cook said through heavy breaths. “They doubted us. That’s just the start of something special.”

A pair of upper-body injuries slowed Cook during the second half of the regular season. He spent a lot of time in the training room to prepare himself and his body for this Sunday in New Orleans, his first NFL playoff game. In the biggest game of his life, he handled 31 touches – the third-heaviest workload of his professional career – to help lead his team to a win. As he stood there doing the interview, the stunned home crowd still processing what had happened, none of that was important. He was looking ahead.

“I’m ready to go,” Cook told Westwood One. “We gotta go to San Fran next week. That’s what we on right now.”

He finished his on-field routine and walked back to the visiting locker room. As Kirk Cousins broke out the “you like that” line once again, Cook enjoyed the moment with the rest of his team. He spoke to local beat reporters. He decompressed. The whole time, his mind was on what it will take to do it again.

“I was cheering, but I knew we’ve got to go play San Fran,” Cook said on Tuesday. “That’s a tough team. Right after [the game ended], I was keyed in and ready to go. If you heard me after the game, I said, ‘That’s just one. That’s just one down.’”

Cook, like many of his teammates, remembers what happened the last time the Vikings won an emotional playoff game against the Saints. A week after the Minneapolis Miracle, they visited the NFC’s top seed, the Eagles, and were embarrassed in a 38-7 loss. That game left a bad taste in the mouth of everyone in a Vikings uniform. And with 14 of the 22 starters from that night in Philadelphia still around, Cook wasn’t the only one who was in a less-than- celebratory mood on Sunday.

“A lot of the guys that are here were here before, and so I feel like they’re a veteran team, they understand,” Mike Zimmer said. “We actually had a couple of guys saying, ‘hey, calm down’ in the locker room. We got to get ready to go play again. So I’m hopeful.”

Cook was not one of those 14 starters from the NFC title game; he was out with a torn ACL that cost him the vast majority of his rookie season. But he was there that night. He was around that week. And he believes that as the 2019 Vikings head to take on the NFC’s top seed – the 49ers, this time – they can avoid the same fate that befell them two years ago.

“This is a different team,” Cook said. “We’ve got a different identity, a different approach, different guys in the locker room, different mindset. We have to leave that in the past and know it’s a whole new group, a bunch in here that’s ready to go fight in any environment.”

The Vikings had a different quarterback then, too. One of the reasons why the franchise moved on from Case Keenum and guaranteed Kirk Cousins $84 million across three years was that they felt Cousins could get them over the hump. Things haven’t exactly gone to plan during the two seasons since then, with the Vikings missing the playoffs in 2018 and entering as the No. 6 seed this year.

Cousins, as the Vikings expected, has proven to have a higher ceiling than his predecessor. His 107.4 passer rating during the regular season was nine points better than Keenum’s 2017 figure and narrowly beat out 2009 Brett Favre for the second-best in franchise history (trailing only 2004 Daunte Culpepper). But that’s not why he was brought to Minnesota. He was brought here to win playoff games. And on Sunday, for the first time in his career, he did just that. Cousins got the job done in a huge moment, delivering two perfect throws in overtime to topple the Saints and potentially re-write the narrative of his career.

The keyword there is potentially. Cousins is a veteran and a self-aware guy. He knows that for as well as he played on Sunday, he has to go prove it again. He knows that his late-game heroics won’t mean much towards his reputation and legacy if he puts up a dud in the Bay Area. He wasn’t around for the heartbreak of two years ago, but he knows how important it is to move on quickly in the NFL.

“You get right back to work, you know?” Cousins said. “We were in yesterday, watching tape, talking about the plan, and today again. You just get in your routine. You just get right back into it like you do Weeks 1 through 17.”

Then there are the guys who played in those two games in January 2018. The top three pass-catchers – Stefon Diggs, Adam Thielen and Rudolph – are still around. Two of the starting offensive linemen are the same. Most notably, nine of the 11 starters on the 2017 defense are still Vikings. That defense allowed the fewest points (15.8) and yards (275.9) per game in the NFL. After a strong start against the Saints, it struggled in the second half. Then it disappeared completely a week later, giving up 31 points and 456 yards to the Eagles offense.

Two years later, the Vikings' defense has regressed a bit. That wasn’t apparent on Sunday, as the unit flexed its muscles against the Saints, holding Drew Brees and the NFC’s best offense to 20 points. This is still a veteran defense with talent on all three levels, led by one of the league’s wisest defensive minds in Zimmer. It’s a prideful, veteran group that doesn’t want to be embarrassed again.

“I think we’re gelling at the right time,” said Everson Griffen, the Vikings’ longest-tenured player. “We have to be able to carry it over. Can we do it again this week? Can we play better? Because that’s what it’s going to take to be able to win this game. We have to be able to go into Levi’s Stadium, go out there and play better than we did last week.”

“It all starts with practice, just going out there and being smart in practice, doing the right things and trying to gameplan the right way,” Griffen said of avoiding another letdown. “I think right now, during the season, it’s more about the mental part of the game.”

The defense has a tall task ahead against a 49ers offense that finished second in scoring and fourth in total yards during the regular season. Jimmy Garoppolo, George Kittle and a potent rushing attack are well-rested and will have home-field advantage. These Vikings are well aware of the challenge. Even after a win over a Saints team that had championship-level talent, they aren’t taking anyone lightly.

They remember two years ago. They remember how it felt to go from the ultimate highs to the lowest of lows. They’re not satisfied with just one playoff win. That’s why Cook didn’t bother to celebrate on the field after Rudolph’s catch. It’s why veterans were telling others to settle down in the postgame locker room.

This team is thinking bigger.

“This is the playoffs,” said Danielle Hunter. “Some guys have been in this league X amount of years and they’ve never been to the playoffs, so it’s an experience where we know we have to be focused. This opportunity doesn’t come around often.” PUBLICATION: Vikings Entertainment Network DATE: 1/9/20

NOTEBOOK: Rudolph, Vikings Have Shifted Full Focus to 49ers

By Eric Smith

EAGAN, Minn. — There’s no doubt Kyle Rudolph will one day look back and reminisce about his game-winning overtime touchdown catch in New Orleans.

But this isn’t the week for that, not with kickoff against the 49ers less than 72 hours away.

“I think being on a short week forces you to mentally put it aside,” Rudolph said. “I think the challenges become getting fresh on a short week.

“We played 79 snaps on offense and battled down there to get a win,” Rudolph added. “Now, short week, we’ve got to be ready to go out to San Francisco.”

Instead, Rudolph and his teammates are looking full steam ahead toward top-seeded San Francisco, a rested team that went 13-3, won the NFC West and earned a first-round bye in the playoffs.

But there is one aspect of the past from which the Vikings are hoping to learn.

Minnesota and New Orleans have now met twice in the postseason in the past three years, with the Vikings winning both meetings on the final play of the game.

Two years ago, a miraculous ending was followed by a poor performance by everyone, as the Vikings lost 38-7 to the Eagles in the NFC title game.

As one of six captains, Rudolph said part of his role is making sure the Vikings are more focused this time around as they head on the road to face a No. 1 seed.

“We’d be remiss if we didn’t learn from two years ago,” Rudolph said. “It’s an opportunity for us to realize, ‘Hey, the last time we won on the last play of the game and had a huge, emotional victory, we went and laid an egg the following week.’

“I hope the guys that were around are able to learn from that and realize it was a great game, a big win for us but just the first step in the direction that we’re trying to get going,” Rudolph added. “Going to San Francisco this week is the next step.”

Minnesota currently still has 27 players in its locker room that were on the 53-man roster against the Eagles, including more than a dozen who started.

A pair of those players, defensive end Everson Griffen and safety Harrison Smith, echoed Rudolph’s comments about needing to be sharper in all areas this time around.

“It all starts with practice,” Griffen said. “Going out there and being smart during practice and doing the right things and game plan the right way.

“I think right now during the season it’s more about the mental part of the game. We’ve been playing football now for 20-something odd weeks, plus OTAs, minicamp … the whole shebang,” Griffen added. “I think we just have to study. I think studying is the most important thing right now.”

Added Smith: “I think, obviously every team is separate, but having guys who have been in playoff games before … we’re a veteran group. We put it in the rearview. It’s great that it happened, but we moved on. We had that experience before.”

Rudolph had 39 receptions for 367 yards in the regular season while tying for the team lead with six touchdown catches.

He’ll face a stout 49ers defense that only allowed one tight end to surpass 100 receiving yards in 2019.

In 16 games, San Francisco allowed 46 catches for 456 yards and four scores to opponents’ No. 1 tight ends. postgame-show-promo "Vikings Postgame" Live After Saturday's Game

Visit vikings.com, the Vikings App, Vikings Now (Connected TV app), or the team's Facebook, Twitter or YouTube pages to watch "Vikings Postgame" after Saturday's game against the 49ers.

Stephen says he’ll play vs. 49ers

Shamar Stephen played 33 snaps in Sunday’s game against the Saints, but limped off the field with just over five minutes left in the fourth quarter.

The defensive tackle didn’t return but said this week that he plans on playing Saturday in San Francisco.

“I’m good,” Stephen said. “I’m good to go.”

Stephen might not fill up the stat sheet — Vikings coaches credited him with two total tackles against New Orleans — but his presence helps others around him, especially in the run game.

“He’s a really good run defender; he helps our linebackers out a lot,” Zimmer said. “He’s played the run great all year long. I think he’ll be a big factor.”

Stephen said the Vikings top defensive priority each week is to stop the run and added there is an extra emphasis on that this week.

The 49ers ranked second in the NFL in total rushing attempts (498), rushing yards per game (144.1) and were first with 23 rushing touchdowns during the regular season.

“They do a good job of running the ball,” Stephen said. “We have to be able to get on [quarterback Jimmy] Garoppolo’s feet and put pressure on him and make him throw high throws. Just be able to stop the run, really, because they do a fantastic job running the ball and just opening up stuff.

“In the playoffs it counts more, so you can’t make those kinds of mistakes you made in the regular season or else you won’t have another chance,” Stephen later added. “Being able to stop the run and making people one- dimensional is very huge in the playoffs. That’s what we have to do.”

Bailey praises Vikings ST operation

For nearly the entirety of training camp, the Vikings kept five specialists on their roster with some sort of combination of kickers, punters and long snappers.

That group was pared to two for the regular season with kicker Dan Bailey and long snapper Austin Cutting, while punter Britton Colquitt joined the team in the week before the regular season.

As the Vikings get ready for Saturday’s Divisional round playoff game against the 49ers, it’s safe to say the trio has developed a bond in recent months.

“I think it’s been great. We did a lot of experimenting and stuff in training camp by moving guys around and trying different things,” Bailey said. “But the crew and group of guys I ended up with, I couldn’t ask for anything more. They’re both pros on every level and make my job easy.

“It’s been fun, just a really fun year working with those guys. Anytime you’re having success, that makes it fun,” Bailey added. “We’ve come a long way since training camp, and I’m just happy to be a part of it.”

Bailey hit a pair of field goals and two extra points Sunday against the Saints. Including the regular season, Bailey has now made 29 of 31 field goals (93.5 percent), along with 42 of 46 extra points.

Colquitt, meanwhile, averaged 49.7 yards on six punts Sunday, including a long of 57, but did record a touchback after not having one in the regular season.

Zimmer said he just lets the specialists be, but he did note that the Vikings will be outdoors on Saturday. Bailey, for what it’s worth was 11 of 12 on field goals outdoors in 2019.

“Both our punter and kicker have done really well. But each situation’s different,” Zimmer said Wednesday. “We were fortunate we were in a dome last week – we didn’t have to worry about the wind or anything like that.

“This week could be different – we’re going to be outside, and the field conditions might change,” Zimmer added. “But I have a lot of confidence in those two guys.” PUBLICATION: Vikings Entertainment Network DATE: 1/9/20

Wednesday's Vikings-49ers Injury Report

By Chris Corso

Wednesday's injury Report - Following practice on Wednesday at the TCO Performance Center the Vikings released an updated injury report.

Wide receiver Adam Thielen (ankle) was added to the report as a limited participant in practice.

Safety Jayron Kearse (toe/knee), cornerback Mackensie Alexander (knee) and wide receiver Stefon Diggs (illness) all did not participate in practice on Wednesday.

Defensive tackle Linval Joseph (knee) was listed as a limited participant in practice on Wednesday.

Cornerback Xavier Rhodes (ankle/shoulder), defensive end Stephen Weatherly (foot), guard Josh Kline (elbow), defensive tackle Shamar Stephen (knee), tight end Tyler Conklin (knee), and running back Dalvin Cook (shoulder) were all full participants in practice on Wednesday.

Defensive end Ifeadi Odenigbo (hamstring) was removed from the injury report.

For the San Francisco 49ers defensive end Dee Ford (quadricep/hamstring), guard Mike Person (neck) defensive end Kentavius Street (knee) were all limited at practice on Wednesday.

Tuesday's injury Report - The Vikings have released the initial injury report ahead of the NFC Divisional playoff game against the 49ers in San Francisco on Saturday.

Minnesota completed the first practice of the week on Tuesday at the TCO Performance Center.

Tuesday's practice was a walk-through for Minnesota so the participation statuses are estimations.

Safety Jayron Kearse (toe/knee), defensive tackle Linval Joseph (knee), cornerback Mackensie Alexander (knee) and wide receiver Stefon Diggs (illness) all did not participate in practice on Tuesday.

Cornerback Xavier Rhodes (ankle/shoulder), defensive end Stephen Weatherly (foot), guard Josh Kline (elbow), defensive tackle Shamar Stephen (knee), tight end Tyler Conklin (knee), defensive end Ifeadi Odenigbo (hamstring) and running back Dalvin Cook (shoulder) were all full participants in practice on Tuesday.

For the San Francisco 49ers defensive end Dee Ford (quadricep/hamstring), guard Mike Person (neck) defensive end Kentavius Street (knee) were all limited at practice on Tuesday.

Head Coach Kyle Shanahan also confirmed that defensive back Jaquiski Tartt to be a "full go" prior to practice.

Tartt suffered a ribs injury in San Francisco’s Week 13 loss at the Baltimore Ravens and has been absent every week since.

San Francisco 49ers ✔ @49ers Per Kyle Shanahan, @Quaski29 is a full go at practice today. #MINvsSF | #GoNiners

View image on Twitter 3,440 1:33 PM - Jan 7, 2020 Twitter Ads info and privacy 400 people are talking about this VIKINGS:

Table inside Article Name Position Injury Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Game Status Jayron Kearse S Toe/Knee DNP DNP Linval Joseph NT Knee DNP LP Mackensie Alexander CB Knee DNP DNP Stefon Diggs WR Illness DNP DNP Xavier Rhodes CB Ankle/Shoulder FP FP Stephen Weatherly DE Foot FP FP Josh Kline G Elbow FP FP Shamar Stephen DT Knee FP FP Tyler Conklin TE Knee FP FP Ifeadi Odenigbo DE Hamstring FP - Dalvin Cook RB Shoulder FP FP Adam Thielen WR Ankle - LP 49ERS

Table inside Article Name Position Injury Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Game Status Dee Ford DE Quad/Hamstring LP LP Mike Person G Neck LP LP Kentavius Street DE Knee LP LP To view the full injury report for both teams click here.

Practice Status

DNP - Did not participate in practice

LP - Limited participation in practice

FP - Full participation

(-) - Not listed PUBLICATION: Vikings Entertainment Network DATE: 1/9/20

Happy Anniversary: Vikings Stunned 49ers 32 Years Ago

By Craig Peters

The Vikings-49ers series of 47 regular-season or postseason meetings includes five playoff games.

Minnesota is 1-4 all-time against San Francisco in the postseason, claiming that victory in stunning fashion 32 years ago today.

The shocking win was preceded by a narrow loss more than 18 years prior and immediately followed by blowout losses in two consecutive postseasons. The 49ers also topped the Vikings in January 1998.

All five previous meetings have occurred in the Divisional round, and Saturday’s game will continue that streak.

Through the Years: Vikings vs. 49ers Look back at photos over the course of time featuring games between the Vikings and the 49ers.

In honor of Throwback Thursday, here’s a recap of the previous playoff matchups with San Francisco:

Missed opportunity

49ers 17, Vikings 14

Dec. 27, 1970 | Metropolitan Stadium

Setting the stage: The 1970 Vikings followed the first Super Bowl appearance in franchise history by going 12-2 for the second consecutive regular season. Minnesota outscored opponents 335 to 143. Associated Press MVP John Brodie, who had a league-best 2,941 passing yards, led the 49ers to a 10-3-1 mark.

In the game: The Vikings defense started great, with Paul Krause returning a fumble 22 yards for a touchdown and 7- 0 lead in the first quarter. The 49ers, however, bounced back to tie the game on a 24-yard pass from Brodie to Dick Witcher.

Bruce Gossett connected on a 40-yard field goal in the second quarter to put San Francisco up 10-7 at halftime. A 6- yard sack forced a 43-yard field goal by Minnesota in the fourth quarter, but the attempt to tie the game fell short.

Brodie rushed for a 1-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter to end a 14-yard drive and put the 49ers up 17-7. Gene Washington, who led the NFL with 1,100 receiving yards, caught a 24-yard pass from Gary Cuozzo, but it was too little too late. Cuozzo finished 9-for-27 with a touchdown, two interceptions and three sacks.

It was the first home playoff loss in franchise history by Minnesota.

Quote: “San Francisco’s defense was good, but we didn’t play as well as we can and have (on offense). We all must share responsibility.” — Head Coach Bud Grant

49ers-history-2-2560 Al Golub/AP Tremendous Upset

Vikings 36, 49ers 24

Jan. 9, 1988 | Candlestick Park

Setting the stage: The 1987 season was shortened by one game because of a players’ strike that resulted in the use of replacement players for three other games. Minnesota’s fill-ins went 0-3 before starters returned to win five of six. They then lost three of four to close the season at 8-7 and eek into the playoffs (only five teams made it back then: three division winners and two Wild Card teams). San Francisco (13-2) won the NFC West and a first-round bye thanks to a 3-0 showing with replacement players.

49ers-history-3-2560 Al Golub/AP In the game: Anthony Carter caught 10 passes for a whopping 227 of Wade Wilson’s 298 passing yards, and the Vikings limited eventual Hall of Fame WR Jerry Rice to three catches for 28 yards. Minnesota mauled future Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Montana like a grizzly. Another future HOF QB, Steve Young, replaced Montana with the 49ers trailing 27-10 with 6:29 left in the third quarter. It was the first benching of Montana in his professional career.

Chris Doleman recorded 2.0 sacks, and Scott Studwell and Henry Thomas had one apiece.

Reggie Rutland returned an interception of Montana 45 yards for a touchdown in the second quarter to give the Vikings a 20-3 edge at halftime. Carl Lee added an interception of Young.

Quote: “I told Joe we had to try to change our chemistry. But you can’t say that was the answer. Minnesota just took our game away from us.” — 49ers Head Coach Bill Walsh on benching Montana

Revenge of the Niners

49ers 34, Vikings 9

Jan. 1, 1989 | Candlestick Park

Setting the stage: The 1988 Vikings went 11-5 and finished second in the NFC Central behind the Bears (12-4). The 49ers were one of five 10-6 teams in the NFC and won the West via tiebreakers over the Rams and Saints. The Rams made the playoffs as a Wild Card team, and the Eagles won the East. The Giants and Saints missed the playoffs. Minnesota hosted and defeated Los Angeles 28-17 to advance.

In the game: Nearly a year to the date of being limited to three receptions, Rice caught three touchdowns in the second quarter to give San Francisco a 21-3 halftime lead.

Hassan Jones caught a 5-yard touchdown from Wilson, but 21-9 was as close as the Vikings could get. The 49ers sacked Wilson six times, and Hall of Fame safety Ronnie Lott picked him off twice.

Roger Craig, who later played for Minnesota, scored on runs of 4 and 80 yards in the fourth quarter.

Quote: “They played hard and I’m proud of that, but there is a difference between playing hard and playing well. We had a good week of practice. Today was the 49ers day. A year ago, it was our day.” — Vikings Head Coach Jerry Burns

History repeats, only worse

49ers 41, Vikings 13

Jan. 6, 1990 | Candlestick Park

Setting the stage: The 1989 Niners kept things going after winning Super Bowl XXIII by going 14-2 in the regular season. Montana was named MVP, and Rice led the NFL with 1,483 receiving yards. The Vikings finished 10-6 and won the NFC Central via a tiebreaker with Green Bay, which joined Washington as the two 10-6 squads that missed the playoffs in the final year that the field was limited to five teams.

In the game: San Francisco totaled 20 points by scoring three second-quarter touchdowns against Minnesota in the second consecutive postseason.

Rice had a 13-yard touchdown to cap a string of 27 consecutive points for San Francisco that started with a 72-yard touchdown.

Montana threw four touchdowns on his way to a passer rating of 142.5, and Rice finished with 114 yards through the air. Craig rushed 18 times for 125 yards and a touchdown.

A Vikings squad that recorded a franchise-record 71 sacks on the season was unable to “get home” on Montana one time because of a successful quick-passing game with receivers turning short throws into big gains.

The 49ers recorded four interceptions, including one that Lott returned 58 yards for a touchdown. Wilson, Tommy Kramer and Rich Gannon combined were 31-of-54 passing 338 yards with no touchdowns. Steve Jordan led Minnesota with nine catches for 149 yards.

If that final score sounds bad, consider that San Francisco won the NFC Championship over the Rams 30-3 and Super Bowl XXIV over the Broncos 55-10.

Quote: “Everybody says, ‘Aw, Montana is the greatest, he throws the ball.’ But all their passes are 10 yards or less. Guys run with the ball so well. When you can take a 4- or 5-yard pass and turn it into 60, 70 yards, that’s a great day.” — Vikings DT Henry Thomas

49ers-history-3-2560 Peter Read Miller/AP Uphill battle

49ers 38, Vikings 22

Jan. 3, 1998 | 3Com (Candlestick) Park

Setting the stage: The Vikings finished 9-7 but were one of four teams from the NFC Central to make the postseason. Green Bay (13-3), Tampa Bay (10-6) and Detroit (9-7) finished ahead of Minnesota in the rankings, but the only other team above .500 in the conference was Washington (8-7-1). The Vikings advanced by upsetting the New York Giants 23-22 in the Wild Card round. San Francisco (13-3) had the No. 1 seed.

In the game: Now the starter, Young completed 21 of 30 passes (70 percent) for 224 yards with one touchdown and a passer rating of 102.6. J.J. Stokes caught nine passes for 101 yards, and Terrell Owens added 49 yards and a score on four catches. Terry Kirby rushed 25 times for 120 yards and two touchdowns.

Randall Cunningham completed less than 50 percent of his passes but totaled 331 yards and three scores. A 23- yard interception return for a touchdown by Ken Norton, Jr., gave San Francisco a 21-7 lead at halftime.

Cris Carter caught two touchdowns and finished with 93 yards on six catches. Jake Reed led Minnesota with 114 yards on five receptions, and Matthew Hatchette caught a 13-yard touchdown late.

The 49ers ran the ball 41 times for 175 yards and three scores, compared to 16 rushes for 57 yards by the Vikings.

San Francisco led 21-7 at halftime by outscoring Minnesota 14-zip in the second quarter and increased its lead to 31- 14 heading into the fourth.

Quote: “We thought we’d play better offense. We had to play better offense to have a chance to win. When you go against a No. 1 team, you have to do a lot of things real well, and we didn’t do a lot well.” — Vikings Head Coach Dennis Green PUBLICATION: Vikings Entertainment Network DATE: 1/9/20

Vikings-49ers Could be … Fight of the Underdogs

By Lindsey Young

EAGAN, Minn. – The Vikings don’t mind the underdog role.

By nature of being the No. 6 seed, Minnesota is likely to enter each game with that status.

The Saints were landslide favorites during Wild Card weekend – heck, the NFL didn’t even include the Vikings in its postseason hype video – but Minnesota silenced the doubters.

For a short time.

Media outlets once again are considering the Vikings an easy foe for the No. 1 seed 49ers in Saturday’s Divisional round matchup. One California newspaper even printed the following headline after Minnesota’s stunning upset of New Orleans: The 49ers Now Have a Gold-Paved Path to the Super Bowl.

Several Vikings were asked by Twin Cities media members this week about maintaining a chip on their shoulder heading into this weekend’s game.

“It’s about respect. You work hard week-in and week-out to get it,” defensive end Stephen Weatherly said. “When people take it from you or decide not to give it to you, you start to feel a certain type of way, so you’ve got to go out and play your brand of football. Eventually people will have to give you the respect that you deserve.”

Ifeadi Odenigbo, who rose to become a key part of Minnesota’s defense this season, said the Vikings aren’t blind to the critics.

“Yeah, right now we’re starting to see the media saying that this is an easy walk for the 49ers, but we’re used to this, we’re used to people counting us out,” Odenigbo said. “We’ve just got to play our ball, stay focused, and everything will take care of itself.”

There’s one thing worth noting, however: while analysts, critics and reporters may be automatically handing the “W” to the 49ers, San Francisco actually resonates quite well with the underdog mindset.

Prior to going 13-3 in 2019, the 49ers had not finished above .500 since 2013, when they went 12-4 and advanced to the NFC Championship. From 2015-18, they did not get over the six-win mark.

So while they earned a first-round bye, 49ers Head Coach Kyle Shanahan assured media members via conference call Tuesday that his team isn’t putting the cart before the horse. postgame-show-promo "Vikings Postgame" Live After Saturday's Game

Visit vikings.com, the Vikings App, Vikings Now (Connected TV app), or the team's Facebook, Twitter or YouTube pages to watch "Vikings Postgame" after Saturday's game against the 49ers.

Shanahan was asked about challenges to coaching the “favorite” team entering a big game.

“I think there’s huge challenges if you’ve got a team that really gets caught up in that stuff,” Shanahan said. “I think it’s been fairly easy for us this year just in terms of, it took us a long time to be favored. We were underdogs [in my first two seasons] – we went 6-10 and 4-12 – and we were battling. Even when we were 8-0 [this year], we still felt like, ‘We have to prove a lot and earn everyone’s respect.’

“Here we’re sitting with the 1 seed, and we feel the exact same. I’m not sure on the ‘favorites’ and ‘underdogs,’ ” he continued. “I feel like our guys have felt like underdogs all year, and that’s something that fires them up. I’m sure that’s something that fires Minnesota up in the exact same way. I think you’ve got two [coaches] that basically, we both look at ourselves as underdogs, and that’s why I know it’s going to be a big fight.”

Shanahan reminded reporters that the final play of Week 17 between Seattle and San Francisco ultimately determined whether the 49ers would be the No. 5 seed or the No. 1.

“We’ve been clawing and going through every day and every game and every play just like it is a playoff game,” Shanahan said. “I do feel, even though we’re a young team, just the way this last month, month-and-a-half has gone, I do feel very battle-tested, and I feel like our team has played in some playoff-game atmospheres.”

Saturday certainly promises to be a raucous atmosphere, but the Vikings proved last weekend that they’re able to overcome a hostile environment.

And yes, they’re on a short week. But Vikings Head Coach Mike Zimmer on Monday brushed off any excuses.

“Hey, it’s playoff time,” Zimmer said. “It’s big-boy football, now.”

Odenigbo and Everson Griffen both pointed to Zimmer for setting the team’s blue-collar mindset and helping players maintain the edge needed in pressure situations.

“I feel like we always have the chip. Coach Zimmer makes sure of that, because we have a good football team,” Griffen said. “But the biggest thing for us to do is, have that chip but also study. Know this team better than we know our phone number.”

Odenigbo said the approach “starts with Zim’ ” and trickles down through the roster.

“We’ve been a top-tier defense, a top-tier team, and everybody just wants to count the Vikings out,” he said. “I don’t know why people like coming at the Minnesota Vikings like that. We’re excited to show what we’re all about. We did a good job of that with the Saints, and we’re ready to show that this Saturday.”

And just like last week as they prepared for a road Wild Card game in New Orleans, the Vikings are relishing the underdog role – regardless of opponent.

“There’s a lot of good teams in the playoffs,” Danielle Hunter said. “No matter who we go against, we’ve just got to do our part and worry about us. PUBLICATION: Vikings Entertainment Network DATE: 1/9/20

Vikings, 49ers Offensive Schemes Feature Formulas, Fullbacks and Longevity

By Eric Smith

EAGAN, Minn. — When the Broncos won back-to-back Super Bowls in the late 1990s, Denver’s offense followed a simple formula.

The Broncos ran the ball roughly 50 percent of the time, hit intermediate passing plays and kept opposing defenses off balance in suspecting what was coming next through the threat of play action. In 1997, Denver ran the ball 48.7 percent of the time, a number that jumped up to 50.4 percent in 1998.

Denver’s offensive coordinator at the time was Gary Kubiak, who helped the Broncos offense ranked first in yards and points per game in 1997. Denver was second in yards and third in points per game the following season.

Mike Shanahan was the Broncos head coach back then, and when he won those titles, it was his teenage son, Kyle, who held the cord on the sideline to make sure his headset worked properly.

More than 20 years later, the basic concepts of the offense are still alive in the NFL, even as the league has seemingly shifted to a pass-happy operation.

“It all kind of started way back with Bill Walsh in San Francisco and Mike Shanahan and now Kyle and Gary and these guys,” said Vikings Head Coach Mike Zimmer.

Entering Saturday’s Divisional round game between the Vikings and 49ers, there is a little déjà vu in who will be on the opposing sidelines.

Kubiak is now the Vikings assistant head coach and offensive advisor, and his influence has helped Vikings Offensive Coordinator Kevin Stefanski shine in his first full season in that role as a play caller. Kubiak also began his NFL coaching career as the 49ers quarterbacks coach in 1994 when Walsh was the head coach in San Francisco.

San Francisco’s offensive plays are called by Kyle Shanahan, who is in his third season as the 49ers Head Coach.

And as both teams hope to be one of two NFC squads left standing, both have shown a strong commitment to following that same formula they were entrenched in back in the ’90s.

The Vikings ran the ball on 49.43 percent of their offensive plays in 2019, the second-highest run-percentage rate in the league. The 49ers were third at 49.21 percent. (Both teams trailed the 14-2 Ravens, who ran the ball a whopping 56.02 percent of the time).

Both offenses also feature quarterbacks who threw for 25-plus touchdowns, as both teams have shown that a key to their success in the regular season was being balanced when having the ball.

“I know that’s my goal, and I’m sure that’s Kubiak’s and Kevin’s and Zimmer’s goal, also,” Kyle Shanahan said Tuesday on a conference call with the Twin Cities media. “You always can find the outliers, but I think it’s very hard to win in this league if you’re only good at passing, and I think it’s very hard to win in this league if you’re only good at running.

“So, you’ve gotta be able to do both, and I think that’s something that we’ve both done pretty well this year,” Shanahan said. “That, combined with good defense, is I think why we’re both where we’re at.”

To be sure, the offensive systems the Vikings and 49ers run are not identical to what the Broncos ran. But the basic concepts are the same, even if the schemes (and the league in general) have evolved over the past two-plus decades.

Shanahan and Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins are familiar with the scheme, and each other. Shanahan was Washington’s offensive coordinator when Cousins was on the team, and was actually on Houston’s staff when Kubiak was the Texans head coach.

Both Shanahan and Cousins talked this week about the advancement of the scheme on a yearly basis.

“Year to year, things can change. I think the key with, even if you want to call it this specific system, is it has evolved. It isn’t a stale system where, from whatever year you want to start with it to now, it’s been the exact same,” Cousins said. “It has evolved, and I think the coaches – calling those plays, developing the system, evolving it – are the ones who deserve the credit for it, because it is a moving target, and defenses are always going to counter with answers. I think it’s a testament to the coaches involved who are always trying to stay a step ahead.

“I think it’s just individual wrinkles to plays,” Cousins later added. “Make something look like it did the week before or the year before and then do something different. That cat-and-mouse game with the defense will be going on as long as there’s football.”

Added Shanahan: “They’re all so different. The West Coast offense, I would say, if you call plays like we do, verbiage-wise, then I guess it’s considered West Coast. When I went to be with Kubiak, he ran more of my dad’s offense that they did at Denver, which originated with San Francisco in the verbiage, but you change it based off of teams you’re going against and what fronts you’re going against. I always have a hard time when people try to categorize our offense as something because our offense, there’s a foundation of something we believe in, but at least for me personally, our offense is totally predicated on what we’re going against.”

Through the Years: Vikings vs. 49ers Look back at photos over the course of time featuring games between the Vikings and the 49ers.

There’s a good chance both teams will want to establish the run early on Saturday, and will stick with it even if one team gets behind.

That means we’ll likely see fullbacks integrated into the game, as each team features solid ones in Minnesota’s C.J. Ham and San Francisco’s Kyle Juszczyk.

Both played a vital role for their teams in 2019, as Ham played 34.57 percent of the Vikings offensive snaps, while Juszczyk was on the field for 36.59 percent of the 49ers offensive plays.

Not every NFL team employs a fullback anymore, as the position is looked at as a lost art around the league.

But do you know who also used a fullback as an integral part of their offense? Those Broncos teams in the late ’90s with Kubiak calling the plays.

“We’re kind of built that way. Some teams you don’t have that personnel,” Kubiak said in mid-November of being able to go heavy. “We’ve got three really good tight ends and they’ve been healthy, so we’ve had them up every week. We have the ability with the fullback to play the game that, maybe a third of the teams in this league carry fullbacks, so we’re just kind of built to play that way a little bit.

“Sometimes it does calm the game down a little bit for you offensively, depending on how much defense, you’re getting to a certain personnel [group],” Kubiak added. “It’s just the give-and-take and what gives you the best chance to make some big plays to still be consistent running the ball. It’s just something that’s worked for us.”