Dalvin Cook #33 of the Minnesota Vikings celebrates after scoring a touchdown in the fourth quarter of the game against the Denver Broncos at U.S. Bank Stadium on November 17, 2019 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Stephen Maturen / Getty Images)
EAGAN - It appears the Minnesota Vikings are getting closer to full health as they get ready to enter the second season of the NFL, the NFC Playoffs.
The Vikings will need as many regular starters as possible, tasked with going to New Orleans Sunday and trying to beat the high-powered Saints in the Mercedes Benz Superdome, one of the loudest venues in the NFL. The good news for the Vikings’ offense is the starting lineup should be the healthiest they’ve had since beating the Philadelphia Eagles 38-20 in Week 6.
Running backs Dalvin Cook and rookie Alexander Mattison both returned to practice this week. Both were full participants on Wednesday and Thursday, a good indicator that both will play Sunday at New Orleans.
Cook hasn’t seen the field since exiting early in the third quarter of the Vikings’ 39-10 win over the Chargers in L.A. It was the second straight week he left the game in the third quarter with a shoulder injury. Cook sat out the Vikings’ loss to the Packers, then was one of several starters to rest against the Bears in the season finale.
He leads the Vikings with 1,135 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns. Cook is also the second-leading receiver with 53 catches for 519 yards, averaging 9.8 yards per catch largely in the screen game. He said Wednesday he’s ready to go.
“I definitely feel refreshed. I don’t want to put a percentage on it. If I was whatever percent, I’d be out there on Sunday though. I’m going to be ready to go, I’m going to be at full strength and I’m looking for a good football game,” Cook said.
Mattison has not played since the Vikings’ 20-7 win over the Lions at U.S. Bank Stadium. He’s been dealing with an ankle injury, and is the team’s second-leading rusher behind Cook. He’s on track to play Sunday.
So is Adam Thielen, who rested last Sunday against the Bears. He missed four straight games and the majority of six straight due to a hamstring injury. He had three catches for 27 yards against the Chargers, and did not have a reception on four targets in the loss to the Packers.
What matters now is he’s back and healthy.
“There was really no other way. I tried to do it the other way, and it didn’t work out. With that type of injury you have to be 100 percent because you’ll just end up taking five steps backwards if you don’t. That was what that dictated,” Thielen said.
For the first time since the middle of October, the Vikings look to be fully healthy on offense heading into the playoffs. They’ll need everybody against the Saints.
“It’s good to have all your weapons because you want to go into a battle with all your guns rather than just a couple,” wide receiver Stefon Diggs said.
Without their full starting lineup for more than half the season, the Vikings are 16th in total offense at 353.5 yards per game and sixth in rushing at more than 133 yards per game.
“It’s exciting when we can have our full complement of players. Naturally in this league, that’s not often. Usually Week 1 and it’s the nature of the beast. We’re excited to get our guys back and see who’s available to us,” offensive coordinator Kevin Stefanski said.
The same can’t be said for the Vikings’ defense. That’s a problem when you’re going up against Hall of Fame quarterback Drew Brees, Michael Thomas, Alvin Kamara and Taysom Hill among others.
Eric Kendricks, the Vikings top tackler, returned to practice Thursday but was limited with a quad injury suffered against the Packers. It was a welcomed sight after he did not practice Wednesday, and it’s a positive sign he’ll play at New Orleans.
The Vikings were also without defensive end Stephen Weatherly, cornerback Mackensie Alexander and safety Andrew Sendejo for the second straight day on Thursday. Alexander is battling a knee injury, and Weatherly and Sendejo were out sick. Ifeadi Odenigbo and Mike Hughes practiced, but were limited.
The Vikings, who rank 14th in total defense and 15th in passing defense, will need all hands on deck against Brees. The Saints are ninth in total offense at 373.9 yards per game, and third in scoring at 28.6 points per game.