Vikings Seek Redemption For First Loss At Chicago Monday Night
EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. (WCCO) – Vikings coach Mike Zimmer is back to the matter at hand, making sure his football team's mindset has eliminated any negative thoughts after being brought back to earth in Philadelphia last Sunday.
The NFL trade deadline is next week. There are rumors they are pursuing San Francisco 49ers left tackle Joe Staley. But is it even feasible with so little salary cap room?
It's the 1-6 Bears at Soldier Field on Monday night with a chance to make another statement in the NFC North division.
The good news and bad news is the Vikings play the Bears, a struggling team that has done well against the Vikings at home when Jay Cutler plays.
"We've struggled there over the last 10 years but you know what it really doesn't matter what's happened in the past. We've got to move forward and make sure we go in there and get a win this week and bounce back," defensive end Brian Robison said.
When the story is written for this team and this season, the key may be this: The players that were not on this roster last year having to make an impact this season if this season is going to go as well as they think it can.
That includes Jayron Kearse, a rookie who had to stand in when Andrew Sendejo left Sunday's game. He's part of the young crops that will be tested by veterans.
"See if he's ready. See if he got into the books and knows what's coming. See if he can make plays," Kearse said. "Definitely just something that a lot of these veteran quarterbacks, they're going to attack when they see somebody who hasn't played a lot of football in this league."
Or veteran Jake Long, who played his first game last week after signing with the team and learned he has long way to go to get to peak form.
"It felt great getting back out there and moving around and getting back in the game. But I didn't play well enough and I've got to play better. Keep working at practice and keep getting better," Long said.