Peterson, Hutchinson Miss Practice For Vikings
EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. (AP) -- Adrian Peterson is still hobbled by a sprained right ankle and left guard Steve Hutchinson is wearing a cast to protect his broken right thumb.
Not a good start to the week for the Minnesota Vikings.
Peterson and Hutchinson were among five Vikings who did not practice on Wednesday as the team began preparations to face the Buffalo Bills on Sunday. Peterson had an MRI on his ankle on Sunday, and interim coach Leslie Frazier said it revealed no more damage than a sprain. But it's still not clear if the NFL's third-leading rusher will be ready to go against the Bills.
"It'll probably be day-to-day, maybe going all the way up to Sunday as to whether he'll be playing," Frazier said. "We've got our fingers crossed."
Peterson and Hutchinson both were injured in the second quarter of a 17-13 victory over Washington on Sunday. Peterson was unable to play the rest of the game while Hutchinson played with a plastic splint for protection.
Hutchinson said he plans on playing against the Bills, hoping that a cast will be enough protection to allow him to perform up to his expectations.
"You do use your hands obviously on every play and you're punching with it," Hutchinson said. "When you don't have the ability to grab and control a guy it makes it tougher. But we'll have to see how that works."
Defensive end Ray Edwards, quarterback Brett Favre and receiver Greg Lewis also did not practice. Edwards has a high ankle sprain and may not be able to play Sunday, which would mean that Brian Robison would start at left end.
"B-Robison will do a great job," Edwards said. "Just try to cheer him on and give him any keys and any tips that I pick up along with his studying to help him be successful if that's what it comes to."
Lewis has a concussion and Favre has been taking Wednesdays off for a while to keep himself fresh. The 41-year-old QB was listed on the injury report with ankle, shoulder and neck injuries, which is nothing new for the guy who plans to make his 297th straight start on Sunday.
He's also been dealing with an illness -- "Malaria," he joked on Wednesday -- that has bothered him for about a week.
"Regardless of what you may think, I'm not going out every week and saying, 'This is bothering me or that's bothering me,"' Favre said. "If you want, we can go through a long list of stuff. Like Steve Hutchinson, I'm trying to get a little sympathy, I guess.
"That's a joke, by the way, because he has a broken thumb."
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