The Viking Age
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John Sullivan back issue adds extra uncertainty to O-line situation

By Dan Zinski

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It wasn’t like the Vikings needed more O-line uncertainty, what with the team already shuffling both guard positions and losing RT Phil Loadholt for the season, but more uncertainty is what they’re getting thanks to John Sullivan and his bad back.

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Sullivan was kept out of last weekend’s preseason game vs. Oakland with reported back spasms and was replaced in the starting lineup by journeyman Joe Berger (the word “journeyman” has become permanently appended to his name).

Head coach Mike Zimmer indicated earlier this week that Sullivan’s issue was nothing to be concerned about and the team was just being “cautious” with their veteran center.

That cautious approach has kept Sullivan out of practice all week and will likely keep him out of this weekend’s game vs. Dallas.

No announcement has been made about Sullivan’s status for the Dallas game but with him not practicing and backup Joe Berger reportedly being removed from the kickoff return team, you can be fairly sure we won’t be seeing Sullivan this weekend.

There’s no reason yet to believe Sullivan’s issues will linger into the regular season but if they do and he isn’t able to play, it will be a pretty big blow to the Vikings as they try to get off to a fast start in 2015.

Sullivan is not only the leader on the offensive line, he’s also the Vikings’ best run blocker. Joe Berger is a decent backup but he’s not on the level of a Sullivan.

Let’s hope Sullivan can get his back right and get on the field, because with the Vikings already shuffling at so many other positions, they need their rock in the middle.

We don’t need a repeat of 2014 when the O-line was a MASH unit week after week. That was not a lot of fun.

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