After suffering their first loss of the season last week, the Minnesota Vikings head back home this Sunday to try and get back on track.
What has gone on during the past week and a half with the Minnesota Vikings would seem out of the ordinary for most NFL franchises. But for the Vikings, 2017 is just another season full of the expected unexpected.
Minnesota was forced to start backup Case Keenum at quarterback last week and the result was a loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
It was not the loss that was too surprising about last Sunday, but it was more of how the Vikings played as a whole. A week after playing a great season opener against the New Orleans Saints, Minnesota looked like a totally different team in Pittsburgh.
But that was last week and the Vikings are now focused on their next opponent this Sunday in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Which players on their roster does Minnesota need to perform well in Week 3 in order to improve their record to 2-1 this year?
Case Keenum/Sam Bradford, QBs
Who the starting at quarterback will be for the Vikings this week will not be known until Sunday. But whoever it does end up being, there will be plenty of questions surrounding how much production Minnesota can actually expect from their starting signal caller against the Buccaneers.
Bradford is listed on the team’s injury report with his knee injury and he has been limited in practice so far this week. His injury was thought to be a bone bruise, but then the quarterback revealed on Wednesday that his ailment was a non-contact injury.
So no one really knows what exactly is wrong with Bradford’s knee, we just know that there is something wrong with it that could prevent him from starting on Sunday.
Nick Easton, LG
Of the four new starters on the Vikings’ offensive line this year, Easton has clearly been the weak-link. Last week against the Steelers, Minnesota’s left guard could be seen getting thrown around like a rag doll on multiple occasions by Pittsburgh defensive lineman Cameron Heyward.
#62 LG Nick Easton... *Cue Circus Music pic.twitter.com/8lX2Zge0KH
— Luke Inman (@Luke_Spinman) September 19, 2017
His task will not get any easier for Week 3 as he will have to try and block the very talented Tampa Bay defensive tackle, Gerald McCoy. This Sunday could end up being one of the last times Easton will begin a Vikings game as a starter in 2017.
Tramaine Brock, CB
Acquired in a trade with the Seattle Seahawks right before the start of the season, Brock has yet to appear in a game for Minnesota. This is, of course, mostly due to the corner suffering from a groin injury to begin the year.
However, Brock is not on the Vikings’ injury report this week and should be available to suit up against the Buccaneers. With the way that fellow Minnesota cornerback Trae Waynes has been playing so far this year, the team may just activate Brock this week as an insurance policy for if Waynes begins to perform poorly again.
Kai Forbath, K
It is getting to the point now where Forbath is kicking for his job each week.
Yes, he has made all four of his field goal attempts this year. But the Vikings kicker has also missed an extra point in each of the team’s first two games this season.
Minnesota did not bring in any other kickers to try out this week as they are apparently giving Forbath a chance to redeem himself. If he misses another extra point on Sunday though, the Vikings have no choice but to begin looking elsewhere for a more reliable kicker.
Jerick McKinnon, RB
As Minnesota’s new kick returner for this season, McKinnon is attempting to fill the shoes of one of the franchise’s best return-men ever in Cordarrelle Patterson (who had a 43-yard touchdown run last week, by the way).
It seems like McKinnon may be trying a little too hard so far this year to make Vikings fans forget about Patterson. On multiple occasions this season, McKinnon has opted to attempt a return after receiving a kick deep in his own end zone and the results have not been encouraging.
Next: Vikings keys to victory vs. the Bucs
He is averaging 26.7 yards per kickoff return through two games, but Minnesota has also began their drive within 20 yards of their own end zone on four of his six returns this season. That has to change on Sunday.