PLAYER NOTES
–RB Dalvin Cook was held out of Wednesday’s practice with a hamstring injury. Cook suffered the injury late in Sunday’s game and told reporters it was a cramp. After Wednesday’s practice, Cook told reporters the injury is considered “day to day.”
–DE Everson Griffen missed Wednesday’s practice and was listed with a knee injury. Griffen was seen in the locker room before practice and didn’t appear to have any issues. He was listed on last week’s injury report as a limited participant on Thursday with a toe injury, but he played in last week’s game.
–RT Rashod Hill didn’t practice on Wednesday after sustaining a foot injury in last week’s game. Head coach Mike Zimmer said after the game that he didn’t believe Hill’s injury was serious. Rookie Brian O’Neill filled in for Hill after the injury in last week’s game.
–TE David Morgan was also held out of Wednesday’s practice and was listed with a knee injury. He is new to the team’s injury report.
–CB Marcus Sherels, who left Sunday’s game in Green Bay, missed practice on Wednesday with an injury to his ribs.
–C Pat Elflein was a full participant in practice on Wednesday, the first time he practiced in full since he’s returned from the preseason physically unable to perform list. Elflein, a 14-game starter as a rookie, has been slowly recovering from offseason ankle and shoulder surgeries. Brett Jones has filled in as the starting center in Elflein’s place.
–P Matt Wile was added to the injury report this week. He was listed as a full participant in Wednesday’s practice with a wrist injury.
–CB Mackensie Alexander was a full participant in practice on Wednesday, but he was still listed on the injury report as he’s been every day of the season. Alexander is dealing with an ankle injury but the team also listed a thumb injury on Wednesday.
–CB Holton Hill was on the injury report on Wednesday, though he was a full participant in practice. Hill was listed with an ankle injury.
PLAYER SPOTLIGHT: K Dan Bailey. After rookie Daniel Carlson’s three missed field-goal attempts last week, the spotlight will surely be on Minnesota’s new kicker. Bailey, though, begins the week as the second-most accurate kicker in NFL history behind Baltimore’s Justin Tucker. Bailey becomes the fourth kicker in head coach Mike Zimmer’s five seasons and hopes to finally solidify the spot. Bailey also has reason to be watched. Bailey was 8 of 13 on field-goal attempts and had the only two missed point-after tries of his career last season after returning from a groin injury.
GAME PLAN: All along, Minnesota stated it was a run-first, tough-defense team. While the latter is still true with one of the league’s best defenses, new quarterback Kirk Cousins and new offensive coordinator John DeFilippo have added a dimension to the offense. The Vikings had 52 dropbacks to 16 planned runs in last week’s game. Part of that might have been running for just 3.8 yards per carry, but Cousins also helped bring Minnesota back from a 20-7 fourth-quarter deficit with his arm. He passed for 425 yards and four touchdowns, including 293 yards and three touchdowns in the second half and overtime.
Still, as overwhelming favorites at home against the winless Bills, expect the Vikings to try to run the ball more. Starting running back Dalvin Cook was held out of Wednesday’s practice but has acted as if his hamstring injury isn’t a big concern, telling reporters after Wednesday’s practice that he’s day-to-day. Cook hasn’t gotten going yet this season in his return from knee surgery, with 26 carries for 78 yards (3.0-yard average). Sunday might be the day to get on track. Buffalo has allowed an average of 113 yards rushing per game this season. Cook and backup Latavius Murray could find running room once again.
The Bills’ offense, which has tallied the second-fewest yards and points this season, is facing Minnesota’s top-ranked defense from last season. The Vikings’ defense doesn’t have the same lofty ranking through two games this season, but it has faced Jimmy Garoppolo and the 49ers and last week took on Aaron Rodgers and Green Bay. Minnesota sees rookie quarterback Josh Allen this week. The Vikings have seven sacks and three interceptions in two games and will look to pressure Allen and try to force him into mistakes.
QUOTE TO NOTES: “Big arm. Really athletic, moving in the pocket, scrambling. I think he looks to throw when he’s scrambling. He moves well in the pocket, but will definitely pull it down in the run.” — Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer on Buffalo rookie quarterback Josh Allen.
–“I see a very talented defense. I believe the results in the first two weeks were more predicated on them starting with lousy field position and had nothing to do with their defense. More than the actual outcome had to do with their defensive front holding up. I think they have a very good front and I think they showed that last year having been a playoff team and taking the Jaguars all the way to the final play in the playoffs. So, we have great respect for them and we know we’re going to have to be at our absolute best to have a chance because it is a really good front and they’re a very attacking and aggressive defense.” – Minnesota quarterback Kirk Cousins, on Buffalo.
–“We just treat it like any other game. I think you can’t look at their record. You can’t worry about the kind of game we had last week, who we played last week. All that doesn’t matter. This is our next opponent, our next test and a game that we need to win. We need to win them all, that’s our mentality going into it. So, I’m not looking at anything that had to do with last week’s game or how we played and how the turnout was. None of that’s important. What’s important is that we prepare for these guys and what they’re going to do and the things that we need to do to beat them.” – Vikings running back Latavius Murray.
MATCHUPS TO WATCH
–Vikings WR Stefon Diggs vs. Bills CB Tre’Davious White. Minnesota can and does move Diggs around to create mismatches, but he’s likely to find White lined up against him often on Sunday. Adam Thielen’s work from the slot keeps him away from White, who has quickly gained a reputation as a quality cornerback in just his second season. Similar size and quickness should make this a fun matchup to follow.
–Vikings DT Sheldon Richardson vs. Bills LG Vlad Ducasse. Ducasse, a former Minnesota lineman, will have his hands full trying to stop Richardson, the Vikings’ latest weapon on the defensive line. Richardson is the only new starter on Minnesota’s defense and he’s had a big impact with his push up the middle on passing downs, forcing quarterbacks off their spot and right into the two pass-rushing defensive ends. Richardson has six quarterback hits so far this season and had a half-sack in each game.