There’s something about playing under the lights. Maybe it’s the glitz and glam associated with the spectacle. Maybe it’s the nostalgia. Maybe it’s the fact that everybody in the country is watching.
Whatever it is, the Vikings are looking forward to taking center stage on Monday Night Football when play host to the San Francisco 49ers. As important as the game is for the Vikings, head coach Kevin O’Connell doesn’t think he’ll need any sort of motivational speech ahead of the primetime game.
“It’s Monday Night Football at U.S. Bank Stadium,” O’Connell said. “I think we’ll be fine getting revved up for that.”
Though the energy is palpable across the NFL on a weekly basis, it does seem to get taken up a notch when the sun goes down.
“You feel it more in warmups,” quarterback Kirk Cousins said. “You feel it more early.”
That feeling should give the Vikings a little more juice as they try to score an upset win over the 49ers at home.
“You get an opportunity like this on Monday Night Football and it’s a lot of fun,” tight end T.J. Hockenson said. “You know, to really play a team like the 49ers, who have showed they’re a top team in this league, and to be able to go out there and compete with them, and pull it out, that would be amazing.”
More details on Davenport
A high ankle sprain is the reason pass rusher Marcus Davenport landed on injured reserve. Though a high ankle sprain sometimes requires surgery, the Vikings are still evaluating if that will be necessary for Davenport in this particular situation.
“He’s still getting some opinions,” O’Connell said “I don’t have that information right now.”
In the meantime, Davenport will continue to put in work in the training room, making sure he does everything in his power to be ready when he’s eligible to return.
“He was pretty excited to be feeling healthy and back in there,” O’Connell said. “We’ll get that timeline when we figure out what’s best for him.”
Cleveland working through injury
After suffering a foot injury last weekend, left guard Ezra Cleveland will be a player to keep an eye on this week in practice. Asked about Cleveland on Wednesday, O’Connell wouldn’t give any indication as far as his availability for the game between the Vikings and the 49ers.
“I know he’s feeling better and better,” O’Connell said. “We’ll see what his workflow potentially could look like as the week goes on.”
If Cleveland is unable to play, the Vikings will turn to left guard Dalton Risner.
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