Read More: Jarrad Page (SS – MIN), Benny Sapp (DB – MIN), Cedric Griffin (CB – MIN), Anthony Herrera (G – MIN), Steve Hutchinson (G – MIN), Kevin Williams (DT – MIN), Joe Berger (C – MIN), Erin Henderson (LB – MIN), Asher Allen (CB – MIN), Marcus Sherels (CB – MIN), Brandon Burton (DB – MIN), Brandon Fusco (C – MIN), Minnesota Vikings, Washington Redskins

The Minnesota Vikings injury report for Week 16 is important mostly because they could potentially end up with the top pick in next year’s draft with a loss this weekend against the Washington Redskins. The team has said before they’d rather play for pride than tank for a better pick, but the injury report obviously plays a part.

The Vikings aren’t exactly banged up this weekend, but concussions have some players reeling due to injury. 1500 ESPN has more on the major players.

The Vikings ruled out left guard Steve Hutchinson and cornerback Asher Allen for Saturday’s game at Washington because of concussions they suffered in last weekend’s loss to New Orleans. Both returned briefly against the Saints before departing for good and didn’t practice all week.

Joe Berger is expected to start in Hutchinson’s place, with rookie Brandon Fusco perhaps rotating in for a series or two. The Vikings plan to use a rotation at cornerback including Benny Sapp, Marcus Sherels, Brandon Burton and Cedric Griffin, who hasn’t played on defense since getting benched on Dec. 11 at Detroit.

The only other Vikings players listed on the injury report are Jarrad Page, Kevin Williams, Anthony Herrera and Erin Henderson — all of which are probable.

There is turnover every year in the NFL, but the rate increases exponentially on a team that is going through the kind of season the Vikings are experiencing right now. They have lost six games in a row, each one seemingly more painful than the next, including last weekend’s 42-20 embarrassment at home against New Orleans.

After fighting so admirably for most of the season despite having little to show for it, Minnesota finally appeared to hit a wall.

“At some point you just have to say, ‘what the heck’ we’re 2-12, what do we have to lose?’” defensive end Jared Allen said after the game. “Try to make every play. A lot of people are probably going to get fired at this point anyways.”

Coach Leslie Frazier is widely believed to be safe after a long first season on the job. The Wilf family has a lot of respect for Frazier and likely wouldn’t be too pleased with paying three head coaches next year since Brad Childress is still on the payroll for another two years.

But if the Vikings are completely outclassed in the final two games — at Washington and home against Chicago — all bets are off.

Frazier said the team can’t afford to think about what’s going to happen after the season. They clearly need to put all their attention on this weekend’s game to have a chance of winning.

“I’m really optimistic about the future, as difficult and as crazy as that may sound,” Frazier said. “I think I have a good idea of what we need to do to not be in this situation in the future. So no, I’m not concerned about 2012 at this point.”

The coaches aren’t the only people under the gun as the season draws to a close. Roster spots are on the line as well.

“There’s a lot at stake,” linebacker Erin Henderson said. “They’re watching closely right now to see who’s still fighting, who’s still coming out here trying to give their best and give it their all, and look to see who they can build this team with next year and continue to move forward with.”

That includes quarterback.

The Vikings drafted Christian Ponder with the 12th pick in the first round and he had a promising start when he took over for Donovan McNabb in Week 7. But Ponder has regressed the last three weeks, and with the Vikings likely picking very high next April, a strong finish would help Ponder solidify his spot as the team’s quarterback heading into next year.

“With Christian, like so many young quarterbacks, you don’t want to base your judgment on one or two games,” Frazier said. “Give him a chance to have an offseason to get with our coaches in OTAs that are going to help him. I think it’s a little bit too early to panic about Christian.”

After not getting an offseason to prepare because of the lockout, Ponder said this one will give him a chance to catch his breath, examine his game and get on the same page with his coaches and receivers.

“Last summer I had the playbook but didn’t really know how things are run,” Ponder said. “Now being through a full season, there will be a lot of time to spend on the small details and working all the time at getting better at the things I need to get better at.”

Ponder said he played too conservatively last week, trying “to play not to lose” rather than going for the win.

Allen thinks the rookie wasn’t alone.

“What are you going to lose? Go out, make plays and try to put your best effort out there and win games,” Allen said. “Sometimes we get in a back-pedal mode and just try to maintain so we don’t get beat too bad.”

Notes: CB Asher Allen and LG Steve Hutchinson did not practice on Wednesday after getting concussions in the game against the Saints. Frazier said both would be evaluated throughout the week before determining if they will be available against the Redskins. … Frazier said he talked with CB Cedric Griffin, who was benched last week, and anticipated that he would be back on the field this week.

___

Follow Jon Krawczynski at http://www.twitter.com/APkrawczynski

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

The Minnesota Vikings faced a quarterback they simply couldn’t
stop. Christian Ponder saw a future role model.

Drew Brees threw for 412 yards in a little more than three
quarters for New Orleans and got his fifth touchdown pass before
Ponder’s fifth completion, leading the surging Saints to their
sixth straight victory, 42-20 over the Vikings on Sunday.

The ever-cool Brees completed 32 of 40 passes to help the Saints
(11-3) overcome two first-half turnovers and stay two games ahead
of the Atlanta Falcons in the NFC South. Ponder was 4 for 13 for 18
yards with 12 1/2 minutes remaining in the game until padding his
statistics with the game long out of reach.

But the rookie, despite looking as rattled as he has all season,
said his confidence wasn’t shaken.

“You live for the ups, obviously. You learn from the downs, and
that’s what I’m trying to do,” Ponder said. “I know here in the
future we’re going to have a lot more ups than downs.”

Brees set an NFL season record with his 11th game of 300-plus
yards passing against a struggling secondary that was further
depleted with the loss of starting cornerback Asher Allen to a
concussion.

“For me it’s motivation,” Ponder said. “I always want to be the
best guy on the field, and obviously Drew is a heck of a
quarterback and one of the better quarterbacks in the league, and I
want to be better than him one day. I use that as motivation to get
better and prove that one day I’ll be in his spot, winning a lot of
games and going to the playoffs.”

The Saints allowed the third-most yards passing in the league
coming into the game, but they flustered Ponder and the Vikings all
afternoon. He had little time to throw, taking four sacks, and his
receivers couldn’t get any separation. Ponder finished 14 for 31
for 120 yards and two touchdown passes to Toby Gerhart, plus an
interception. But even with Adrian Peterson back in the lineup
after missing three games to a sprained left ankle, the Vikings
(2-12) were as impotent on offense as they’ve been all season.
Given two early gifts when the Saints lost fumbles in their own
territory, they managed only two field goals.

“I don’t think I did a good job of getting my guys prepared for
what they were going to face today,” coach Leslie Frazier said.

Frazier hesitated to express disappointment in Ponder’s
performance, insisting he consider the final two games before
gauging whether this was a regression for the first-round draft
pick who started strong when he took over for Donovan McNabb eight
games ago.

“I still think in this case you have to be able to look at the
long view,” Frazier said. “Today was a tough day, no questions
about it, but there were some other factors involved that created a
long day for him as well as our team and offense.”

Peterson rushed for 60 yards on 10 carries.

“I don’t know how to explain 10 carries. I was ready to roll. I
just do my job,” Peterson said. “When I’m called upon, I just try
to go out there and execute. We got behind so we kind of had to
turn more into a passing team. That didn’t work either.”

He also said he was displeased by the team’s effort.

“A lot of missed tackles defensively, a lot of missed
opportunities offensively,” Peterson said.

With Cedric Griffin benched, and Chris Cook and Antoine Winfield
already out, Benny Sapp, Marcus Sherels and Brandon Burton were
left to cover the Saints wide array of talented receivers. And even
when they had tight coverage on the outside, the Vikings couldn’t
get any pressure on Brees, who simply stepped up in the pocket
while his tackles pushed Jared Allen and Brian Robison up the
field.

Brees completed seven passes to tight end Jimmy Graham and five
to running back Darren Sproles, several of them simple but
well-timed screen passes that gained big chunks of yards.

“Guys have to play with no fear, including myself,” Sapp said.
“We’ve got to go out there and make plays.”

The defensive backs weren’t the only ones who weren’t doing
that.

“It’s frustrating, it’s embarrassing and it’s a terrible
feeling,” Allen said. “I know other guys feel the same way.”

Notes: LG Steve Hutchinson left the game with a cut on his lip
that needed stitches and didn’t return. … Sapp was held out of
the first two plays for an unspecified disciplinary reason. …
Percy Harvin was held to 8 yards on three receptions and lost 1
yard on his only carry.

Read More: vikings football, minnesota vikings football, raiders football, oakland raiders football, raiders at vikings, raiders vs vikings, oakland at minnesota, oakland vs minnesota, vikings raiders scores, vikings raiders updates, vikings raiders injuries, darrius heyward-bey injured, darrius heyward-bey injury, Cedric Griffin (CB – MIN), E.J. Henderson (LB – MIN), Darrius Heyward-Bey (WR – OAK), Oakland Raiders, Minnesota Vikings, Oakland Raiders at Minnesota Vikings, Nov 20, 2011 12:00 PM CST

With twelve minutes left in the game between the Minnesota Vikings and the Oakland Raiders, Raiders’ wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey caught a pass on a crossing route across the middle of the field, and was brought down by Vikings’ cornerback Cedric Griffin. At the end of the play, Vikings’ linebacker E.J. Henderson came flying into the play and caught Heyward-Bey in the back of his head with either his knee or his thigh.

Though it didn’t look like it was terribly serious on the replay, Heyward-Bey remained down on the field and didn’t get up. He eventually had the training staff come out and check him out, and the end result was him getting placed on a stretcher and, ultimately, on a cart and taken off of the field.

Heyward-Bey appeared to have movement in his arms and his legs, and gave his teammates a thumbs-up as he was being taken off the field, so hopefully he will recover without any serious issues.

For further updates on Heyward-Bey’s status, be sure to check out SB Nation Bay Area, as well as SB Nation’s Oakland Raiders’ site, Silver and Black Pride.