MANKATO —
Another week?

Really?

Twelve to 14 more practices?

Really?

The Minnesota Vikings announced this week that they will return to Mankato for summer training camp, making it 47 years that the community has endured and catered to the state’s most popular sports team.

But over the last few years, their time here had dwindled to about two weeks.

Painful? Yes. Boring? Yes.

Tolerable? Yes.

There was some hope a few months ago that the state might build the Vikings a new stadium and adjoining practice facility at Arden Hills. Then there was the possibility that the state Legislature would balk at the new stadium, and the team would flee for the riches of southern California.

But now, it appears inevitable that the team will be staying in Minnesota for at least the next four decades, certainly longer than a grumpy sportswriter will be detailing summer practices.

About 25 years ago, these practices seemed interesting, even exciting, but the more times you stand on the sideline, sweating under a hot sum, watching adult males go through these drills, it become a little tiresome.

Really.

There are so many things you can be doing instead of watching a Vikings practice. Golf, fishing, happy hour, mowing the yard, watching paint dry … it might be more interesting to watch a Minnesota Twins doubleheader.

It will be fun to see some colleagues, a few of whom have been doing this for nearly as long. But most of them will be here a couple of days, then move on to something more interesting and maybe return in a few days.

The fans have fun because you take in one practice or maybe two, then fight for a half-hour to get autographs from the players, another venture that seemed so much more exciting back in the late ’60s.

And the local businesses will get another week to prosper, which is nice. Anytime that busloads of outsides drop a few coins into the local economy, it’s a good thing, but that economic impact number tossed around by local officials seems greatly inflated.

But if you have to attend nearly all of the practices, the allure wanes, feet quickly become sore and the brain goes numb. Something about these workouts that brings out the whiny side.

There are only so many interesting things to write about, and even fewer Vikings who care to talk about them.

Three weeks is about two weeks too many. The Timberwolves come to Mankato for a week and somehow figure out a way to prepare for their season, though in fairness, recent teams could’ve practiced for months and still not been relevant.

The Vikings are coming back. Into every sunny day, a little rain must fall.

Chad Courrier is a Free Press staff writer. To contact him, call 507-344-6353, e-mail at ccourrier@mankatofreepress.com, check out his local sports blog or follow his Twitter feed @ChadCourrier.

In hopes of adding some veteran experience to their secondary, the Minnesota Vikings have scheduled yet another free agent visit.

This time, they’re planning on bringing in former Baltimore Ravens cornerback Chris Carr. The seven-year NFL veteran will meet with the Vikings on Thursday night.

The free agent cornerback met with the Kansas City Chiefs on Wednesday, but left without a contract and is now headed for Minnesota.

Carr started his NFL career with the Oakland Raiders back in 2005 as an undrafted free agent out of Boise State. After three seasons with the Raiders, he became a restricted free agent but wasn’t tendered. The Tennessee Titans eventually scooped him up and kept him on their roster for one year. In 2009, he signed with the Baltimore Ravens and spent his first two seasons with them as a starter. In 2011, a back injury limited his ability to see the field and led to his eventual release at season’s end.

The Vikings had also expressed interest in signing Carr as a free agent in 2009, but he opted to join the Ravens.

More than anything, Carr would provide the Vikings secondary with depth and experience. Barring any injuries, Carr would spend his time with the Vikings as a nickel package cornerback who would only see the field in passing situations. If signed, he would be in competition with youngsters Brandon Burton and Marcus Sherels as well as any potential 2012 draftees for playing time.

Carr also brings versatility as a return specialist. Although he isn’t as dangerous as Ted Ginn Jr, who the Vikings recently brought in for a visit, he does have experience and can handle the reps that the Vikings are hoping to take away from wide receiver Percy Harvin.

Despite his veteran value, adding Carr wouldn’t make much sense regarding the Vikings’ youth movement. The 29-year old cornerback has recently struggled with health issues and is in the latter half of his career.

In 105 career games (27 starts), Carr has accumulated 209 total tackles, 24 defended passes, seven forced fumbles, six interceptions and 2.5 sacks. His best season came in 2010 as the Ravens’ season-long starter, compiling 61 total tackles, eight defended passes, three forced fumbles and two interceptions.

Signing Carr wouldn’t be a sexy acquisition, but it gives the Vikings’ secondary a small lift that it so desperately needs.

Gil Alcaraz IV is a life-long follower of the Minnesota Vikings and the founder of TheVikingDen.com. For more Vikings/NFL coverage, follow him on Twitter or “like” The Viking Den on Facebook.

Minnesota Vikings cornerback Chris Cook arrives for his first court appearance Wednesday, Oct. 26, 2011, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Jim Mone)

The woman Minnesota Vikings cornerback Chris Cook is accused of assaulting last year testified Wednesday that he never choked her and that the whole fracas was her fault.

And that was her testimony as a witness for the prosecution.

In a voice at times inaudible, former girlfriend Chantel Baker, 21, of Norfolk, Va., described the fight in October at Cook’s Eden Prairie townhome that led to his arrest and trial on two felonies.

Baker, who at the time had been dating Cook for 10 months, told jurors she initially claimed he choked her because she was mad at him.

“At that time, that night, I wanted him to go to jail,” she testified.

Her claim Cook twice placed his hand around her neck? A lie, she said.

Her statement to

a police officer that she couldn’t breathe? Made up, she said.

Her silence while police held a ruler to her neck to photograph a red mark? She was confused and the mark was a hickey Cook gave her, she told jurors.

The testimony was no surprise to Assistant Hennepin County Attorney Sarah Hilleren, but she tried to show that the witness was trying to protect Cook and his football career.

“Are you saying you deliberately lied?” Hilleren asked her of her earlier statements to police.

“Yes, I did,” she replied.

Cook, 25, whose first season with the Vikings was in 2010, is accused of domestic assault by strangulation and third-degree assault in the incident Oct. 22, on the eve of the Vikings game against the archrival Green Bay

Packers.

Cook missed that game because he was in jail.

The third-degree assault count, the more serious of the charges, carries a sentence of up to five years in prison.

In her opening statement to the eight men and five women who make up the jury and an alternate, Hilleren said Cook became enraged when he found her texting an ex-boyfriend.

“Are you talking to him? Why are you talking to him?” the prosecutor said Cook demanded of Baker.

In the fight that followed, she said, “He

walloped her so hard in the side of the head that he put her into a wall face-first, perforating her eardrum.”

She warned jurors they would hear Baker tell a different version of the story she had given police.

“This case is about two things: the defendant’s jealousy and rage, and it’s about Ms. Baker’s misplaced guilt,” Hilleren said.

In a feisty and theatrical opening statement, defense attorney David Valentini said Baker was the aggressor, not Cook. The player was defending himself against a woman who got angry when she drank.

Valentini said his client’s actions “were reasonable. He gets to defend himself.”

“Mr. Cook is blessed with fast reflexes and strength. It’s his job. There are no weaklings in the NFL, ladies and

gentlemen,” he told jurors. “He reacts – defensively, instinctively – after he gets assaulted from behind.”

And when Hilleren called Baker to the stand, that was the story she told.

She testified that she is a student at Old Dominion University and met Cook two or three years ago at a party at the University of Virginia, where he played college ball.

She said they started to date 1-1/2 years after they met. After he was drafted by the Vikings and moved to Minnesota, Baker said, he paid for five trips from Virginia for her.

One of those trips was on the weekend beginning Oct. 21. She arrived in town, and the plan was to go out that evening with Cook’s roommate and the roommate’s brother.

After dinner, they went to Shiek’s Palace

Royale, a strip club in downtown Minneapolis. Baker and Cook got separate lap dances, but Baker began stewing that Cook’s time with the stripper lasted longer than the girlfriend thought it should have.

“I didn’t like that at all,” she testified. When Cook came back, they argued.

“I guess he didn’t understand why I was upset, and that led to the argument,” she said. They sat on a couch together and got a lap dance together.

The group then headed to a nightclub, but Baker was angry and stayed in the limo. She was sending tweets on her phone when Cook saw her and grabbed it.

Apparently, Cook found texts on the phone that disturbed him. In his opening statement, Valentini said Cook had planned to propose to Baker that weekend – he

even had a ring — but he found texts in which she told her ex-boyfriend she loved him.

As they rode to Cook’s home, he told her, “We’re through,” she testified, so when they arrived, she went inside to pack. “I knew we were going to have an argument,” she said.

“I got mad, and I proceeded to throw a lamp across the room,” she told jurors.

She said Cook grabbed her arms and threw her on his bed and got on top of her. To fight him off, she punched him and pulled out a handful of his shoulder-length dreadlocks.

She testified she still has one of the locks of his hair.

“Was his hand around your neck?” Hilleren asked.

“No,” she said.

When Cook eventually climbed off, she said, she hit him from behind.

“And that’s when he hit me in the left side of the head, and I hit the wall face-first,” she said.

“It’s a foolish question, but did that hurt?” Hilleren asked.

“Yeah,” she replied.

The Vikings’ roster lists Cook at 6 feet 2 inches tall and weighing 212 pounds. Baker testified she is 5 feet 5 inches tall and weighs 125 pounds.

She ran outside, but not before telling Cook he was going to go to jail. Cook followed and grabbed her and carried her back inside. She threw another lamp, she said.

A neighbor called 911, and Cook was arrested. Over the several hours, Baker told police, ambulance attendants and a doctor about her injuries, all of which eventually healed.

She said she went back to Cook’s apartment after getting out of the emergency room and later in the morning, saw stories about Cook’s arrest on ESPN and “felt pretty bad.”

“Why did you feel bad?” Hilleren asked.

“Because he was in jail because of an incident involving me.”

“Did you feel responsible?”

“Yeah.”

On cross-examination, defense attorney John Lucas asked her about changing her story.

“It took a lot of courage to come forward and say that you lied about the choking, right?” he asked.

“Yes,” came her quiet reply.

The trial was scheduled to continue today.

David Hanners can be reached at 612-338-6516.

MINNEAPOLIS — The Minnesota Vikings are going younger this offseason. Some of their most experienced starters have contracts and ages that make them candidates for a pay cut — or for being cut from the team.

One of them is five-time All-Pro guard Steve Hutchinson, who is scheduled to make $6.95 million in 2012, the final installment of a seven-year deal worth as much as $49 million. He is aware of the way his salary sticks out.

“I know what the cap situation is and all that, but it’s out of my control,” said the 34-year-old Hutchinson, a 2001 first-round draft choice of the Seahawks who played for Seattle through the 2005 season.

Hutchinson said he wouldn’t be surprised if the Vikings ask him to redo his deal to stay this season. He also acknowledged he has considered the possibility of being let go before the new league season begins and free agency opens next month.

“Any player has to worry about that in the NFL,” Hutchinson said Monday.

Last year, the Vikings jettisoned left tackle Bryant McKinnie and wide receiver Bernard Berrian well ahead of the expiration of their contracts. Right guard Anthony Herrera, set to draw $2.65 million this season, is another candidate for the same fate, though cornerback Cedric Griffin, with three more years on his deal at more than $14 million combined, is the most glaring contender after a down season.

Hutchinson, 6 feet 5 and 313 pounds, is a mainstay of the offensive line. He started 131 consecutive games, including the playoffs, until a broken right thumb sidelined him at the end of 2010. His last of seven Pro Bowl selections came in the 2009 season, and his durability and dominant blocking aren’t what they were.

But the Vikings would surely miss him if he goes.

They averaged 144.9 yards rushing per game last season, ranking fourth in the league, despite a new left tackle and instability at right guard.

When asked to assess his performance in 2011, Hutchinson said he played “great.”

After shoulder surgery in 2010 to repair an injury he played through in 2009, Hutchinson wasn’t as strong that year as he wanted to be because of all the time spent on rehabilitation rather than training. With extra time to rest last summer during the lockout, he got healthier.

“It was the best shape I’ve been in in a number of years,” Hutchinson said.

Note

• Kansas City agreed to terms on a $19.6 million, three-year deal with cornerback Stanford Routt, 28, which could help the Chiefs absorb the potential loss of cornerback Brandon Carr, 25.

Routt is still owed $5 million next month from the Oakland Raiders, who released him after the first year of a $54.4 million, five-year deal.

LANDOVER, Md. — In many ways, Christmas 2011 for the Minnesota Vikings should have been defined by an inspiring slogan, an 11-word adage delivered by Joe Webb from the postgame podium at FedEx Field.

“Stay prepared,” Webb said. “And when your opportunity comes, take advantage of it.”

In a perfect world, Webb’s words would have been the neat way for the Vikings to package their 33-26 victory over the Washington Redskins, as the backup quarterback sparked a second-half eruption with three touchdowns.

Yet Webb was only a small part of the story. The far more significant scene from an otherwise pleasant Christmas Eve came on the first play after halftime. That’s when Adrian Peterson took a handoff from Christian Ponder and was drilled in the left knee by Redskins safety DeJon Gomes.

Peterson’s left leg was planted at the time and had little give. Instead, it bent sideways and left the Vikings’ superstar face down on the grass writhing in agony.

A magnetic resonance imaging exam Saturday night confirmed Peterson suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament. That injury could keep Peterson from being available to the Vikings at the start of the 2012 season.

His first thoughts?

“Oh Lord,” Peterson said after the game, before he received the diagnosis. “I just knew something bad happened.”

Percy Harvin knew immediately Peterson was in trouble, promptly waving for the Vikings’ medical staff to rush out.

“You don’t ever want to see that,” Harvin said. “As soon as he went down, with the pain he was grimacing with, you know something was wrong. … I kind of (glanced at) his whole body, saw his leg and knew it was bad.”

Peterson seemed downright disconsolate as he stood on crutches and talked to reporters in the locker room after the game. Both he and the team were bracing for the worst. The Vikings said coach Leslie Frazier would give a further update on the injury Monday.

“Some people told me what they saw on TV and they said it looked pretty bad,” Frazier said immediately after the game. “I’m just hoping and praying it’s not what I’m being told.”

As if Peterson’s injury wasn’t bad enough, on the next play Ponder took a vicious shot to the head while being sacked by Adam Carriker and London Fletcher, producing concussion-like symptoms that ended the rookie quarterback’s day prematurely.

But this is where a woeful season – the Vikings (3-12) seemed to be in the hunt for the No. 1 overall draft choice if they lost their final two games and Indianapolis won next week – has its silver lining, however small it may be.

This was a lesson in patience, an uplifting moment for a 25-year-old reserve who seems to always respond when called upon.

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. – The Minnesota Vikings need to win their final two games to avoid the worst record in the franchise’s 51-year history.

Whatever happens, coaches and players know many jobs are on the line as the Vikings (2-12) limp toward the end of the season.

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 off-season 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 off-season 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: Cornerback Asher Allen and guard Steve Hutchinson did not practise 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 cornerback Cedric Griffin, who was benched last week, and anticipated that he would be back on the field this week.

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 need to win their final two games to avoid the worst record in the franchise’s 51-year history.

Whatever happens, coaches and players know that many jobs are on the line as the Vikings (2-12) limp toward the end of the season.

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

In hopes of lightening the load on their already-depleted wide receiving corps, the Minnesota Vikings have added two young pass-catchers to their practice squad.

The Vikings signed wide receivers Kris Adams and Owen Spencer to the practice squad on Monday. These acquisitions come on the heels of Stephen Burton’s move to the Injured Reserve list and Emmanuel Arceneaux’s promotion to the active roster.

Now with the Vikings, Adams and Spencer will join former Arizona State standout Kerry Taylor as the team’s practice squad wide receivers.

Adams, an undrafted rookie out of UTEP, spent the first few months of his young NFL career with the Chicago Bears and St. Louis Rams. After spending the preseason in a Bears uniform, Adams was cut and then re-signed to the practice squad but was eventually released. On Oct. 18, Adams was signed to the Rams practice squad but was cut less than a month later. Minnesota will now be his third NFL destination since he went undrafted.

The 6’4”, 195 pound receiver made a name from himself during college as a deep threat who could stretch the field and make highlight catches in traffic. Combining great length with exceptional speed (4.4 40 time), he averaged over 19 yards per catch in his final three seasons at UTEP. His lack of size and blocking ability are definitely negatives, but he makes up for it with his competitiveness and work ethic.

Spencer, another undrafted rookie out of North Carolina State, will now be on his fourth NFL roster after joining the Vikings. Initially signed by the Tennessee Titans, Spencer was cut right before the beginning of the 2011 regular season. Since the beginning of the regular season, he has spent time with both the Seattle Seahawks and Detroit Lions but was out on the street for over two months before the Vikings brought him aboard.

Much like Adams, Spencer is another deep threat who can pick up big chunks of yardage in small amounts of time. During his time at NC State, Spencer racked up a career 19.4 yards per catch average while earning himself second-team All-ACC honors during his senior year. He also holds the ACC record with his 25.5 yards per catch average during the 2009 season. Although he lacks significant straight-line speed and the ability to consistently create separation, Spencer is a solid possession receiver who uses his frame and soft hands to make plays.

In order to open up on the appropriate space for the two wide receivers, the Vikings cut offensive tackle Butch Lewis from the practice squad. The other opening was made available due to Arceneaux’s promotion.

It’s unlikely that either will see the field with only three games remaining for the Vikings. Adams and Spencer will, however, have enough time to prove whether or not they deserve another shot when the 2012 NFL season rolls around.

Gil Alcaraz IV is a life-long follower of the Minnesota Vikings and the founder of TheVikingDen.com. For more Vikings/NFL coverage, follow him on Twitter or “like” The Viking Den on Facebook.

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Two seasons ago, the New Orleans Saints and Minnesota Vikings met for the NFC championship and a trip to Super Bowl XLIV in Miami.

As you might have heard, New Orleans won that game. But Minnesota? Oh, how the mighty have fallen.

While the Saints finished 11-5 last season and presently sit 10-3 — and are playoff bound — the Vikings stumbled to a 6-10 mark last season and are 2-11 this season.

Minnesota brought in quarterback Donovan McNabb to replace Brett Favre, and that experiment didn’t last as long — McNabb was waived last month. In his place, the Vikings put in rookie quarterback Christian Ponder.

So while New Orleans is headed back to the playoffs and are angling for a first-round bye, Minnesota Coach Leslie Frazier is trying to keep his team together.

VIKINGS OFFENSE

Early reports said that running back Adrian Peterson will return from an ankle injury that has forced him to miss the past three games.

He needs 128 yards to reach 1,000 on the season, something he has rushed for in each of his first four seasons in the NFL. How good has Peterson been in his career? He could rush for 425 yards over his final three games and it would still be the lowest output of his career.

Ponder started in the Vikings’ 34-28 loss to Detroit last Sunday, but Frazier said Ponder will start this Sunday despite the job that Joe Webb did in relief. Ponder complete 11 of 21 passes for 115 yards with two touchdowns and three interceptions. He also lost a fumble.

Webb, a triple-threat-type player more in the mold of Brad Smith than Kordell Stewart, played in the second half and was a blown facemask call away from possibly leading Minnesota to a game-tying score in the final seconds. The Vikings tried converting Webb to a receiver but needed him for depth at quarterback. He rushed for 109 yards against the Lions, and Minnesota now has its own Wildcat-esque formation for Webb called “Blazer.”

Another change in the Vikings’ offense has been the role of receiver Percy Harvin, who has 26 catches in his last three games.

VIKINGS DEFENSE

NFL sack leader Jared Allen regained his form sacking Detroit’s Matthew Stafford three times.

He has 17.5 sacks this season and needs 5.5 in his last three games to top Michael Strahan’s NFL sack record. Minnesota’s Chad Greenway is fourth in the NFL in tackles with 118 and leads a rushing defense that is ninth in the league. However, the Vikings’ defense struggles against the pass.

A quarterback would be having a pretty good season using numbers put up against Minnesota. Opponents are completing 68.2 percent of their passes, have thrown for 3,505 yards and 26 touchdowns while throwing just six interceptions. That’s good enough for a 107.1 rating. For comparison’s sake, Drew Brees’ rating this season is 105.9 for the Saints.

Starting cornerback Antoine Winfield suffered a season-ending injury last month, and Cedric Griffin, whom Frazier said was only playing because the Vikings lacked another option, was benched last week.

VIKINGS SPECIAL TEAMS

Ryan Longwell still is kicking at a decent percentage (16 of 20, 80 percent), except the Vikings just aren’t putting him in position to kick field goals.

The 15-year veteran has four attempts in his last five games, and three of those came two weeks ago in a 35-32 loss to the Denver Broncos.

Chris Kluwe is averaging 45.4 per punt but only has a 36.3 net average because the Vikings are allowing 13.4 yards per punt return, which is 27th in the league.

LAST TIME THEY MET

Sept. 9, 2010, at the Superdome

Some Saints fans might forget that while Garrett Hartley’s legs put the Saints into Super Bowl XLIV by defeating the Vikings in overtime, New Orleans also opened the next season with Minnesota.

The Saints started their defense of the Lombardi Trophy with a 14-9 victory over Favre and the Vikings. Brees threw for 237 yards and a 29-yard touchdown to Devery Henderson, and Pierre Thomas ran for 71 yards — including a 1-yard score in the third quarter which proved to be the game winner.å

One day before the Oakland Raiders battle it out with the Minnesota Vikings at Mall of America Stadium in Minneapolis and already I’m to get nervous. But that’s what happens before every game that involved the Silver and Black, and this season every game has been an important one to win.

Jared Veldheer
Wikimedia Commons

After the Raiders outstanding performance against the Chargers in San Diego, a victory for a second consecutive week will show they’ve made a big dent in overcoming some of their issues this year, including problems on defense. And stopping the Vikings’ great running back Adrian Peterson, will be key.

Michael Bush(notes) has done an exceptional job filling in for the injured Darren McFadden(notes), running for 157 yards in the game at San Diego, but it would be difficult to compare him against the Minnesota running back, and they may have the edge on this one, even if it’s just slight one.

The Vikings were stomped on by Green Bay Monday night, losing 45-7, in one of their worst losses of the decade. Peterson was held to just 51 yards in that game, and their rookie quarterback, Christian Ponder(notes) completed less than half of his passes and threw an interception. Minnesota’s record fell to a dismal 2-7, and their two wins came against the Carolina Panthers and the Arizona Cardinals, both with losing records.

Comparing the Raiders new quarterback, Carson Palmer(notes), to Ponder, Palmer has the clear edge, really getting his rhythm with the team in the game at Qualcomm Stadium. Oakland’s head coach, Hue Jackson, said one of the reasons he brought Palmer in, despite some who criticized his decision, was his leadership skills. Palmer is already proving to be a leader in his short time with the team, and Jackson said, as with everyone else on the Silver and Black, he has a high expectation of winning every time.

The biggest task might fall to Raiders left tackle Jared Veldheer(notes) who will try to slow down one of the best defensive end’s in football, Jared Allen(notes). Jackson remarked, “He’s as good as there is in football,” Raiders coach Hue Jackson said. “The guy has 13 1/2 sacks, and it’s not by accident. He doesn’t make any magical things happen, he just goes and plays extremely hard. What we have to do is get him blocked.”

That’s a lot of pressure on Veldheer, but he feels he’s up for the task and wants to do much of the job alone. Jackson said he’ll get him some extra help if he feels he needs it. This game may be closer than we might expect, but the Raiders are favored, and this time I don’t think they’ll disappoint. With the AFC West in a tight race this season, especially after the win by the Denver Broncos on Thursday, each and every game is a must win.

Just win baby!

K.C. Dermody grew up in the Bay Area of California, and has been an Oakland Raiders fan from the time she could walk. She has continued her loyalty to the team through its many ups and downs over the decades, and has been privileged to meet several of her favorite players, including famed quarterback, Jim Plunkett . Follow her at www.facebook.com/KCDermodyWriter or on Twitter @kcdermody.

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The Oakland Raiders have battled it out with the NFC division Minnesota Vikings just 13 times over a half century in the NFL. Oakland hasn’t faced the Vikings in their home territory since 2007, and as they get ready to head to chilly Minneapolis for the game on Sunday, November 20, here is a look at the highlights from their past games.

Raiders fan, Dr. Death
Kathy Samoun (w/permission from Dr Death)

In the only post season game the Raiders and Vikings have played, the two teams faced each other in Super Bowl XI on January 9, 1977. Neither team had won a Super Bowl to date, and Minnesota has still never captured the ultimate victory or won the NFC Championship title, much to the chagrin of Vikings fans everywhere.

Going into the game, the Raiders were 13-1, while the Vikings were 11-2-1. The Minnesota team was highly favored, with the many veterans who had been to the Super Bowl with former teams in the past, the Raiders had just four.

But the Raiders had the likes of the great Kenny Stabler, wide receiver Fred Biletnikoff, tight end Dave Casper, guard Gene Upshaw, and many more who would later go on to be enshrined in football’s Hall of Fame. Of course, their head coach was John Madden, my favorite of all time.

Of course, we know that the Raiders went on to win their first Super Bowl that day, and John Madden remarked, “Super Bowl XI was ours and 10 years from now or 20 years from now Super Bowl XI will still be ours. I’ll never take off the Super Bowl ring. It’s something I will always cherish.”

Looking back a decade from now, do you think we’ll be looking back with some of the same thoughts on our current young players? I wouldn’t be surprised to see many of these guys end up becoming another on the long list of names that are considered the Raiders’ greatest.

Oakland is 9-4 in the series with the Minnesota Vikings, including the Super Bowl victory. The Raiders lost the last time they met at the Mall of America Field in 2007, but eight years ago today, on November 16, 2003, they were victorious in the game in which the two teams met in Oakland.

During that game it was the Vikings who made numerous mistakes with Daunte Culpepper(notes) at the helm. The Minnesota quarterback threw three interceptions to Oakland’s third-string quarterback’s one. Rick Mirer was able to lead the Silver and Black to a victory of 28-18, with the help of Jerry Porter(notes), Tyrone Wheatley and other stand out players.

We’ll have to wait and see how our new quarterback, Carson Palmer(notes), does against the Vikings’ rookie quarterback, Christian Ponder(notes), but my bet is that we’ll be starting a new and lengthy winning streak against Minnesota on Sunday. Knock on wood, I know that none of us can take a win for granted! Go Raiders.

K.C. Dermody grew up in the Bay Area of California, and has been an Oakland Raiders fan from the time she could walk. She has continued her loyalty to the team through its many ups and downs over the decades, and has been privileged to meet several of her favorite players, including famed quarterback, Jim Plunkett .

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The Oakland Raiders are on top of the AFC West at 5-4, and Raider Nation is on top of the world, at least until this weekend. That’s when they’ll battle it out with the Minnesota Vikings, on Sunday, November 20, in Minneapolis. The Vikings are 2-6, and get ready to face the Green Bay Packers in Wisconsin on Monday night, November 14.

Michael Bush, Raiders
Wikimedia Commons

I’m not going to jinx this game by saying it will be an easy win, though it should be. This season has been a wild roller coaster ride for the Silver and Black, and their fans. They’ve won games that no one thought they could, and they’ve lost when it should have been an easy victory.

The Vikings have really struggled this year, but they still have two of the best players in the NFL, running back Adrian Peterson and defensive end Jared Allen(notes), either of whom I’d love to have play for Oakland, but that’s another story.

With the Raiders being a part of the AFC, and the Vikings part of the NFC, the two don’t face each other often, but they have had some very memorable games in the past, including Super Bowl XI, in which Oakland won their first championship title on January 9, 1977.

The Silver and Black will have to go into Mall of American Field with the attitude that they’ll be battling it out with a tough team, and not take it for granted that the Vikings will roll over in defeat. We’ll see how Minnesota does against Green Bay tonight, and I’m sure coach Hue Jackson will be keeping an sharp watch on that one.

The likely scenario is that the Vikings will take a sound beating by the 8-0 Packers, and have just six days before they meet up with the Raiders; whereas, Oakland will have had nine days of rest, definitely a big plus. Another check mark on the positive side, is that the Raiders were able to gain a lot of confidence in that great game in San Diego, and it looked like our newest quarterback, Carson Palmer(notes), really got it together and found his rhythm with the team.

It’s still too early to know whether both the injured wide receiver Jacoby Ford(notes), or running back Darren McFadden(notes) will be in Sunday’s game. If Ford is out, let’s hope that McFadden will be back at 100% or close to it.

The biggest challenge will be stopping Adrian Peterson. I’m counting on our defense to come through again like they did on Thursday, and for the team to keep their penalties at a minimum. If that happens, we should be looking at a 6-4 record on Monday morning. If they can keep this momentum going, the Silver and Black will stay on top of the AFC West, and at least capture the division title for the first time in nearly a decade.

Just win baby!

K.C. Dermody grew up in the Bay Area of California, and has been an Oakland Raiders fan from the time she could walk. She has continued her loyalty to the team through its many ups and downs over the decades, and has been privileged to meet several of her favorite players, including famed quarterback, Jim Plunkett .

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I seriously think the football gods set up this weekend to torture Minnesotans. As if a Gophers-Badgers game isn’t bad enough, the Minnesota Vikings have yet another face off against the Green Bay Packers. And this time, the Vikes won’t have the home field advantage.

The Packers are currently at 8-0, and many enthusiastic fans are predicting a 16-0 season and another Super Bowl victory. This week, the Vikings’ big job is to wipe that smug smile off the Packer Backers’ faces.

There are a few signs of hope for Sunday’s game. First, there’s Christian Ponder(notes). I really wish Leslie Frazier would have gotten Ponder in the game several weeks ago, because the Vikings might have had more than two wins by now. My Packer-loving friends like to point to the fact that Christian Ponder is nowhere near Aaron Rodgers(notes) in playing ability. Still, watching a Vikings game led by Ponder is far less embarrassing than watching one with Donovan McNabb(notes) as starting quarterback.

Another promising development: better use of running back Adrian Peterson. Everybody knows Peterson can rush, but he also makes a great receiver. Peterson’s abilities were not fully utilized during the first few weeks of the football season. He complained about this in a recent interview: ” Sometimes I don’t get the ball and I’m like grrr I was wide open.” But when the Minnesota Vikings played the Carolina Panthers, Peterson had five catches for 76 yards and a touchdown.

The Minnesota Vikings lost to the Green Bay Packers when they hosted at the Metrodome three weeks ago, but they did not lose by much. In fact, for a brief period, they were actually leading the Packers. If they can pull it together this week, there’s no reason why they shouldn’t hand the Pack their first loss of the season. Tight end Visanthe Shiancoe says it best: “[The Green Bay Packers] need a loss, don’t they? They need one. We’re going to see what we can do about that.”

Born and raised in Minnesota, S. Gustafson has remained faithful to the Vikings through their many ups and downs.

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