Vikings, Gophers, Twins and Canterbury Park notes:
Fans might still be stewing over the Vikings’ 10-9 playoff loss to the Seahawks last January but field goal kicker Blair Walsh insists he has moved on. It was Walsh’s 27-yard missed field goal that ended the Vikings’ goal of reaching the Super Bowl.
“We’re not going to talk about that anymore,” Walsh said Monday. “We’re so far past that. This is a new week for our team. A new season for our team. I’ve addressed that multiple times in the past so I think we’re just going to move past it.”
Sounds like when the Vikings are in Seattle for tomorrow night’s preseason game against the Seahawks Walsh doesn’t plan to be thinking about the first round playoff loss at TCF Bank Stadium. Walsh said he worked hard during the offseason and is looking forward to another successful year after leading the NFL in field goals last season with 34.
Vikings linebacker Chad Greenway said he doesn’t expect to have memories of the playoff game on the trip this week. “Not really. Your job as a player is to wash those things away and just continue to try to focus on what’s next. …We have to move on to the next thing which is the (2016) season.”
Greenway, who is headed toward his 11th and perhaps final season with the Vikings, has the experience to judge how the defense is playing in its four exhibition games leading up to the season. “I look at the little things like how we run to the football, how we attack as a team,” he said. “Make sure we’re trying to strip the football and get turnovers, and then how we’re doing in situational football (game circumstances).”
The wins and losses of preseason games are usually regarded as meaningless, but it must say something that since Mike Zimmer became head coach the Vikings’ record is 9-1 in exhibitions. How to explain it? Zimmer demands effort from his players—starters to scrubs. The Vikings may sometimes outwork the opposition in preseason games.
It will be interesting to see how many times Teddy Bridgewater is sacked during preseason and the regular season that follows. The Vikings third-year quarterback was sacked 44 times during the 2015 regular season. Only five other NFL quarterbacks were sacked more times. His quarterback rating of 88.7 ranked 35th in the NFL.
The offensive line had issues with pass protection last season but the criticism of Bridgewater is he sometimes holds onto the ball too long. Although Bridgewater played only briefly in last week’s preseason opener against the Bengals, he was sacked on the second play of the first offensive series.
Bridgewater impressed with a pass in tight coverage to Adam Thielen in the first quarter, with Zimmer saying later, “I don’t know if Teddy makes that throw a year ago.”
The opening of U.S. Bank Stadium has prompted extensive media coverage both locally and nationally. Vikings spokesman Jeff Anderson said media interest includes varied sources such as Maxim, Popular Mechanics, Sports Business Journal, USA Today and The Weather Channel.
Last Friday night the television household ratings in the Minneapolis-St. Paul market were generally higher for the Olympics than the Vikings-Bengals preseason game. The Vikings game had a slight edge in the early evening but later the Olympics ratings were about seven points higher. Both the Vikings and Olympics had much larger ratings than the Twins-Royals game (example: at 9 p.m. the Olympics had an 18 while the Twins were 1.7).
Sports Illustrated’s August 15 college football preview issue includes four Big Ten teams in its rankings of the nation’s top 25 teams, and the Gophers only play one this season, Iowa. Michigan is No. 4, Ohio State No. 9, Michigan State No. 13 and Iowa No. 14.
Gophers linebacker Jack Lynn talking about college football publications predicting his team will finish fifth in the seven-team Big Ten West Division: “It’s just fuel in our fire. We know in the locker room what we have to do to be successful. You just take it from there.”
Lynn, a senior and one of the Gophers leaders on defense, mentioned running back Kobe McCrary first when asked about offensive players who have impressed during August practices. He likened the junior college transfer to former Gopher power runner Rodrick Williams.
McCrary, a junior, could be the Gophers No. 2 running back for their September 1 home game against Oregon State. Redshirt sophomore Rodney Smith, who was second on the team in rushing yards last year, looks certain to be No. 1.
“Some of the things I’ve seen Rodney do in camp so far have been unbelievable,” said Gophers senior quarterback Mitch Leidner. “The cuts he’s made, the catches he’s made. …He’s a tough physical runner. I think really the rest of those running backs can really look up to Rodney…what he’s doing right now.”
The Gophers need breakthrough help at wide receiver and Lynn has been impressed with redshirt sophomore Melvin Holland Jr. “He’s looking good,” Lynn said. “He’s coming out and competing every day. He’s gotten a lot better since even this spring.”
Former Gopher linebacker Mike Rallis is working on a career in the WWE and wrestling under the name of Riddick Moss. Brother Nick, a senior linebacker for the Gophers, said he’s considered a pro wrestling career but wants to pursue college coaching.
A Bleacher Report website story August 11 projected where all 30 major league baseball teams will rank three years from now. The Twins ranked No. 16 with a predicted batting order of centerfielder Byron Buxton, shortstop Nick Gordon, right fielder Max Kepler, third baseman Miguel Sano, DH Adam Walker, first baseman Byung-Ho Park, left fielder Eddie Rosario, second baseman Jorge Polanco, and catcher Mitch Garver. Starting pitchers listed are Jose Berrios, Kyle Gibson, Steven Gonsalves, Phil Hughes and Kohl Stewart.
Twins first baseman Joe Mauer, who had three hits including a homerun in the club’s win over the Braves last night, is batting .436 in his last 15 games.
Eduardo Nunez, who hit over .300 at times for the Twins, is struggling since being traded to the Giants last month. He is hitting .214 with the pennant contending Giants and instead of playing his former position of shortstop has been at third base.
Ricky Nolasco, also recently traded by the Twins, isn’t compiling stats much different with the Angels. His record in Minnesota was 4-8 with a 5.13 ERA and in Los Angeles he is 0-2 with a 5.19 ERA.
Canterbury Park’s Minnesota Festival of Champions is Sunday afternoon, and a highlight of the racing season at the Shakopee track. The annual event is only for Minnesota-bred thoroughbreds and quarter horses, helping to showcase the state’s breeding industry.