Thread: Bucs at Vikings (Articles)

Jared Allen to battle former Viking practice squad player Sunday

Article by Kent Youngblood

http://www.startribune.com/sports/vi...130000098.html

One battle to keep your eyes on Sunday is Vikings defensive end Jared Allen vs. Tampa Bay left tackle Donald Penn.

Penn has Vikings roots. He was signed as an undrafted free agent in 2006 and began that season on the team's practice squad before being signed by the Buccaneers that October. Penn didn't appear in a game that season, but he started 12 of 16 in 2007 and has started every game for Tampa Bay since. Penn and Allen faced each other once, in November 2008. Penn held Allen without a sack in a 19-13 Buccaneers victory.

Allen, who has a half-sack from the Vikings' season opener, has looked at a lot of film on Penn. His impression?

"He's gotten better over the years, I'll give him that," Allen said. "He's a big guy [6-5, 305]. He likes to absorb pressure. I think the biggest thing, we have to go out and stop the run and create one-on-ones. If we can get into some one-on-one situations we can be successful."

Allen battled shoulder and knee injuries that season but didn't miss a game. He was on a conference call with the Tampa Bay media this week, and he remembered that 2008 game.

"I was fresh off a busted-up shoulder," he told them. "And I felt it. I'll never forget that game."

Penn is coming off his first Pro Bowl but still could be vulnerable. According to profootballfocus.com, he gave up six sacks, nine knockdowns and 36 pressures last season.

E.J. Henderson confident he will be OK by Sunday

Article by Mark Craig

http://www.startribune.com/sports/vi...129997683.html

Based on a similar experience from last November, Vikings Pro Bowl middle linebacker E.J. Henderson said he's "pretty confident" he will play in Sunday's home opener despite missing practice Thursday and Friday because of a sore and swollen left knee.

"I think we had one episode last year where it swelled up a lot," Henderson said. "We pretty much had to do the same thing -- drain it, treat it and I made it out there Sunday. This is nothing out the ordinary. Just maybe a little more swelling, a little more pain, but it's something that we're dealing with, and hopefully I'll be ready to rock on Sunday."

Henderson had fluid drained from the knee Thursday and said he was feeling better Friday. An X-ray on Thursday revealed no structural damage.

Coach Leslie Frazier is cautiously "hopeful" that Henderson will play but called it a game-time decision based on a pregame workout at the Metrodome before the team plays the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Officially, Henderson is listed as questionable, meaning he has a 50 percent chance of playing.

"The swelling is down, so that was a good thing," Frazier said. "But he still looked tender. ... When he said that he was struggling a little bit, you have to pay attention because he never talks about injuries at all. It's not who he is. If there's anybody who can play through things, E.J. Henderson can."

Overnight, the Vikings went from being injury-free coming out of Week 1 to potentially losing a starter at the position with the least depth.

Jasper Brinkley, a reliable backup the past two years, had hip surgery and was placed on injured reserve two weeks ago. That forced the Vikings to scramble after making their final cuts Sept. 3.

They claimed Xavier Adibi, a career 3-4 inside linebacker, off waivers from Houston on Sept. 4. But Adibi, a four-year veteran with eight starts, isn't ready to assume the starting job in a 4-3 defense. So the Vikings, at this point, would move starting weak-side linebacker Erin Henderson to the middle and insert Kenny Onatolu, a special teams player, at weak-side linebacker. Signing another linebacker was discussed but dismissed, Frazier said.

One battle to keep your eyes on Sunday is Vikings defensive end Jared Allen vs. Tampa Bay left tackle Donald Penn.

Penn has Vikings roots. He was signed as an undrafted free agent in 2006 and began that season on the team's practice squad before being signed by the Buccaneers that October. Penn didn't appear in a game that season, but he started 12 of 16 in 2007 and has started every game for Tampa Bay since. Penn and Allen faced each other once, in November 2008. Penn held Allen without a sack in a 19-13 Buccaneers victory.

Penn is coming off his first Pro Bowl but still could be vulnerable. According to profootballfocus.com, he gave up six sacks, nine knockdowns and 36 pressures last season.

So, is this telling us we had a good LT, but lost him......or not?

Originally Posted by singersp

So, is this telling us we had a good LT, but lost him......or not?

Lol I was wondering the exact same thing when I read this. He was a Pro-Bowler last year, but as an alternate.