MINNEAPOLIS — The Minnesota Vikings hit their stride last year well before midseason [url=http://www.indianapoliscoltsteamonline.com/ben-banogu-jersey]http:/ /www.indianapoliscoltsteamonline.com/ben-banogu-jersey[/url] , using an eight-game winning streak to build a 13-3 record for the second seed in

MINNEAPOLIS — The Minnesota Vikings hit their stride last year well before midseason http://www.indianapoliscoltsteamonline.com/ben-banogu-jersey , using an eight-game winning streak to build a 13-3 record for the second seed in the NFC.This year, the second half of the season is going to be much more difficult.More Vikings coveragePhotos of the Week: 7/21/19 – 7/27/19Rookie Bradbury is central figure to Vikings’ overhauled offensive lineVikings depth at cornerback being tested, Hughes still not clearedPlayers to watch at Minnesota Vikings 2019 training campTop Tweets: Vikings WR Diggs makes push for All-NFL Style TeamThe challenge starts with the schedule. The next five games include trips to Chicago, New England and Seattle, with two division-leading foes and one of the toughest venues to play in. Detroit and Green Bay are the home opponents during that stretch, bringing two dangerous quarterbacks to U.S. Bank Stadium.The Vikings are also 4-3-1, just behind the Bears in the NFC North and slightly ahead of the Packers, so they’ve squandered their margin for error.“I’m not disappointed,” coach Mike Zimmer said. “It is what it is. We have eight more games to go, and that will determine what we end up doing.”After losing 30-20 to New Orleans on Sunday night , the Vikings were mostly upset about the way they let the game slip away . They were in control late in the second quarter with a 13-10 lead, when Adam Thielen plunged forward for extra yardage and lost the ball at the 14-yard line. The Saints turned that fumble into a touchdown, making the potential cost of that rare mistake by Thielen a whopping 14 points.“It’s more frustrating because I think we had it going execution-wise and scheme-wise and all that,” Thielen said on Monday.“I think when it’s maybe a lack of concentration or just being too relaxed or what have you, that’s the frustrating part. Because you know how many times that you’ve done it a different way and the right way Parris Campbell Jersey , and the one time you slip up it costs you maybe the game.”The other half of Minnesota’s dominant receiver duo, Stefon Diggs, was responsible for the other devastating turnover. Diggs stopped his drag route short before an under-pressure Kirk Cousins dumped the ball off to the spot where he expected Diggs to be had he kept running. The interception was returned for a score to give the Saints a 27-13 advantage.Thielen and Diggs were outspoken after the game about their acceptance of blame, but Zimmer wasn’t having it, and he said as much to the team.“Like I told them in the meeting today, the receivers need to stop saying that stuff because one person doesn’t lose a game. One person doesn’t win a game. We win around here as a team. We lose around here as a team,” Zimmer said.“Guys make mistakes, miscommunication, whatever you want to call it happens. I will never put any one of those one things on one player, ever.”Though the loss clearly hurt the Vikings in the conference and division standings, there were reasons for them to feel better about where they’re headed at the halfway mark. Thielen and Diggs don’t have a pattern of such gaffes, for one. They also played without six injured starters, and young subs such as right tackle Brian O’Neill, linebacker Eric Wilson and cornerback Holton Hill fared well in extended action.“I’m encouraged after this ballgame. I’m encouraged after the last four weeks,” Zimmer said. “If I was ticked off Will Harris Jersey , I’d let them know. Trust me.” EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — The New York Giants will need to keep their faint playoff hopes alive without Odell Beckham Jr. for the second straight week.Coach Pat Shurmur said Friday the NFL’s highest-paid receiver will be sidelined again with a quad injury when the Giants (5-8) play the Tennessee Titans (7-6) Sunday at MetLife Stadium.Shurmur said Beckham’s status will remain day to day. He practiced on a limited basis Wednesday and missed the last two days, getting further testing on his injury on Thursday.“No setback. He can’t go,” Shurmur said of Beckham, who is second on the team with 77 catches for a team-high 1,052 yards and six touchdowns.Beckham wasn’t available for comment in the locker room after practice on Friday.Beckham was hurt on the final play of the Giants’ loss to the Eagles in Philadelphia on Nov. 25. He played against Chicago the following week but missed last weekend’s game against Washington.The Giants, who need to win their final three games and get a lot of help to make the playoffs, didn’t need Beckham in a 40-16 win over Washington. Eli Manning spread the ball around to eight receivers in throwing for 197 yards. Sterling Shepard, Bennie Fowler and Russell Shepard caught touchdown passes.“We just have do our job,” Russell Shepard said. “In this league you are going to have injuries, you are going to have key players out and we’re professionals, too. As big a superstar as he is, as good a receiver as he is, we’re professionals. We’ve been doing this. I am confident in this group.”With Beckham out, defenses tend take a different approach to the Giants since they don’t have to double-team Beckham.Sterling Shepard said his role changes http://www.detroitlionsteamonline.com/austin-bryant-jersey , too. Instead of being mostly a slot receiver, he will line up on the outside more.“I’ll move around a little, too,” he said. “It’s a little more on my plate, but I am up for the challenge. I love it.”Fowler, who is in his fourth year in the league, started for Beckham last weekend. His approach to playing more is just to take it one play at a time.“I don’t think anyone can do what Odell does,” Fowler said. “I am not going to try to do anything he does. He is his own unique player and I am my own unique player. It’s all good. I am going to do what I do.”Corey Coleman, who was signed as a free agent in October, was another backup who almost scored last weekend. He caught a 30-yard pass and was stopped at the Washington 3, setting up an Aldrick Rosas field goal.“You can learn from different experiences,” Coleman said of the receivers, “and Odell does a wonderful job of making sure we all are prepared.”