Vikings and O’Connell Gear Up For First Preseason Game

Play the Raiders in Vegas on Sunday on KVRR

EAGAN, Minn — The Minnesota Vikings inching closer and closer to their first game day as the preseason kicks off Sunday against the Raiders in Las Vegas.

The Vikings have spent five of the last seven days in pads and treated this week like any other regular season prep with an off day Tuesday and no pads before the travel day.

“Figuring out what’s my process with the call sheet. Getting together with our offense. Making any final adjustments,” head coach Kevin O’Connell said. “What’s the meeting room set-up like. How do we handle the schedule the night before games. Young guys even some of our veteran players or those who have been elsewhere. Ultimately, after that we’ll have our after action discussion if we can take it and make it better. I’m glad we get two opportunities to test that out on the road and what that also means is nine home games at U.S. Bank stadium, which I’m very excited about.”

O’Connell was not specific about how much playing time starters would get, however, the focus is on the evaluation process.

“We want to win the football game but at the same time, there are a lot of internal battles going on for positions,” O’Connell said. “There’s guys trying to fight and make our team that have done everything we’ve asked them to do. Ultimately, when you have a 90-man roster, it has to go down to 53 spots my mind tends to go it’s a little more about those guys.”

One starter who will not play Sunday is quarterback Kirk Cousins, who tested positive for COVID after showing up to the facility then leaving because he didn’t feel well.

“Were in the process of going through all that. Make sure first what are you feeling? What’s going on? And then go through the in-house stuff to make sure were on top of it,” O’Connell said. “There is still some other things going around that we don’t want and want to make sure were smart about the other 90. Coaches, everything in house. Tyler and ryan and thier staff have had a lot of dialogue about it. Just have to make sure were smart and take it day by day.”

You can watch all three preseason games, including the one Sunday at 3:25 on KVRR.