Aside from the obvious disappointment of losing their seventh game of the year, there were other takeaways from Sunday’s 27-23 decision in Dallas.
Some of those came during the game, while others head coach Leslie Frazier discussed postgame.
Firstly, right tackle Phil Loadholt, who has been part of an underwhelming offensive line this year, suffered a concussion before the half in Dallas. With Minnesota playing again Thursday, Frazier said after the game it would be “very very tough” for Loadholt to pass NFL concussion protocol by game time.
Tight end Kyle Rudolph, who scored a 31-yard touchdown in the third quarter, didn’t play again after suffering a left foot injury on the play. The foot got trapped under a member of the Dallas secondary and rolled one, and Rudolph said after the game he couldn’t run, with the good news being X-rays on the foot came back negative.
Rudolph and cornerback Xavier Rhodes will have MRIs Monday, as Rhodes suffered a leg injury late in the game, to determine their availability Thursday.
As for that Thursday contest against Washington, Frazier said he didn’t see why he wouldn’t trot out Christian Ponder once again at quarterback. Frazier also said Ponder “did some good things.”
As for Josh Freeman, Frazier made it sound as if he may be considered as more of a long term option, rather than an immediate fix. Without saying it, Frazier essentially called what Freeman is doing in Minnesota an extended tryout, with a future with the club after this year “part of the equation.”
