After a second procedure to remove kidney stones on Tuesday, Vikings coach Mike Zimmer added his own name to the team’s injury report.
Zimmer joked with reporters that he was probable for the Vikings game on Sunday in Tampa Bay.
“Yesterday was not pleasant at all,” Zimmer told reporters on Wednesday. “[Vikings trainer] Eric Sugarman was talking to the team today and I told him to get the video of the procedure I had done and we’d show the team, but I think there would have been some throwing up or something.”
Zimmer was optimistic that both offensive linemen that were injured on the same play in the second quarter at Buffalo would be able to return this week.
Vladimir Ducasse and John Sullivan both left Sunday’s game because of injuries – Sullivan because of a suspected concussion and Ducasse because of an injured right knee.
Mike Zimmer said Sullivan has passed first concussion protocol.
— Chris Tomasson (@christomasson) October 22, 2014
Joe Berger and Mike Harris finished the game after both left, leaving the Vikings without any more backup offensive linemen. Berger filled in at center for Sullivan and Harris played guard for Ducasse. It was the first time Harris had played guard since his, as he put it, “Pop Warner days.”
According to the Star Tribune, had the Vikings had another injury along the front line against the Bills, tight end Rhett Ellison would have gone in to play a tackle spot.
“It’s never really been discussed, but I would have gone in and played tackle,” Ellison told the newspaper. “I’m sure we would have slid our protection to my side to help me out. At least that’s my guess.”
Teams don’t usually expect to lose two offensive linemen in a game, much less three, but it is something that happened in a Vikings game not too long ago.
In Minnesota’s 41-28 win against Atlanta, the Falcons lost three offensive linemen and had to finish the game with a tight end playing at tackle.
