Minnesota @ Miami preview
Hard Rock Stadium
Last Meeting ( Dec 16, 2018 ) Miami 17, Minnesota 41
The Minnesota Vikings and Miami Dolphins are trending in opposite directions as they prepare for their matchup Sunday afternoon in Miami Gardens, Fla.
The Vikings (4-1), who have lost three of the past four meetings with the Dolphins, have won three in a row overall and sit atop the NFC North standings heading into Week 6.
The Dolphins (3-2) opened the season with three straight victories before injuries derailed their hot start during back-to-back losses to the Cincinnati Bengals and New York Jets.
The most notable was to starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who sustained a concussion on Sept. 29 in a loss at Cincinnati -- an incident which had a ripple effect throughout the league leading to changes to the way it evaluates possible concussions.
Tagovailoa returned to practice in a limited capacity Friday. ESPN reported that he was cleared from the concussion protocol on Saturday but will not be active on Sunday.
Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel previously announced that rookie third-string quarterback Skylar Thompson will make his first NFL start.
"He (Tagovailoa) hasn't done a thing on the football field for literally two weeks," McDaniel said. "That wouldn't be fair to the player. That wouldn't be fair to the team. I think that's something that I don't feel comfortable putting him in that situation."
Teddy Bridgewater, who was knocked out of last Sunday's game against the Jets on Miami's first scrimmage play, also cleared the protocol Saturday, per ESPN, and will serve as Thompson's backup.
Thompson, a seventh-round pick out of Kansas State, struggled last week in relief of Bridgewater, completing 19 of 33 passes for 166 yards and throwing one interception.
The Vikings have struggled with consistency despite their strong start.
After scoring on their first three drives against the Chicago Bears last week, they needed a late 17-play, 75-yard drive that ended with Kirk Cousins' 1-yard touchdown run to hang on for a 29-22 victory.
The Vikings have trailed in the fourth quarter of each game during their current winning streak, but first-year coach Kevin O'Connell is focusing on the way his team and Cousins have been clutch so far in late-game situations.
Cousins' three fourth-quarter comebacks are tied for the most this season with the Indianapolis Colts' quarterback Matt Ryan and his three game-winning drives are tied with New York Giants starter Daniel Jones.
"I think his demonstration of the mental toughness that it takes to play his position," O'Connell said on the Pat McAfee Show this week, "... the ebbs and flows of a game, to be able to be at his best at the end of some games, that quite honestly -- our consistency hasn't been at its best as a football team."
Cousins has thrived with offensive weapons such as a healthy Dalvin Cook (373 rushing yards, three touchdowns) in the backfield and Justin Jefferson, who leads the NFL in receiving yards (547) and ranks second with 40 catches.
The Vikings' pass defense will try to emulate the success New York had in limiting the Dolphins' dangerous receiving duo of Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle to a combined 10 catches for 70 yards and no touchdowns.
Hill, who was hobbled by a foot injury last week, is optimistic he will be able to play and returned to full practice on Wednesday. For the Dolphins, in addition to Bridgewater, tackle Terron Armstead (toe), linebacker Melvin Ingram (veteran rest), running back Raheem Mostert (knee) and tight end Durham Smythe (hamstring) did not practice.
In addition to Tagovailoa, cornerbacks Xavien Howard (groin) and Kader Kohou (abdomen), defensive back Elijah Campbell (foot), safety Clayton Fejedelem (ankle/knee), guard Robert Jones (back), defensive end Emmanuel Ogbah (veteran rest) and defensive tackle Zach Sieler (hand) participated in limited practice. Tight end Tanner Conner (knee), safety Brandon Jones (chest), tackle Greg Little (hip) and Waddle (groin) participated in full practice.
For the Vikings, cornerback Akayleb Evans (concussion), running back Alexander Mattison (shoulder) and linebacker Za'Darius Smith (knee) were limited Wednesday while receiver Jalen Nailor (hamstring) participated in full practice.
--Field Level Media