Vikings.com staff members Mike Wobschall (@Wobby), Lindsey Young (@LindseyMNSports), Eric Smith (@EricLSmith) and Craig Peters (@pcraigers) will provide some quick hitters on this page that will be updated throughout a busy media Wednesday at Winter Park.
We'll also have extended content and features posted elsewhere on the site.
On the docket today are podium sessions for Vikings Head Coach Mike Zimmer and quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, as well as open locker room.
Green Bay Head Coach Mike McCarthy and receiver Randall Cobb are scheduled to participate in conference calls with Twin Cities media.
The Vikings will have the first practice of the week this afternoon, and both teams will release their first injury reports of the week.
In case you missed earlier news, Blair Walsh's 19 points Sunday helped Chad Greenway **win a fantasy football league***and garnered the Vikings kicker's fifth career selection as ***NFC** **Special Teams Player of the Week**.
Follow the running log below for Wednesday's news going forward:
5:05 pm — Teddy Bridgewater isn't going to get too high or too low, whether it's during preparation this week or Sunday in Green Bay.
His steady approach has caught the eye of Vikings Offensive Coordinator Norv Turner, who said the Vikings quarterback has been playing with more consistency over the last few weeks.
"I thought he played at a high level in the early part of the season but not through complete games," Turner said. "He had situations where he had great quarters and great halves … he's been able to sustain it and play complete games."
4:09 pm — After practice, backup quarterback Shaun Hill commented on Teddy Bridgewater and his development as a quarterback.
Hill said that he noticed very early on that Bridgewater is a talented passer, and it's been something he's continued to observe this season. "[Teddy] has a good arm and can make all those throws, but he can play with touch better than a lot of people can," Hill said. "He just knows how to complete the ball – to make any type of throw, to change the arm angle, change velocity on the ball, those things. I'm just very impressed by that."
3:38 pm — The Vikings and Packers have wrapped up practice and released their first injury reports of the week, and yep, they are December-going-into-January-football long, particularly for Green Bay (16 players, compared to eight Vikings).
For the Vikings: Adrian Peterson (ankle/shoulder) and Linval Joseph (foot) did not participate, Matt Kalil (lower leg), Harrison Smith (hamstring), Everson Griffen (shoulder) and Sharrif Floyd (knee) were limited. Anthony Harris (hip) and Adam Thielen (low back) were full participants.
For the Packers: T David Bakhtiari (ankle), DT Mike Daniels (ankle), LB Jayrone Elliott (quad), LB Mike Neal (hip), TE Justin Perillo (hamstring) and DT B.J. Raji (concussion) did not participate. T Bryan Bulaga (ankle), DT Letroy Guion (foot), CB Casey Hayward (ankle), RB Eddie Lacy (rib), G T.J. Lang (shoulder), C Corey Linsley (ankle), CB Sam Shields (concussion) and G Josh Sitton (back) were limited. LB Clay Matthews (ankle) and LB Nick Perry (shoulder) were full participants.
2:00 pm — The last time the Vikings squared off against Aaron Rodgers, he led Green Bay to a 30-13 win.
Although Rodgers only had three rushes for six yards, the Vikings were well-aware of my how many plays he extended by evading pressure and throwing on the run.
Rodgers had a key throw out of the pocket late in the third quarter before adding another on the first play of the fourth quarter, a 27-yard touchdown pass that put Green Bay up double digits.
"He's one of the best in the league," said Vikings cornerback Captain Munnerlyn. "You know he's going to keep scratching and keep fighting.
"We have to have tighter coverage. When we have to chance to hit him, we have to hit him and get him down. When he scrambles, he can make every throw."
1:30 pm — Vikings specialists have kicked outside at the University of Minnesota on Wednesday's before home games this season, but Minnesota is closing on the road.
The Vikings are practicing outdoors today with a trip to Lambeau Field's "Frozen Tundra" on the horizon. Walsh hit five field goals and four extra points last week and said he feels like he got acclimated.
"You get used to it. You've been outside for two years at TCF and kind of understand the patterns of the weather a little bit, but we go down there every Wednesday before home games and kick. I think that's been a huge advantage for us this year. You've got to conquer those elements."
1:25 pm — Safety Andrew Sendejo said the Vikings defensive line has fed the success of the entire defense this season and he anticipates that will continue Sunday at Green Bay.
"We love those guys. They do a great job," Sendejo said. "They make our job easier, so hat's off to them. A lot of games are won up front, and I think that's why our defense has been successful this year, because of those guys."
Sendejo recorded one of three interceptions of Eli Manning last week, along with Harrison Smith and Captain Munnerlyn. Instead of his nose for the ball, however, attention turned to his bare feet Wednesday during open locker room when media noticed toenails that he's painted this season.
"If you saw this toe without makeup on it, it looks disgusting," Sendejo said. "Why get a pedicure? You might as well just paint it. It looks disgusting, so I just had them paint it matte black."
12:04 pm —Vikings Head Coach Mike Zimmer's team is all hands on deck for Green Bay this week. Zimmer talked specifically about Teddy Bridgewater and his performance as of late:
"I just think {Teddy]'s felt more comfortable lately, coming through the season," Zimmer said. "I'd like him to do it all year, but it's always a good time." Zimmer said that although Bridgewater will "always be a pleaser," he's at the point now where he plays with more freedom.
When asked about Bridgewater's success with the hard count, Zimmer said the following:
"He does a good job w/his voice inflection, I think some of the things we do offensively help with that as well." Zimmer's tone, per usual, is 100% focus on the game ahead. Although the Vikings have already clinched a playoff berth, the NFC North title is on the line for the winner of Sunday's game.
If the Vikings win their last regular-season game, they will return home to host Seattle for the first playoff game.
11:52 am —Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater is ready for his first game at Lambeau Field. Bridgewater missed last year's contest in Green Bay, a 42-10 Minnesota loss, due to an injury.
Bridgewater said although he was in attendance last season, he knows the vibe will be different this time around, especially with the NFC North crown up for grabs."I was there last year on the sideline and the atmosphere was crazy," Bridgewater said. "I'm looking forward to playing there for the first time in my career."
The winner of Sunday's game will improve to 11-5 and win the NFC North. The loser will be a wild-card team.
11:40 am — Packers Head Coach Mike McCarthy on the conference call with Twin Cities media, said the Vikings are "clearly a different defense" with DT Linval Joseph, LB Anthony Barr and S Harrison Smith available because they are "impact players" at all levels of the defense.
"The Vikings defense is playing very well, particularly the pass rush," McCarthy said. "It's really getting back to the basics and fundamentals, which you have an opportunity to review each and every Monday, so we're actually exercising our game plan and getting ready to go."
McCarthy said Teddy Bridgewater is an "excellent young quarterback, a mature young quarterback."
10:45 am —Can Teddy Bridgewater stay hot in the bitter cold?
That's one of the questions on everyone's mind in the build up to this week's Vikings-Packers NFC North title game. As the weather has gotten colder, Bridgewater has gotten better.
In eight career games in the month of December, Bridgewater has completed 70.2% of his passes for an average of 243.0 passing yards per game with a 12-6 TD-INT ratio and a passer rating of 102.7. The rub this week, though, is that December will give way to January by the time the Vikings and Packers kickoff in Week 17. The season finale a year ago was on December 28, meaning Sunday will mark Bridgewater's first NFL game in the month of January.
Time of year and game-time temperature aside, the bottom line is Bridgewater has been playing well for the Vikings of late and the team will need its best effort from the QB in order to take the division crown from the Packers on Sunday.
