It's October, which means that Vikings linebacker Eric Kendricks is kicking off another "Sacktober" campaign to combat childhood hunger.
Kendricks is asking fans to make a pledge for every sack the Vikings record during the month of October, which will feature four games: at the Giants (10/6), versus the Eagles (10/13), at the Lions (10/20) and versus the Redskins (10/24).
As an added incentive, there will be a weekly drawing for Vikings game tickets or game-worn gear throughout the month.
According to Kendricks' PledgeIt campaign, donations will be matched by Cargill up to $15,000.
Proceeds will support The Sheridan Story, a nonprofit with which Kendricks has partnered with throughout his Vikings career. Below is more information about the program:
The Sheridan Story focuses on the weekend food gap, when children aren't able to receive free and reduced meal programs at school. Over 200,000 children in Minnesota don't always have access to the nutrition they need to learn and grow. The Sheridan Story helps to ensure kids get access to the food they need over the weekends.
The Sheridan Story in not a typical "backpack program." It is a full-service non-profit organization specializing in equipping the community to implement weekend food programs in their local school. Working in more than 200 schools throughout the Twin Cities, The Sheridan Story provides the tools, resources, and expertise required to make an effective and significant impact on child hunger. At the end of each school week, the organization provides more than 5,500 children with a weekend supply of substantive, nutritious food.
Rosenthal evaluates NFC after 'September chaos'
The Vikings through the first quarter of the season are 2-2, with both losses coming against division rivals.
Vikings Head Coach Mike Zimmer and a number of players have said they're ready to bounce back after a tumultuous first four weeks, but it's no secret that the NFC landscape already is a complicated one.
NFL.com's Gregg Rosenthal recently evaluated the conference after what he called "September chaos," starting with the NFC North. He wrote:
The margin for error is perilously thin in the league's best defensive division. If being able to win any style of game is a prerequisite to success in today's NFL, it's fair to doubt whether the Bears or Vikings have that gear.
[…]
Vikings [Head Coach] Mike Zimmer and [General Manager] Rick Spielman have carefully built their defense over the years with homegrown products, contract extensions and incredible continuity. But they still [haven't been playing] with the cohesion, explosion or ferocity of the Bears group […]. The Vikings are already 0-2 in the division, a significant hole to climb from.
[…]
If the Bears can win another defensive game at Tottenham, they'll hit the Week 6 bye at 4-1. Before the season started, this looked like a division that would produce two playoff teams, and that remains true after four weeks. The surprise here is that the 2-1-1 Lions should also be in that mix. They've already faced the tougher part of their non-conference schedule (Kansas City and the Los Angeles Chargers), with Sunday's 34-30 loss to the Chiefs serving as proof that they can compete with anyone.
Rosenthal did not specifically address the Packers in his evaluation of the division. To read his NFC breakdown in its entirety, click here.
