Minnesota Vikings: How injury report could impact Week 10 in Dallas

With the latest injury report arriving before the Minnesota Vikings face the Dallas Cowboys in Week 10, here are how the injuries might impact the game.

With Week 10 of the 2019 NFL reason officially here, the Minnesota Vikings will be looking to bounce back during the weekend after suffering a close loss a week ago on the road. The Vikings will hit the road and will take on the national stage when they travel to take on the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday Night Football at AT&T Stadium.

Minnesota enters the game at 6-3 overall on the year, coming off of a close 26-23 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on the road in Week 9 and have won four of its last five contests ahead of the matchup against America’s Team on Sunday night.

Dallas will come into the contest at 5-3 overall on the season, coming off of a 37-18 victory on the road against the New York Giants last Monday in Week 9. The Cowboys have won two of their last three entering the 10th week of the year.

Leading up to the game, the Vikings released their final injury report ahead of the contest, a list that includes a few key players — two of which come on each side of the ball — that could make an impact on the course of the game in Dallas.

On Friday afternoon, Minnesota announced that wide receiver Adam Thielen (hamstring) and defensive lineman Linval Joseph (knee) will be out for the contest against the Cowboys, joining safety Andrew Sendejo (groin) — a former Vikings player who was claimed off of waivers during the week — as the players who will not take part in the matchup on Sunday.

Along with those three players officially being listed as out, cornerback Trae Waynes (ankle/not injury related) and defensive end Stephen Weatherly (groin) are questionable for the game, with those two players having played some key moments within the stellar Minnesota defensive unit up to this point in the year.

While the Vikings try and at least get Waynes and Weatherly ready to go for the game on Sunday night, could the absence of Thielen, Joseph and Sendejo impact the game against the Cowboys?

When it comes to Thielen, the wide receiver is still attempting to battle back from a nagging hamstring injury that he injured against the Detroit Lions in Week 7. So far this season, Thielen has tallied 391 yards and a team-best six touchdown receptions for the Vikings. With 27 receptions, he has recorded an average of 14.5 yards per catch this year.

With Joseph, the absence of the big man in the middle of the defensive line will be felt within the Vikings defense in the game. So far this season, Joseph ranks eighth on the team with 31 total tackles, adding three sacks which is tied for third-most on the Vikings defense.

Although Sendejo hasn’t played for Minnesota so far in 2019, the depth he could have provided the Vikings with would have been a nice piece to head into the game in Dallas with. In nine games with the Philadelphia Eagles this season, the safety has totaled 28 tackles with one sack and one interception.

The absence of those three players will impact both sides of the ball. With Thielen and the Vikings offense, it will obviously limit the amount of weapons that Kirk Cousins and the rest of the offensive unit will be presented with.

With Joseph, Sendejo and potentially Waynes and Weatherly missing action for Minnesota, that could allow the high-powered Dallas offense the ability and chance to break things open at AT&T Stadium in Dallas in Week 10.

It will be interesting to see if the Vikings will be able to overcome these injuries and pick up a big win away from home against the Cowboys on the national stage that is Sunday Night Football.