The Minnesota Vikings will pair quarterback Kyler Murray with running back Aaron Jones Sr. in the starting lineup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 3, as both are healthy enough to play in Florida on Sunday.
Murray’s status became clear early in the week, though Jones was something of a question mark over the past several days due to a knee injury he sustained against the Chicago Bears last weekend. Jones rushed the football 23 times for 105 yards on a soggy Soldier Field in a throwback performance that helped Minnesota to a 9-3 victory.
The Vikings released their final injury report on Saturday, September 26 and Jones was not carrying a designation, meaning team doctors have cleared him to play against the Bucs a little more than 24 hours from now.
Aaron Jones Believed All Week in His Ability to Play in Tampa Bay
Jones spoke with reporters on Friday about how he has felt throughout the week.
“I feel a lot better. You know, your body starts to turn over after the game, and the difference 24 hours can make, so feeling really good,” Jones said after acknowledging he was quite sore at the beginning of the week before treatment. “I finished the game last week, so in my head I was good to go for this week.”
Jones filled in for the absent Jordan Mason, who is going to serve as Minnesota’s primary rusher when healthy. However, he missed Week 2 with a fractured thumb and will also be out against the Bucs this weekend.
DeeJay Dallas logged a couple of carries against Chicago, as well as one target in the pass game. He may get more usage in Week 3, as a 20-plus carry workload is a lot to put on Jones multiple weeks in a row as he creeps toward his 32nd birthday.
Kyler Murray Back for Vikings Against Buccaneers
The story of Sunday’s game is liable to be Murray, whether the QB plays well or not.
He returns after missing Week 2 with a concussion. Murray sustained that injury during the first quarter of the season-opener against the Green Bay Packers.
The Vikings’ offense has been functional, though not explosive in any sense of the word, with Carson Wentz filling in over most of the last two wins. But the larger point is that Minnesota got out of the first two weeks with two victories over divisional opponents and own the outright lead in the NFC North.
For what it’s worth, some predictions on Murray have him blowing up on Sunday in his second chance at a first impression with Vikings fans.
“[Cleveland Browns QB] Deshaun Watson passed for 238 yards against the Bucs’ defense in Week 2. If Watson can achieve that, 300 yards should be attained by Kyler Murray,” Andrew Harbaugh of USA Today’s Vikings Wire wrote Friday. “He pushes the ball down the field, he extends plays, and his receivers work downfield, so why shouldn’t he achieve that significant number?”
Vikings Make Final Call on Aaron Jones Ahead of Buccaneers Game