Vikings, WCCO discussing ways to avoid blackout

For the second time this season, the Vikings might need a corporate assist to avoid their first television blackout in 10 seasons.

Steve LaCroix, Vikings vice president of sales and marketing, and Susan Adams Loyd, general manager of WCCO-TV, acknowledged Monday they have discussed the potential of the CBS-owned station playing a role in buying the remaining tickets for Sunday's game between the Vikings and San Diego if it comes to that.

As of Monday afternoon, the Vikings (2-5) had a little less than 2,400 tickets to sell; NFL rules require they be sold 72 hours before kickoff, which is noon Thursday, for the game to be aired locally.

"It really depends on how many tickets are left," Loyd said when asked about the situation. "Obviously this is an important game to us and our viewers. ... We're trying to see if there are other partners [to assist] and how much responsibility the Vikings would take as well. It can't just all be laid on the shoulders of the station."

WCCO (Ch. 4) has plenty of incentive to make sure the game doesn't get blacked out. It is one of only two Vikings games the station is scheduled to carry this season -- the other will be Nov. 18 against the Oakland Raiders at the Metrodome -- and WCCO stands to lose a significant amount of advertising revenue if the game were blacked out. Sunday's game also will serve as the lead-in to the much-hyped matchup between New England (8-0) and Indianapolis (7-0).

Last week, the Vikings had 2,000 tickets left on Monday for what turned out to be a 23-16 loss to Philadelphia. That game was sold out by mid-week with no corporate help. The Vikings are expected to provide an update on the ticket situation either today or Wednesday. A sellout Sunday would be the 100th in a row for the franchise.

The streak nearly ended with the Sept. 9 home opener against Atlanta, but the team received a 26-hour extension from the league and Fox-owned KMSP (Ch. 9) agreed to purchase the final 400 tickets to ensure it could televise the game.

Thanks a lot

Quarterback Kelly Holcomb, who suffered a whiplash-like injury Sunday when his head was driven into the Metrodome turf as he was being sacked by Philadelphia defensive end Juqua Thomas in the third quarter, said Monday he did not feel like Thomas attempted to injure him.

"I know all of those guys," said Holcomb, who spent most of training camp with the Eagles. "He was obviously trying to strip the ball. I think he grabbed my facemask a little bit. I thought it could have been a penalty. But he was playing hard, he was trying to do his job and he was trying to get the ball. That's just the game."

Holcomb and Thomas talked after the game. What did Thomas tell his former teammate?

"He said he eased up on me a little bit," Holcomb said. "I'd hate to see it if he had been mad at me."

Etc.

• The Vikings' injury report Monday included right tackle Ryan Cook (sprained left shoulder) and receiver Bobby Wade (hyperextended knee and bone bruise). Cook expects to be able to play Sunday; Wade said the training staff must wait until the swelling goes down in his knee to make a decision on his status. Even if Wade play, Mewelde Moore or Chuck Gordon could replace him on punt returns.

• The Vikings worked out safety Erick Harris, formerly of the Eagles, on Monday.

Judd Zulgad • jzulgad@startribune.com