Once a week, Mark Craig will get on and off the field quickly, then focus a spotlight on a player and a coach.
ON THE FIELD WITH ...
Adam Thielen, Vikings receiver
Question: The Vikings faced third-and-10 while trailing the Rams 28-20 in the third quarter last week. They were lined up when the independent concussion evaluator stopped the game and had Thielen pulled from the field. Thielen didn't have a concussion and returned, but not until after the Vikings failed to convert. At that point, Thielen had converted three third downs. So, Adam, were you supposed to get the ball on the play from which you were pulled?
Answer: "In the NFL, you can't just say, 'This ball is going to you.' But I liked the play call. I think any time you're not in on third down, it's frustrating. I don't know what my chances were of getting the ball on that play. But the thing I was most frustrated about was, first of all, how long it took them, and it was a third down and a crucial part of the game. It seemed a little unfair to me that they would pull me out in that situation. But that's the league rules, and it's for our own safety."
OFF THE FIELD WITH ...
Adam Zimmer, Vikings linebackers coach
Question: Zimmer and Drew Brees both joined the Saints in the spring of 2006, about six months after Hurricane Katrina hit. Zimmer was a 22-year-old coaching assistant hired to break down film and help with the linebackers. What was it like living in New Orleans in the months after Katrina?
