Hartman: Healthy Greenway helps Vikings' hopes

The Vikings finally got some good news on the injury front when Chad Greenway returned to the lineup against the Bills on Oct. 19 after missing two weeks because of a rib injury.

Greenway came in and led the team in tackles with 15 and also forced a fumble. Then last week he had nine tackles in the Vikings' victory over the Buccaneers last week.

Greenway, who hadn't missed a Vikings game since sitting out his entire rookie season, said that being injured and missing game time was difficult.

"You miss three games in the middle of the season like that and it's frustrating," he said. "I'm just trying to get myself back into it now and get rolling and put some healthy games together."

Greenway said he's feeling better on all injury-related areas: "Healthy now, yep, wrist is good, hand is good, ribs are good, I'm healthy."

And the further good news is that having the Iowa product in the lineup Sunday gives the Vikings a much better chance of beating the Redskins.

Greenway, 31, said that while he has battled injuries this season, it has in no way dulled his love of the game, and he wants to keep playing for at least "a couple" more years.

"Pretty good; the Green Bay loss was tough, some of the losses we had, going to Buffalo and losing last second was difficult," he said. "I think we stayed together, stayed composed. To go and win a tight game on the road last week, I think was telling of who we are. I think if we can get rolling, get momentum on our side, we can be OK."

Greenway's past two head coaches in Mike Zimmer and Leslie Frazier were both former defensive coordinators who leaned on Greenway to anchor their defense.

Asked for the difference between the two coaches, Greenway said: "Just different approaches, different styles as far as coaching goes. At the end of the day [Zimmer] has a way he likes to do things, and I think we're just trying to buy into that."

What does Greenway think of Zimmer's approach? "He's a great coach all-around," he said. "I think he has done a great job of instilling the things he wants to do, the way he wants this football team to play, tough, smart, hard-nosed guys and I think we're trying to reflect what he wants."

There never has been any doubt in my mind that Paul Molitor would be the manager of the Twins. Even though GM Terry Ryan has the final say, he was going to be encouraged constantly by Twins President Dave St. Peter and owner Jim Pohlad, who have been Molitor boosters forever.

You can believe all the reports about all the candidates being interviewed, and that Red Sox coach Torey Lovullo was a candidate, but if you want my opinion from knowing St. Peter and Pohlad as well as I know them — and knowing that Ryan was in consultation with them —Molitor was always going to be the guy.

Now don't be surprised if Gene Glynn becomes a Twins coach. And Frank Viola is a possible candidate for pitching coach.

All of the players wanted Molitor and there was never any doubt that he was going to be the manager. Molitor was the perfect choice.

The Iowa football team lost to terrible Iowa State (2-6) and also lost to Maryland (6-3) early in the season. The Hawkeyes also barely beat Northern Iowa in their first game. However, they certainly have turned their performance around based on a 48-7 home victory over Northwestern on Saturday, when Iowa scored two touchdowns in the first five minutes and scored one touchdown off a blocked punt and another off a fumble.

Now the Gophers must face an Iowa team that Saturday had two rushers in Mark Weisman and Akrum Wadley combine for 200 yards and four touchdowns.

But it won't be easy, with Wisconsin victorious over Rutgers 37-0 on Saturday and Nebraska beating Purdue 35-14. The Gophers also play No. 13 Ohio State, which was idle like the Gophers on Saturday.

And the off week gave the Gophers a good chance to get a number of players healthy and get ready for a much tougher test than Purdue and Illinois.

• Redskins offensive coordinator Sean McVay on how quarterback Robert Griffin III's return to the starting lineup should help the Washington offense against the Vikings: "He obviously opens things in the running game where he's an additional threat and the defense has to account for, and some of the off-scheduled plays, so it opens things up, definitely," McVay told the Washington Post.

• When Redskins coach Jay Gruden and Vikings coach Mike Zimmer were the coordinators with the Bengals from 2011 to 2013, they compiled an impressive 31-18 record and made the playoffs all three seasons.

• In speaking with Glen Taylor on Thursday night, there was no chance of the Timberwolves owner giving the maximum contract to Ricky Rubio. The Wolves were set to let Rubio become a restricted free agent at the end of the year, but fortunately agent Dan Fagan agreed to a four-year, $55 million deal.