Rice's illness keeps team short on receivers

The Vikings will get one starting wide receiver back for Saturday's preseason game against Pittsburgh, but they will be without the other.

Vikings coach Brad Childress said Thursday that wide receiver Bernard Berrian will "give us some things this week." A sore toe on his right foot kept Berrian out of last Saturday's preseason game at Baltimore and limited him in practice early this week.

The other starter, Sidney Rice, will not play after missing his fourth consecutive day of practice because of what the team described as a virus. Rice has been hit hard by the virus and has lost a lot of strength, but the team is hopeful he will be back on the field next week.

In addition, Childress said tight end Garrett Mills (ankle) and defensive end Brian Robison (leg) are out for Saturday's game. Offensive lineman Drew Radovich (shoulder) is questionable.

Offensive linemen Tim Mattran (ankle) and Marcus Johnson (knee) are expected to play.

Undrafted rookie Leger Douzable remains a long shot to make the team, but injuries along the defensive line have opened the door for more playing time and a chance to showcase himself.

Douzable, who played for former Vikings defensive coordinator George O'Leary at Central Florida, is listed at tackle but is also getting work at left defensive end.

"Coming in as a free agent you have to play hard," he said. "You just try to make a spot on the team. I'm playing two positions now so I have to be quick on my feet, know the terminology and everything. It was always ramped up, but it probably has kicked up a little bit now."

At least his coaches and teammates have learned to pronounce his first name -- Lee-jay -- correctly.

"I think one of the coaches or somebody corrected them finally and they did it perfect," he said. "I've been hearing my name get butchered since elementary."

• The NFL Network has rescheduled the date on which it will air the Vikings' loss to Dallas in the 1975 playoffs as part of its Classic Games series. Originally set to be shown this month but pre-empted because of Brett Favre-related coverage, the game in which the Vikings lost on Roger Staubach's "Hail Mary" pass to Drew Pearson now will be aired at 8 p.m. Sept. 12.

• Saturday's game will be a homecoming of sorts for several Steelers players in addition to coach Mike Tomlin, the former Vikings defensive coordinator. Running back Mewelde Moore, punter Mitch Berger and safety Tyrone Carter are all former Vikings. Carter is joined by three ex-Gophers in Pittsburgh: running back Gary Russell, tight end Matt Spaeth and receiver Micah Rucker.

• The Vikings adjusted their schedule Thursday and held a 30-minute walkthrough instead of a full practice.

Staff writer Judd Zulgad contributed to this report.