Hicks' status to be decided at game time against Bears

Vikings right tackle Artis Hicks went through a light workout Friday and will be a game-time decision Sunday against the Chicago Bears, according to coach Brad Childress.

Hicks, who suffered a right elbow injury in the fourth quarter last week, is officially listed as questionable, meaning there is a 50 percent chance he will play. Ryan Cook, who was demoted before the Jaguars game, would start if Hicks is unable to play.

"[It's] mostly up to his pain threshold and what he can tolerate and what he can't," Childress said of Hicks.

Hicks originally hurt his right elbow in the season opener against Green Bay but did not miss a game.

Cook might be pressed back into action after being benched following the Tampa Bay game because of penalties and inconsistency. Childress said Cook has maintained a good attitude despite his demotion.

"It's no different than anybody that takes a step back," he said. "You have to keep your sword sharp because you just never know. It happened to be one game and all of a sudden he has a chance to be back in there."

The only special-teams role Darius Reynaud held at West Virginia was as kickoff returner. But the undrafted rookie played on all four special-teams units in his NFL debut last week.

Promoted from the practice squad to replace Maurice Hicks as the kick returner, Reynaud returned two kickoffs for an average of 18.0 yards. He also played on the coverage units, including as the gunner on the punt team.

"That was my first time as the gunner," he said. "They see how fast I am in practice. I can use that as my advantage at gunner. I got down there a couple of times. I missed a tackle, but I'm getting down there."

Reynaud has the second-highest kickoff return average (26.8 yards) in West Virginia history. Reynaud said his first taste of returning kicks at this level opened his eyes.

"It was pure speed," he said. "I know what to expect this game. I know how fast the game is."

Bernard Berrian has only four total catches in the past three games after reaching 100 yards receiving in three of his previous four games. Offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell said defenses are doing different things to try and limit Berrian's touches.

"I wouldn't say it's that simple, although you can see that teams are doing certain things to try to take him away," Bevell said. "At Jacksonville, they had [Rashean] Mathis mirror him all over the field. ... Normally, your corners stay on their side, but he tracked him. Sometimes they had safeties over the top. But we can still get Bernard the ball."

The Bears last week unveiled their own version of the "Wildcat" formation on two plays -- once with receiver Devin Hester taking the direct snap and once with running back Matt Forte in the special formation.

"I should have done it earlier, but we were just trying to get the ball in the hands of the playmakers," Bears offensive coordinator Ron Turner said.

The Bears have different names for their version. They call it "Cane" when Hester takes the snap because he played in college for the Miami Hurricanes. Forte grew up in Louisiana and played at Tulane so they call it "Cajun" when he's in that formation.

"I probably shouldn't have said that," Turner said.