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Access Vikings morning walkthrough: Defensive linemen staying busy, Diggs and Kendricks duke it out and more

The league is a little top-heavy right now, with five undefeated teams. But beyond them, the NFL is a jumbled mess.

By Matt Vensel

October 21, 2015 at 12:46PM

Every weekday, we walk you through what's going on with the Vikings.

WHAT YOU MIGHT HAVE MISSED

— When it comes to juggling snap counts and situational substitutions, no NFL assistant has a tougher job on game day than a defensive line coach.

— Wide receiver Stefon Diggs and middle linebacker Eric Kendricks are both up for the NFL's rookie of the week award for their play in Week 6.

— The Vikings placed nose tackle Shamar Stephen on injured reserve.

— Mark Craig says that based on how the Lions played on Sunday and considering this week's game is in Detroit, fans should not assume the Vikings are good enough to beat the Lions like they did five weeks ago.

— On this week's Access Vikings podcast, we discussed Diggs, whether Norv Turner is to blame for the offense's struggles, whether it is worth it to try to get Cordarrelle Patterson back in the mix on offense and more.

BEHIND ENEMY LINES

— Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford rushed for a career-high 37 yards in their win over the Bears, but the coaches don't want that to be the norm.

— Lions running back Joique Bell said he is close to returning to the field.

— The Lions moved offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi to the press box against the Bears, and their offense scored a season-high 37 points.

TODAY'S VIKINGS SCHEDULE

The Vikings take the field at Winter Park at 1 p.m. Before that, after the walkthrough, Mike Zimmer and Teddy Bridgewater are on the podium.

SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT

Six weeks into the season, only 10 teams have winning records. Meanwhile, nine are either 3-3 or 2-3. Talk about mediocrity. Now, the league is a little top-heavy right now, with five undefeated teams. But beyond them, the NFL is a jumbled mess. So one would think that if the Vikings can go 4-0 or 3-1 over their next four games, they should be able to coast into the playoffs. Because right now, it looks like a 9-7 mark might be good enough to get in.