The day of 4 key rookies

Tampa _

If the Vikings, at 3-5, can't get into contention this year, I'm going to be much more interested in the performances of four key rookies than the final record. These are four people who could determine the near-future of the franchise. Here's how I thought they did on Sunday.

Rookie head coach Mike Zimmer

His defense has played very well the last three weeks, with the exception of two late drives against Buffalo and Tampa.

Against Buffalo, he failed to call a timeout while his defense was in disarray, and it led to a fourth-and-20 conversion that, at the moment, is the difference between the Vikings being 4-4 and 3-5. Sunday, his defense looked unprepared for a fourth-down play on the Bucs' last drive, and he called timeout. He said after the game that he thought ``it was going to be a big play, and I wanted to make sure we were organized."

What I like about Zimmer is that while he's a very experienced NFL coach, he admits he's new to running a sideline. He's not afraid to admit when he makes a mistake, and he's willing to learn from those he does make.

Rookie running back Jerick McKinnon

His backup, Matt Asiata, rushed four times for one yard.

McKinnon also blocked well in pass protection.

There is no reason at this point to play Asiata unless McKinnon needs a break. McKinnon basically gains about twice as many yards per carry as Asiata, is more dangerous out of the backfield, and is improving in pass blocking. He's a keeper, and Zimmer raved about him after the game.

The real question with McKinnon was whether he would be a specialty, pass-receiving back, or an every-down back. I believe he is the latter.

Rookie quarterback Teddy Bridgewater

He made a number of puzzilng throws, and missed badly on a couple of deep routes, but otherwise stood in well against teh pressure, and began finding Cordarrelle Patterson, which will be a key for this team going forward.

I ripped Greg Jennings when he whined about not having Aaron Rodgers to throw him the ball, when it was he who chose to leave Rodgers. I'll give him credit for this: He's saying all of the right things to Bridgewater. He snapped Bridgewater out of a funk in Buffalo, and Bridgewater immediately began to play better. This week, Jennings told Bridgewater to stop waiting for receivers to get wide open, to trust that if he put the ball in the right place they would make the play.

That was the key to Bridgewater's beautiful touchdown pass to Jennings. Bridgewater was under heavy pressure. Had he waited, he would have been sacked. Instead, he threw while Jennings was making his cut, and hit him in teh back of the end zone.

That might have been the best throw of Bridgewater's brief career.

Rookie linebacker Anthony Barr

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