Since coming back from a hamstring injury that kept him out for five games, the first missed games in his NFL career, Vikings wide receiver Adam Thielen hasn't looked quite in sync yet — catching just three passes for 27 yards over two games, including no receptions on Monday night in a loss to the Packers.
But Thielen had positive news for the Vikings and their fans as he headed into the regular-season finale against the Bears on Sunday and then a wild-card matchup in the playoffs next week.
"This is the best I have felt [physically] for a long time," the Pro Bowl wideout said. "I feel honestly better than I did when I first entered the league. For me, I just have to make sure I stay on top of it and just prepare and when you have opportunities to make plays, you have to make them."
For Thielen, who went undrafted out of Minnesota State Mankato and worked his way to being one of the best pass catchers in the NFL, this is just another challenge to overcome.
"It's tough, but at the end of the day it's adversity, it's how you respond to things like that," Thielen said. "I have tried to have a really good, positive attitude. I've tried to learn from it, not get frustrated, not get negative, things like that. Obviously every day is a learning experience and I have learned a lot from this and I'm going to try to use it with me going forward."
Defensive attention
Through six weeks, before he injured his hamstring, Thielen had caught 26 passes for 366 yards and five scores, which was tied for the second-most touchdowns among all receivers.
He said that although he has struggled since coming back, he can still play at his highest level.
"I have a lot of confidence. I'm a competitor," Thielen said. "I want to be out there, and I want to make plays. It's frustrating when you don't feel like you help the team like you should, but at the end of the day there's going to be ups and downs and it's how you react."