Aug. 22, 2008

The Vikings have suffered injuries recently to what they hope will be a successful pitch-and-catch battery this season. QB Tarvaris Jackson remains on the mend from what is being called a strained MCL, and WR Bernard Berrian has a painful turf toe that kept him out of the last preseason game. They have worked together extensively this offseason, and the team plans on using them quite often together, but the preseason results have been fairly lean thus far — two connections for 43 yards. However, neither has been ruled out for the Steelers game, and both are expected to be fine for the "Monday Night Football" opener at Lambeau Field. But having both out appears to have slowed things in the passing game in practice recently, especially with fellow starting WR Sidney Rice missing time with a stomach ailment.