Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell didn’t want to be completely forthright in his answer about edge rusher Kyle Van Noy. Still, though, there may be some insight to be gleaned.

The Vikings newcomer is a veteran who has seen it all. As a result, Van Noy appears capable of getting worked into the mix pretty easily due to his brains and work ethic.

Check out what Coach O’Connell said when asked about how Van Noy has been acclimating: “He’s been exactly what you’d think when you bring in a veteran guy that has had the type of career that he’s had. He’s got obviously some background with Flo, understanding the system.”

Not long afterwards, O’Connell referred to the injured Tyler Batty as an “integral piece” who has been replaced by Van Noy. Will the new pass rusher be active on Sunday? Look to what O’Connell had to say: “Yeah, we’re still working through that, it’s definitely a possibility for this weekend.”

Vikings Newcomer Kyle Van Noy and the Need at Edge Rusher

Many have been pushing for help at edge rusher for months. Adding Mr. Van Noy therefore arrives as sweet relief to Minnesota’s worried masses.

As O’Connell suggests, the move was at least partially in response to losing sophomore defender Tyler Batty. Part of what made the head coach’s response notable was within the explanation of Batty moving toward being “integral” to what the defense was cooking up. If so, then perhaps there’s a hint in there.

Van Noy is adjusting well. He’s not a lock for being called up but he is stepping in for somebody who had been thought of as a key piece of the puzzle.

Van Noy finds himself toward the end of his career, making him a somewhat odd replacement for Batty. If he is, though, then is the new defender going to be of similar importance? And if he is, does it really make sense to sit Van Noy in Week 1?

Star Packers runner Josh Jacobs won’t be playing in Week 1. Green Bay’s best bet for moving the football is going to be by leaning on Jordan Love, a fringe top-ten quarterback who has steadily progressed toward becoming a QB1 who is more dynamic than prime Kirk Cousins but not as formidable as Dak Prescott. Essentially, a high-end tier-3 QB or a low-end tier-2 QB.

Throwing Kyle Van Noy onto the field means elevating somebody who can make like difficult for Love.

In 2024, Van Noy offered an eye-popping 12.5 sacks. Anybody at any age would be fortunate to climb to such heights, especially since the quarterback hits were an impressive 21. He deservedly got sent to the Pro Bowl.

The veteran’s 2025 was more modest, boasting just 2.5 sacks and 9 quarterback hits. Such modest production contributed toward being able to scoop him up on a practice squad deal after training camp.

The Vikings are likely looking for a season that’s somewhere between 2024 and 2025. Think around 5-8 sacks alongside consistent levels of pressure and hits. So, too, will it be a bonus if he can get shuffled around as The Mad Scientist cooks up chaos.

Kevin O’Connell didn’t outright say that Kyle Van Noy is going to play. What Kevin O’Connell did say is that Kyle Van Noy got added after a key piece of the puzzle was hurt. Moreover, there was praise for the veteran’s ability to acclimate to what Brian Flores is doing on defense. The purple dot connecting hints at him being active.

Kickoff between the Vikings and Packers takes place on Sunday, September 13th at 3:25 p.m. CT.

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Every little bit helps, right?

The Vikings snagged some good news ahead of the upcoming Packers game. Earlier in the week, a trio of rookies — S Jakobe Thomas, S Jacob Thomas, and OL Caleb Tiernan — were limited due to injuries that needed some time to heal up. None of these players will go into the game with an injury designation, per Kevin O’Connell.

Vikings Snag Nice Health Update

Had the Vikings needed to rest the three players in question, Minnesota would have been fine.

Short-term ailments that involve losing third-string safety talent and a backup offensive lineman isn’t the end of the world. But, to be sure, any coach is going to be thrilled to have all available talent ready to roll for a game. Quite possibly, this could be the only week in the 2026 season where everyone is an option to go out there.

Of the three names above, it’s Jacob Thomas who appears to offer the most promise. The UDFA looked smooth out there in practice and in the preseason, evidently putting in a pile of work to ensure he could look effortless. Watch for him to be a special teams help as a minimum.

Otherwise, Coach O’Connell mentioned that left tackle Christian Darrisaw and safety Harrison Smith each had rest days. In Darrisaw’s case, that’s been the norm since coming back from his brutal knee injury. In Smith’s case, that’s due to being ancient (at least by NFL standards) and due to just getting back days ago.

Both are going to play in Week 1.

Green Bay’s end of things isn’t nearly so promising.

In particular, there’s the absence of Micah Parsons, an elite talent who demands extra attention on a snap-by-snap basis. He’s still working to overcome a serious injury that robbed him of the end of the 2025 season. The Packers could obviously still win the game, but the timing of the NFC North game means the Vikings are lucky.

Kevin O’Connell would be well served to lean on the ground game more than in the past. Leaning on Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason means being able to offer some elegance and meanness, depending on what’s needed. Mason looks like a breakout candidate as somebody who can wallop a defense that’s leaving just six or seven defenders in the box.

Otherwise, all eyes will be on Kyler Murray. Seeing him ignite Justin Jefferson will mean that Vikings fans are going to doing cartwheels.

Kevin O’Connell is going into his fifth season as the head coach. So far, he has proven formidable in the regular season but not so in the playoffs. He’ll therefore be looking to stack wins in the coming months as he tries to overcome the NFC’s best teams once January of 2027 arrives.

The Vikings’ Week 1 game gets started at 3:25 p.m. CT on Sunday, September 13th.

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Champion jockey James McDonald has been rewarded for his persistent belief in Columbus, sticking with the horse through a couple of recent defeats to secure a midweek win at Randwick’s Kensington track.

The son of Dundeel, a horse McDonald rode to six Group 1 wins, was initially considered a potential classic contender in the autumn before a setback ruled him out of the carnival. Since returning with a first-up victory at Newcastle in July, the four-year-old has not quite lived up to expectations, having been beaten in two subsequent runs as the favourite.

While his bounce back in Wednesday’s TAB Handicap (1800m) was only in midweek grade, McDonald stated it was a step in the right direction for the entire, who is prepared by Hall of Fame trainer Les Bridge.

“I still reckon he can go better than that,” McDonald said. “He’s just doing enough at the moment. I’m sure Les will coach the best out of him. He’s in the right hands and he’ll go through the grades. He just needs a bit of confidence. He’s a lovely type, as you can see, but there is more to give.”

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The Chris Waller stable also presented a winner they believe has more to offer in three-year-old colt Wonka ($4.20). The Snitzel colt led home a first-four for the yard in the Inglis Xtra Bonus Handicap (1550m), defeating Unhinged ($3.60 equal fav) by a length, with Cotoletta Cut ($41) another short half-head away third, and True Tone making ground from last for fourth.

Waller’s assistant trainer, Charlie Duckworth, shared that Wonka was going to be gelded if he did not perform, and while he has earned a reprieve, he still needs to improve his race craft.

Duckworth was also pleased they made the correct decision to step him up in distance, a move that had been debated after his minor placings at Warwick Farm the previous week.

“Jason (Collett) rode him seven days ago and he can be quite aggressive. He wasn’t convinced whether we actually brought him back in distance,” Duckworth said. “But we thought stretching him out in distance might actually settle him down. He runs a little bit on fear, and if the slower tempo could allow him to see the distance out we thought that would be the path to go. It worked out well today, and he was strong through the line.”

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Wonka holds nominations for the Golden Rose (1400m) and the Caulfield Guineas (1600m), but Duckworth indicated the horse still has “some kinks in his armour” that need to be ironed out before he rises in grade.

Compare Australian betting sites for the best racing odds.

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