The Minnesota Vikings' task this Sunday is simple: beat the Chicago Bears, and they're in the playoffs. However, they might be without a couple of key defensive players in the process.
According to the team, linebacker Eric Kendricks will be sidelined for this game with a hamstring injury, and cornerback Xavier Rhodes is listed as questionable with a groin issue.
Kendricks also missed the Vikings' win over the Detroit Lions last weekend.
The 26-year-old played 14 games this season, finishing with 108 tackles, a sack, two interceptions, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and seven passes defended.
Kendricks, who played his collegiate football at UCLA, was originally selected by Minnesota in the second round (45th pick overall) of the 2015 NFL Draft.
He has registered over 100 tackles for three straight years, and prior to 2018, Kendricks had also tallied defensive touchdowns two seasons in a row.
Rhodes injured himself during the Vikings' victory last Sunday. This season, he has registered 47 tackles, an interception and seven passes defended in what has been his least impactful season in quite some time.
The 28-year-old made back-to-back Pro Bowl appearances in 2016 and 2017, also earning First-Team All-Pro honors in the latter season. Last year, Rhodes totaled 56 stops, two picks and 10 passes defended.
He played his collegiate football at Florida State University and was originally chosen by Minnesota in the first round (25th pick overall) of the 2013 NFL Draft.
The Vikings are looking to make the postseason in back-to-back years for the first time since 2009, when Brett Favre was their quarterback.
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