Wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson injured his hip making the last of two paltry receptions early in the third quarter, joining Teddy Bridgewater on the sideline after the rookie quarterback was a late scratch because of a sprained ankle.

Patterson insisted he would have finished the game if it were not out of reach. Less certain is Minnesota's inability to re-integrate him into their scheme following his 102-yard rushing performance in Week 1.

"I wish I knew the answer," said Patterson, who finished with eight yards and was targeted just four times. "I want to be more involved. I don't know what's going on. We have a plan. I'm sticking to the plan. I trust coach (Norv) Turner and the whole staff with what they're doing. It's going to turn around. Hopefully I get more touches."

Patterson has only one carry since scoring on a spectacular 67-yard run against the Rams. What is more, he has averaged just 38 yards per game receiving.

"We've practiced getting carries," he said. "I guess we're just waiting on the right time. I'm not worried about it. When my number's called I'm ready for it. I'm just sitting back and being patient.

His owners also hope he gets more touches. He has averaged 15.8 YPC on 16 career carries and it's strange that Turner wouldn't hand him the ball 3-5 times per game with Adrian Peterson out of the picture. It's not that they've tried that and failed and have since moved on, he only has one carry since his 102-yard outing in Week 1. Also, we haven't seen very many bubble screens, which was Patterson's bread and butter as a rookie. He needs to be benched until Turner proves he can get him the ball.

Vikings Inactives
Teddy Bridgewater QB
Scott Crichton DE
Chad Greenway OLB
Kyle Rudolph TE
Brandon Watts OLB
Austin Wentworth G
David Yankey G

With Teddy Bridgewater out, Christian Ponder will get the start. Rankings have been updated to reflect the downgrade to the passing game, although Greg Jennings has been decent with Ponder under center. RB Matt Asiata is not really affected by the change at QB. His workload should be there in a good matchup and should get dump offs if the Vikings fall behind the Packers. RB Jerick McKinnon will get change of pace work behind Asiata and is a boom or bust flex option.

Vikings QB Teddy Bridgewater, who threw for 317 yards in his debut as a starter Sunday, seemed optimistic Tuesday about his chances to play against the Packers but wouldn't put any percentage on it.

Officially, those chances appear to be set at 50-50.

On Thursday morning, Adam Schefter said, "I think the signs point to Teddy Bridgewater not playing tonight."

If Bridgewater doesn't play, it's a downgrade for the Vikings offense, though Christian Ponder has experience and is capable of running an offense against the Packers, who are not very good on the defensive side of the ball. Our current rankings assume Ponder will get the start, but if Bridgewater plays, then we'll upgrade the Minnesota receivers and downgrade the Green Bay defense if/once we receive word.

The Minnesota Vikings have not committed to Teddy Bridgewater playing at Green Bay on his sprained left ankle. Two days after his injury, however, the quarterback is ''doing much better,'' according to coach Mike Zimmer.

Zimmer said Bridgewater's participation in practice Tuesday would be more mental than physical. The team planned to have Bridgewater try running on the ankle he hurt against Atlanta in his first career start. Bridgewater said he had yet throw the football.

The Packers have said they're preparing for Bridgewater to play Thursday.

Zimmer said he doesn't have doubt about Bridgewater's availability, but he also said he's taking the rookie's status ''one day at a time.''

It sounds like Bridgewater will be ready to play but will he be prepared is another story. The rookie would be making just his second start, coming off an ankle injury on a short week no less.

The Minnesota Vikings got some good news, as an MRI came back negative on rookie quarterback Teddy Bridgewater's left ankle.

Bridgewater sprained the ankle during Minnesota's 41-28 victory over Atlanta on Sunday. Bridgewater had a stellar first start, throwing for 317 yards and rushing for a touchdown. He was complimented on offense by running backs Matt Asiata and Jerick McKinnon, who gashed the Falcons repeatedly.

Vikings coach Mike Zimmer addressed reporters about Bridgewater's MRI and said that there's a chance he could be ready for Thursday night's game against Green Bay.

After the game, Bridgewater claimed he'd be fine and ready to go for Thursday night against the Packers. He looked good against a poor Atlanta defense in Week 4, but the Pack present a much tougher challenge in Week 5. Bridgewater could make for a decent QB2 option this week if he's in the lineup. Reports say he did not practice Monday with Christian Ponder getting the first team reps.

QB Teddy Bridgewater left the Minnesota Vikings' game against the Atlanta Falcons in the fourth quarter with an ankle injury. He did not return to the team's 41-28 victory.

He walked off under his own power but was carted to the locker room for X-rays.

Bridgewater tells NFL Media's Omar Ruiz that his ankle injury "is just a sprain." The rookie signal-caller says he will be fine and expects to play Thursday against the Packers.

Bridgewater looked impressive in the win over Atlanta but the Falcon defense has made many look impressive this year. While Bridgewater said he expects the play, it would be hard to take his word right now, especially with a quick-turnaround, Week 5 game Thursday night. Bridgewater is worth owning, but if he plays against the Packers Thursday night it will be a big test on the road, and owners should probably temper expectations for another performance like Week 4. Christian Ponder would get the start if Bridgewater can't go.

Vikings wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson had three carries for 102 rushing yards and a touchdown in Week 1 against the Rams with offensive coordinator Norv Turner using him in the backfield and on two jet sweeps.

Since then, he’s received just one carry — a reverse on rookie quarterback Teddy Bridgewater’s first play that lost seven yards. With the offense scoring just one touchdown in two games without running back Adrian Peterson, some have wondered why Patterson hasn’t received more rushing attempts. Patterson, on the hand, said he hasn’t lobbied for more carries.

Turner wants to get Patterson the ball more, but he also wants to do the same to the rest of his offensive weapons after a game where he felt the Vikings missed out on at least two touchdown passes.

“We need to continue to find balance,” Turner said. “When everyone talks about balance, they think it’s run and pass. It’s balance in terms of getting all of our players involved. In my experience when they’re going good, they take someone away or concentrate on someone to give someone else the opportunity. Cordarrelle is a different situation he was a year ago. He’s growing and teams are matching with him and they’re concentrating on him. We’ve got to continue to work ways to get him the ball.”

Frankly, it's bizarre that the Vikings haven't run Patterson more after the success he had in the first game, especially since the team's ground attack is on life support with Adrian Peterson out of the picture. The Falcons' defense isn't very good, so there's a chance that Patterson gets it going in Week 4 after a couple of quiet games.

The Vikings announced they’ve placed quarterback Matt Cassel and right guard Brandon Fusco on injured reserve Wednesday, ending their season.

Both suffered injuries during the 20-9 loss to the Saints on Sunday. Cassel fractured several bones in his left foot during the second quarter, while Fusco hurt his pectoral muscle in the second half.

The Teddy Bridgewater Era has begun in Minnesota. The Vikings will be shorthanded without Adrian Peterson and Kyle Rudolph (sports hernia surgery), so Bridgewater's situation is not looking as favorable as it did in the preseason. Still, with Greg Jennings and Cordarrelle Patterson to throw to, he doesn't have a bad pair of receivers. He should be in the QB2/streaming mix if this go well.

NFL Media's Albert Breer reports, via a source apprised of the injury, that Kyle Rudolph will undergo sports hernia surgery and miss about six weeks.

Rudolph was listed on the Vikings' Week 3 injury report with a groin issue after appearing to lose a step or two in the Week 2 loss to the Patriots.

The coaching staff had reasonable expectations of a career year for Rudolph in Norv Turner's tight end-friendly offense.

Rudolph's absence is especially disconcerting with RB Adrian Peterson and QB Matt Cassel out indefinitely. Rookie QB Teddy Bridgewater could have used Rudolph as another target, which will now make defenses jobs easier when facing the Vikes. Rhett Ellison and MarQueis Gray are next up on the depth chart.