Minnesota Vikings: Harrison Smith and Anthony Barr ruled out for Sunday

The Minnesota Vikings will be without Harrison Smith and Anthony Barr again this Sunday.

The Minnesota Vikings have a pretty good defense when they all the key players are healthy. The problem is that recently those key players have been the opposite of healthy and that will continue into the Vikings’ game on Sunday against the Chicago Bears. The team announced on Friday that both safety Harrison Smith and Anthony Barr will be missing the game against the division rival.

Wide receiver Charles Johnson has an ankle injury and defensive end Scott Crichton has a concussion which has also knocked those two out of Sunday’s game.

According to 1500ESPN, Smith got onto the practice field this week, but was limited. Smith’s leg injuries will be keeping him out on Sunday. Barr hadn’t practiced all week and is out with a groin injury and with a broken hand.

Defensive end Everson Griffen and nose tackle Linval Joesph are questionable. Andrew Sendejo, Robert Blanton and Brandon Watts are all probably for Sunday.

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This will be the second straight missed game for Barr and Smith. The pair missed last Thursday’s game against the Arizona Cardinals which resulted in a Vikings loss.

As my co-editor points out, this game is a huge one for the Vikings. If the Vikings win and the right teams lose, the Vikings could clinch a playoff berth by the end of the weekend with two weeks remaining in the regular season. The Vikings should beat the Bears, but it’s a little tougher task without their two best defensive players.

Next: Previewing and predicting Vikings and Bears!

After the matchup with the Bears, the Vikings will host the New York Giants and travel to Green Bay to wrap up the regular season.