Halfway through the 2008 season, Jared Allen has given the Vikings what they had asked for. He's given the Vikings seven sacks, a consistent pass rush and plenty of energy.
But now the Vikings may have to find out if they can win without him. Allen sprained his shoulder in the Texans game and managed to not only play through the pain but managed to pick up two sacks and a forced fumble. But apparently the shoulder injury is serious enough to make him doubtful for this Sunday's game against the Packers.
What's not clear is if the Vikings will have any pass rush without Allen. Defensive tackle Kevin Williams (seven sacks) has feasted on getting less double teams this year, but the Vikings other defensive ends have been very quiet. Ray Edwards has two sacks, while Brian Robison and Otis Grigsby have barely recorded a tackle. Robison is likely to get the start if Allen can't play, but he has yet to build on a promising rookie year.
But the good news for the Vikings is that Allen's ability to play depends on his pain tolerance, and as he showed on Sunday, Allen can play through some pain.
Shoulder Could Sideline Jared Allen originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Tue, 04 Nov 2008 08:14:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.
