EAGAN, Minn. -- The Minnesota Vikings had high hopes for their closing practice of training camp. In lieu of using starters and other front-line players in their final preseason game, they scheduled a full-pads scrimmage that mirrored game conditions -- right down to a 12-minute break in the middle to replicate halftime.
"If you see our guys walking off the field," coach Kevin O'Connell said before it began, "they will be hopefully pretty exhausted."
Minutes later, however, a cloudy day gave way to an unexpected rain shower. Staffers dashed inside to grab wet weather gear for the sidelines.