Statistics don't mean much to Mike Zimmer until after Thanksgiving, when the Vikings coach said he first begins evaluations of his team's rankings against the rest of the league.
With two games left in the NFL regular season, one number — 22 — reveals how much his fourth-ranked Vikings defense has overcome compared to the rest. It's the number of games missed due to injury and illness by Vikings defenders who started Week 1.
Health has been fleeting for the Vikings defense this season, but silver linings have emerged in the form of such reserves as defensive end Stephen Weatherly, safety Anthony Harris, cornerback Holton Hill and linebacker Eric Wilson.