Vikings hope Winfield to play against Steelers

After experiencing the stark contrast between the defense with Antoine Winfield and without while playing against the Baltimore Ravens, the Minnesota Vikings now have high hopes of the team’s smallest player to play this Sunday against the Steelers in Pittsburgh.

The 5-foot-9, 180-pound Pro Bowl cornerback sprained his right foot in the second quarter of the game against the Ravens, leaving a giant hole in the Vikings defense. The Vikings forced Baltimore to punt on its first five possessions as they jumped out to a 14-0 lead. But after they lost Winfield in the second quarter, quarterback Joe Flacco in Ravens jersey started to pick apart the secondary from then on out.

As they are going to face another big test this Sunday in Pittsburgh- the suddenly pass-happy Steelers, the Vikings defense is in need of Winfield, who has missed the first two days of practice this week. It is not a good sign. And Coach Brad Childress said Thursday that he was still uncertain whether Winfield would be able to play Sunday.