”No matter what, playing in U.S. Bank Stadium, there’s always going to be sizzle,” McCarthy said. “Just hearing about it, just feeling the energy of this fanbase, I know it’s going to be a live audience, a live environment. I can’t wait to go out there with the boys and put on display what we’ve been doing since April.”
New turf gets high marks from Daniels
Before the Vikings face the Raiders on Saturday, special teams coordinator Matt Daniels took the team’s specialists to U.S. Bank Stadium on Wednesday morning. There, rookie kicker Will Reichard got his first chance to practice on the stadium’s new turf.
The Vikings replaced their slit film turf with a monofilament surface at both U.S. Bank Stadium and their indoor practice facility before this season. Daniels said the new surface was met with good early reviews.
”It’s definitely a lot more bouncy, a lot more springy,” Daniels said. “It definitely has more grip to it, which is encouraging. They felt good about their plants, they felt good about their steps from a punting and kicking standpoint. I think it’s a good change.”
Jefferson, Darrisaw back at practice
Wide receiver Justin Jefferson, who’d missed Tuesday’s practice for personal reasons, was back as a full participant on Wednesday. Left tackle Christian Darrisaw also returned after spending Tuesday in the training room and missing the last portion of the Vikings’ previous practice on Saturday.
Jefferson had an impressive connection with Sam Darnold on Wednesday, as the QB found him for a red zone touchdown while rolling to his right before hitting Jefferson on a corner route down the sideline over physical coverage from Byron Murphy Jr.