 |
| |
|
 |
 |
||
 |
 |
||
 |
|||
EVENTS
CNNSI.com GROUP
COMMERCE
|
Super healer Sprained ankle unlikely to hamper Culpepper
Updated: Wednesday January 03, 2001 11:54 AM
EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. (AP) -- Perhaps Daunte Culpepper is at least close to indestructible. Two weeks ago, the Minnesota Vikings were uncertain how their Pro Bowl quarterback would respond when the upper area of his right ankle was sprained near the end of a game against the Green Bay Packers. Backup Bubby Brister mused that the 250-pounder "thinks he's indestructible." Any concerns are proving to be unfounded. Culpepper said Tuesday that he will be "100 percent" when the Vikings host the New Orleans Saints on Saturday, bouncing back early from an injury that often takes more than a month to heal. Culpepper had declared himself a fast healer soon after he was injured, though he had little evidence to support the claim. He had never missed a game at the high school, college or pro levels, but was rarely injured. An ankle injury could not keep him off the field as a sophomore at Central Florida. One week after the most recent injury, Culpepper participated in 19 plays against the Indianapolis Colts while wearing a brace in his shoe. He was limping and grimacing when he left the field for good. But head coach Dennis Green said the ankle pain was only momentarily and that Culpepper could have returned. Green said he wanted to Culpepper to develop a level of tolerance for pain and was satisfied that he did. "You want to go out and just make plays, but it's hard when you're not 100 percent," Culpepper said. "The tough guys and the good ones are going to play through all that and still be successful. "I just go out and try to do what I can do. I'm not getting hit [in practice], so that's the main thing. I'm just trying to get all the strength back in it." Culpepper said his greatest difficulty is planting the foot to run, though Green said he could run for a first down or touchdown if necessary. "I'll stick with Daunte," Green said. "Daunte has a great understanding of himself and is looking forward to a playoff game. That's good enough for me." To his teammates, Culpepper is a medical marvel. "He's looking a lot better than I ever thought he would to be honest with you," said wide receiver Chris Walsh said. "You don't even see a limp, or you can barely see one." Culpepper has surprised teammates and foes for an entire season. Green handed him the starting job though he rarely got off the bench as a rookie. "He told me that every player has a role," Culpepper said. "My role was to run the scout team, and I did. I was in a mini-pressure situation every time, running that two-minute offense against the first-team defense." And that was without Robert Smith, Randy Moss and Cris Carter on his side. They helped him produce one of the greatest seasons by a Vikings quarterback. Culpepper passed for 3,937 yards and 33 touchdowns, and rushed for 470 yards and seven touchdowns. "I knew I had the big players around me who could help me showcase what I could do," Culpepper said. Maybe even with an injured leg.
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
