The Sports Xchange

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. — The Minnesota Vikings haven’t played in the mile-high altitude of Denver since 2007. Only three players – Adrian Peterson, Chad Greenway and Brian Robison – are left from that team. So coach Mike Zimmer was asked if there are any issues to playing in that altitude.

“As I told my team, scientifically when you’re out there for 24 hours it really is no factor,” he said.

But that doesn’t mean the Vikings won’t continue to use the depth that they’ve built under Zimmer the past two seasons. Sunday against the Chargers, the Vikings had 18 defenders take at least 19 snaps.

“We want to continue to use our team that way,” Zimmer said. “Guys that earn the right to play, that deserve to play, continue to play because we want to be a deep team.”

–After a rough preseason filled with too many penalties and too many blown coverages, rookie first-round draft pick Trae Waynes received high marks from coach Mike Zimmer and fellow cornerbacks for the way he stepped up and replaced No. 1 corner Xavier Rhodes, who suffered a concussion late in the first half against Detroit on Sunday.

“I’ve been saying all along that he continues to get better every week,” Zimmer said. “I felt like there was going to be an opportunity in the game this week, that he may end up playing some anyway. I didn’t expect it under those circumstances, but he did good for his first real test under fire.”

Said veteran corner Captain Munnerlyn: “He had that swagger on himself. We’ve got a lot of depth on this team. We can go out there and compete with the best of them.”

BY THE NUMBERS: 5 – Number of offensive penalties the Vikings have committed in three games. They’re tied with Kansas City for the fewest offensive penalties through three games.

QUOTE TO NOTE: “It’s hard for me to know about his arm strength or anything like that. All I know is that I saw him throw a 25-yard comeback with a 10-yard drop on a perfect throw on the sideline.” – Coach Mike Zimmer, when asked about the public criticism of Peyton Manning’s arm strength.