LONDON, UK — The Vikings have more to deal with an international time adjustment before taking the field against the New Orleans Saints Sunday. They're also playing a guessing game about who will be at the controls of the Saints offense.
Saints backup quarterback Andy Dalton took first-team snaps again with injured starter Jameis Winston sitting out a third consecutive practice Friday ahead of Sunday's game at London's Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Winston has been playing through a back injury sustained in the season opener but was held out of practice all week ahead of the NFL’s first international game of the season. The eighth-year quarterback also is nursing an ankle injury and during a media briefing New Orleans head coach Dennis Allen said Winston was "doubtful" for Sunday's contest.
Earlier in the week, Winston said he was preparing to play against the Vikings.
Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas is officially listed as out after missing three straight practices because of a foot injury. Thomas leads the team with three touchdown receptions.
Winston has thrown for 858 yards with four TD passes and five interceptions in three games. He has completed 63.5% of his passes, but has been wildly inconsistent throughout his NFL career.
There's not a ton of drop-off if Dalton gets the nod against the Vikings: He stepped in to start nine games for the Cowboys in 2020 after Dallas starter Dak Prescott’s season-ending ankle injury in Week 5. That season, Dalton completed 64.9% of his passes, throwing for 2,170 yards with 14 TDs and eight interceptions.
The Saints are Dalton’s fourth team in as many years after he spent his first nine seasons as a starter for the Cincinnati Bengals.
Last year, Dalton appeared in eight games and made six starts for division-rival Chicago, completing 63.1% of his passes for 1,515 yards with eight touchdowns and nine interceptions.
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