Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Bradford remains week to week after a second opinion from Dr. James Andrews confirmed there was no structural damage in his ailing left knee, according to sources with knowledge of the injury.
The sources said Andrews' examination of Bradford, who will miss his second consecutive game Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, confirmed what the Vikings already believed: Bradford has a bone bruise. So, he needs rest to let it heal and get the joint to calm down.
After missing last week's loss at Pittsburgh, Bradford practiced on a limited basis Wednesday and Thursday and did not suffer a setback, according to sources. The knee -- which was swollen and sore after Bradford was injured in the Sept. 11 season-opening win over New Orleans -- just didn't improve much. So, the Vikings ruled out Bradford on Friday and he visited Andrews, who performed two ACL reconstructions on the same knee in 2013 and 2014.
That leaves the Vikings with backup Case Keenum, who didn't perform very well against the Steelers, completing 20 of 37 passes for 167 yards and a 65.9 passer rating. Teddy Bridgewater, who is trying to come back from his own knee injury, isn't eligible to return to practice until Week 7.
The Vikings start a stretch of three straight NFC North games next week against the Detroit Lions.
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