Vikings’ Cook to miss Falcons
NFL leading rusher Dalvin Cook will sit out the Vikings’ game on Sunday against the Falcons because of a groin injury, giving Alexander Mattison the opportunity for his first career start at running back.
The Vikings also announced Friday that right guard Dru Samia (wrist), cornerback Kris Boyd (hamstring) and wide receiver/ kick returner K.J. Osborn (hamstring) were ruled out for the game. Cornerback Holton Hill (foot) was listed as doubtful to face the Falcons.
The Vikings have their bye scheduled for next week, so Cook’s absence was likely after getting hurt in the second half last week in Seattle. Mattison rushed for a career-high 112 yards in relief.
■ The Lions have ruled out CB Desmond Trufant (hamstring) for Sunday’s game in Jacksonville and put TE Hunter Bryant (hamstring, concussion) on injured reserve.
Colleges: Kansas coach Les Miles has been cleared to return to the Jayhawks after his positive test for COVID-19, but out of caution is skipping the team’s trip to West Virginia for Saturday’s game. Miles, 66, announced last week that routine testing had returned a positive test. He experienced only mild symptoms while he was quarantining, and he was able to work remotely with the Jayhawks during their bye week. Also, Southern Mississippi at UTEP became the sixth game scheduled for Saturday to be postponed this week. Southern Miss announced an increase in positive COVID-19 test results. ... Kansas F Silvio de Sousa is opting out of the upcoming college basketball season, potentially ending what has been one of the most controversial tenures of any player to have joined coach Bill Self’s blueblood program. Self said in a statement that de Sousa was opting out to “focus on matters in his personal life.”
Cycling: Diego Ulissi sprinted to victory at the end of the 13th stage of the Giro d’Italia while Joao Almeida held on to the pink jersey.
Golf: Xander Schauffele shot an 8-under 64 for a three-shot lead over Tyrrell Hatton throgh two rounds of the CJ Cup in North Las Vegas, Nev. He was at 14-under 130 and now has the course record at Shadow Creek, which is hosting the CJ Cup for this year only because the COVID-19 pandemic made travel to South Korea impractical. ... The first round of the Dominion Energy Charity Classic was postponed because of rain. The 54-hole tournament at the Country Club of Virginia was to be Phil Mickelson’s second start on the PGA Tour Champions.
NHL: The Maple Leafs signed 41year-old F Joe Thornton to a oneyear, $700,000 contract. Thornton, a six-time all star and the winner of the Hart Memorial Trophy in 2006 as the NHL’s MVP, has 420 goals and 1,089 assists in the 1,636 regularseason games with the Bruins and Sharks. ... The Kings signed No. 2 overall draft pick Quinton Byfield to a three-year contract.