--WR Bernard Berrian did not play against Baltimore because of a sore toe that he injured in the previous game against the Seattle Seahawks. Berrian and coach Brad Childress both said they were simply playing it safe.

--LB Heath Farwell will miss the season because of a torn right anterior cruciate ligament. The injury is a blow for two reasons. Farwell was battling for a primary backup job at linebacker and already was one of the Vikings' best players on special teams. The injury opens the door for backup linebackers such as Vinny Ciurciu, Derrick Pope and Erin Henderson to make a significant contribution on special teams.

--CB Marcus McCauley returned on Aug. 10 after missing time because of a knee injury suffered in a July 31 joint-practice against Kansas City.

--TE Garrett Mills also came back after sitting out almost two weeks because of a sprained ankle. Mills appeared to be hobbled even after returning, leading to speculation that the injury was the dreaded high-ankle sprain.

--DE Jayme Mitchell, who was supposed to serve as the primary backup to Ray Edwards on the left side, suffered a torn left anterior cruciate ligament in the preseason opener and will miss the season. Otis Grigsby has been getting reps with the second team at left end.

--OT Drew Radovich, a rookie free agent from Southern Cal, had been working with the second team at left tackle but is out because of a dislocated left shoulder suffered in the preseason opener. Radovich also had been getting third-team snaps at right tackle. Tim Mattran, another rookie free agent and a long shot to make the roster, replaced Radovich with the second team at left tackle. Mattran is a center but has proven to be very versatile.

--C John Sullivan, a fifth-round pick from Notre Dame, saw time with the first team on Aug. 13 in place of veteran Matt Birk. Birk was out that day because of the flu. However, Birk is in the last year of his contract and some feel the Vikings want Sullivan to replace him beginning next season.

BATTLE OF THE WEEK: Jaymar Johnson, Martin Nance and Darius Reynaud for the potential sixth receiver job. -- You might be able to include veteran Robert Ferguson into this group, but considering Ferguson's contributions on special teams and the fact he's seen as a locker-room leader, let's assume he's safe. Johnson might have the edge because he's a sixth-round pick, while Nance and Reynaud are free agents. But Reynaud, signed as a rookie free agent, has come on strong in camp and certainly opened some eyes. There is no doubt the Vikings would like to get Johnson or Reynaud through to the practice squad if they don't make the team. Nance has good hands, but the first-year receiver might get caught up in a numbers game.

OTHER BATTLE FRONTS: Charles Gordon continues to be the front-runner to win the nickel spot ahead of Benny Sapp and Marcus McCauley. McCauley has returned from a knee injury and Sapp continues to make the occasional big play, but Gordon appears to be the safe bet. ... Rookie quarterback John David Booty and veteran Brooks Bollinger both are getting limited snaps as they compete to win the No. 3 job. The fact the Vikings lost rookie Tyler Thigpen last year on waivers to Kansas City when they had hoped to put him on the practice squad means Booty is probably going to make the roster. ... Derrick Pope, Vinny Ciurciu, Rufus Alexander, Erin Henderson, David Herron and J Leman continue to fight for the backup linebacker spots. Heath Farwell, who was vying for one of the top backup spots but already had the roster made because of his abilities on special teams, was lost after suffering a knee injury against the Seahawks. Pope and Ciurciu both have extensive experience on special teams. ... Aundrae Allison and Jaymar Johnson are among those hoping to land the punt-return job. Allison ranked second in the NFL last season with a 28.7 average on kickoff returns, but that job is expected to go to newcomer Maurice Hicks.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Sidney Rice is the second-year receiver most expect to have a breakout season, but another second-year guy, Aundrae Allison, was more impressive throughout training camp and could be a big-time threat considering his speed and his improving hands. Allison still has plenty to learn and the coaching staff is still doing plenty of work with him but there is no doubt he has plenty of talent and should improve substantially on the eight receptions he had a year ago.

ROOKIE REPORT: Second-round safety Tyrell Johnson is the leading candidate to replace injured starter Madieu Williams (neck), who could miss six weeks because of a neck injury. ... Fifth-round quarterback John David Booty is battling Brooks Bollinger for the No. 3 job. Booty doesn't appear to have a great arm but is a quick study ... Fifth-round defensive tackle Letroy Guion is fighting for a roster spot. Guion is raw and might be a guy they try to sneak through to the practice squad. ... Sixth-round center John Sullivan is backing up veteran Matt Birk and also serving as the right guard on the third team. That versatility is extremely valuable and could win him a spot on the game-day roster this season. ... Sixth-round wide receiver Jaymar Johnson remains in the mix for punt and kick returns. Johnson has made a few eye-opening catches in camp but most came early. ... Free-agent linebacker Erin Henderson had a solid preseason debut against Seattle. He had five tackles, including one for a loss. Henderson is the brother of starting middle linebacker E.J. Henderson. ... Free-agent offensive lineman Drew Radovich had been working with the second team at left tackle before dislocating his left shoulder. ... Free-agent WR Darius Reynaud has continued to improve throughout camp and is becoming more of a factor as he adjusts to the offense.

INJURY REPORT: S Madieu Williams could miss as many as six weeks because of a neck injury. ... LB Heath Farwell suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee in the exhibition opener against Seattle and will miss the season. ... DE Jayme Mitchell tore the ACL in his left knee and also is out for the year. ... OT Drew Radovich has a dislocated left shoulder and is out indefinitely. ... DT Kenderick Allen has an undisclosed injury to his right wrist. It's uncertain how long he will be out. ... OT Marcus Johnson has an undisclosed injury to his right knee. It's uncertain how long he will be out. ... DE Brian Robison will miss about two more weeks after undergoing surgery to remove a varicose vein from his left leg. ... WR Bernard Berrian missed the Vikings' game against Baltimore on Saturday because of a sore toe that had limited him in practice. ... Rookie offensive lineman Tim Mattran suffered a sprained ankle against the Ravens.