Blake Cashman active against Jaguars after turf toe rehab

As the kickoff took place at New York’s 3-yard line, Cashman sprinted downfield and wrestled with a double-team block from Jets wide receiver Irvin Charles and linebacker Marcelino McCrary-Ball. As Jets kick returner Isaiah Davis flew past Cashman, the Vikings linebacker’s lower half was accidentally hit by teammate Kamu Grugier-Hill; He limped away from the scene, hesitating to shift his weight onto both feet.

Incredibly, Cashman didn’t miss a beat, playing every one of the Vikings’ 19 snaps on defense the rest of the first half. He even had a hand in three tackles, including a solo stop of Jets running back Braelon Allen on the first play from the injury, and helped rookie Dallas Turner thwart Allen on a fourth-and-2.

During the break, his dark inner monologue was activated.

“We’re going to play ball, it’s the second half,” he remembered thinking to himself. “Worry about it later.”

Cashman by definition concentrated. He made five tackles and didn’t leave the field in Minnesota’s 23-17 win.

On second-and-10 at New York’s 14 with 6:19 left in the third quarter, he delivered a viral individual performance – and successfully all the verbs; Blasting and twisting and turning and diving, eventually breaking Rodger’s throwing motion mid-toss and forcing a key incompletion. Cashman looked a lot like an action hero.

In retrospect, he looked more like a superhero. He literally threw himself off an injured big toe.

It’s the kind of play Cashman has been missing from the Vikings over the past three weeks in losses to the Lions and Rams and the eight-point win over the Colts. Their usual green spot was rehabilitating one of the most feared injuries to an NFL player. Unfortunately, Cashman is back in action today in Jacksonville and ready to resume his role as the heartbeat and communications center of Minnesota’s menacing defense. But his return doesn’t mean he’s 100% healed. Turf toe can be chronic.