Reusse: Family time for Blake Cashman means he’s playing and the family’s watching

Austen Cashman returned from Chicago to his Twin Cities roots for the holidays. Sunday was his 10th day back home. He was an early attendee along with family and friends for Sunday’s Vikings-Green Bay showdown in U.S. Bank Stadium.

“We get here early in order to watch Blake work out on the field, and that’s also where the Vikings come out to be introduced,” Kory Thomas said.

That would be Blake Cashman, former Eden Prairie High great, former Gophers standout, former much-injured New York Jet, former productive Houston Texan, and now an indispensable inside linebacker for the Vikings.

Thomas is married to Blake’s mother, Corinne. Father Steve Cashman also was in the house with another collection of Vikings (and Blake) backers.

“There probably will be 30 or 35 of us altogether,” Corinne Thomas said.

Among those interested in getting a pregame look at Blake was Austen, his kid brother by one year. That is because during these 10 days in the Twin Cities he had spent no time with his brother.

“I’ve been staying at the house and taking care of Blake’s dog, but I haven’t seen him,” Austen said. “Blake lets us all know ahead of time: There’s no Christmas involving him when there’s a game to be played, and especially a big game like this one against the Packers.”

So go ahead and open gifts and drink a bit of eggnog, but Blake Cashman won’t be involved. He will be watching “tape” to get ready for Green Bay.

“I can say this, and not because he’s my brother,” Austen said. “Blake is the most competitive person I know. He never stops — working out, preparing for a game."

Considering the one year in age difference, were there a few tussles around the home?

Corinne smiled at the question, and Austen offered this: “There were way too many of those. I wound up with a broken hand once when Blake decided I had done a terrible job vacuuming the basement.”

Did this truly happen? “Yes, Blake and Austen got into it about doing the job right — owning your responsibilities and doing your best," Corinne said. ”Blake has been intense in everything he does. For him, 100 percent is the minimum."

Which probably explains Cashman putting behind original walk-on status and three years of injuries with the Jets to become this valuable in his sixth season as an NFLer:

The Vikings had their two-game losing streak to Detroit and the Los Angeles Rams in late October, and part of the explanation offered by coaches was that Cashman was missing because of an injury. The reports from the Eagan complex were that Cashman was a playmaker, yes, but also vital in positioning others to make plays.

Mike Grant, the Eden Prairie coaching legend, has found himself unsurprised by Cashman’s contribution to this phenomenal Vikings season — 14-2 after Sunday’s 27-25 victory over the Packers, twice the number of wins anticipated preseason in sports books.

Eden Prairie was rolling to four consecutive state titles (2011-14) as Cashman ended his high school career in 2014. The last of those came 28-27 against potent Totino-Grace, with Cashman moving to receiver to catch a 24-yard touchdown pass and then leading a charge to stop Grace’s try for a winning two-point conversion.

“Blake might not like it when I say we had better athletes, more gifted players physically, but that’s true,” Grant said. “What he always did was make plays. He was a very good athlete, but most of all, he had a quick-twitch mind.

“You see players that are in between, not out of the play, but not really in it. Blake Cashman … for us, for the Gophers, and now the Vikings: He’s in the middle of the play.“

That was the case late Sunday afternoon and into the evening. The Packers put up the last 15 points, putting a dent in what had been a Vikings domination.

Still, it was never really a nail-biter, and now the Vikings can go to Detroit next week and take the No. 1 seed in the NFC with a victory over the Lions.

Which without a doubt was the Christmas gift that Blake Cashman sought last week. All that preparation rather than holiday cheer? He led the Vikings with 11 tackles and was credited with 1.5 of the Vikings’ three sacks of Jordan Love.

Pregame, it was a game for which the defense was announced, so family and friends were able to see Cashman run through the dragon’s smoke down below.

Postgame, Blake was headed to the house, where everyone gathered would get to hug the game ball he was awarded after Sunday’s game, and brother Austen might also get a firm but not damaging handshake.