The Minnesota Vikings find themselves at a critical juncture in their season. Currently sitting below .500 after seven games with a 3-4 record, the team is in a challenging but certainly recoverable position. However, two more losses could effectively remove them from playoff contention, barring a borderline miracle.
One significant development is the decision to start quarterback JJ McCarthy, who has seemingly fully recovered from the high ankle sprain he suffered in Week 2. McCarthy will be starting ahead of backup Carson Wentz. A key factor in McCarthy’s success will be the level of protection he receives from the offensive line—a unit that has been severely impacted by injuries throughout the season.
The Vikings have suffered multiple setbacks on the offensive line. Center Ryan Kelly is currently on injured reserve, while both bookend tackles, Christian Darrisaw and Brian O’Neill, have been battling knee injuries. O’Neill initially injured his knee during the first London game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, and Darrisaw is managing a gradual return from an ACL tear suffered last October.
Both tackles have been listed as questionable for Sunday’s crucial divisional game against the Detroit Lions. The good news, however, is that head coach Kevin O’Connell remains optimistic about their availability. According to ESPN’s Kevin Seifert, “O’Connell sounds optimistic about Darrisaw and O’Neill getting to Sunday,” as reported in a post on X on Sunday.
O’Neill missed the Vikings’ last game, a Thursday night loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. Meanwhile, Darrisaw started that match but had to leave early due to an aggravation of the same knee injury that caused him to miss half of last season and the start of this one.
Vikings fans will be watching closely this weekend as the team battles not only the Lions but also its own injury setbacks. More updates will follow as the situation develops.
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