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Minnesota Vikings · Sep 17, 2025

Minnesota Vikings News and Links: Our Faith Is Being Put To The Test

The Vikings have had their fair share (if not more) of injuries to start the season. After having a pretty safe season last year, it is probably the odds that they would get more this year. Now that JJ McCarthy is out for at least one week, with some reports saying it could be 2 to 4 weeks, the debates have been very spirited about his capabilities. I really do not know right now. I am hopeful that he will be the long term answer. It remains to be seen though.

This article was before the Bears game.

McGinn: Inside the J.J. McCarthy Mystery

“The whole thing is just a mystery until he plays,” an executive in personnel said last week. “Everything (in Minnesota) is about the quarterback this year.”

“I don’t really know what to say about him,” said an NFC personnel man who eagerly watched the McCarthy snippet. “He threw (seven) passes in the preseason; none of them were particularly impressive. I do think he has movement ability and should be good on the boot action, but he’s a total wild card. I have no idea how he’s going to do in this offense.

“If I’m a Minnesota fan, I’m confident in the players around him, and especially the coach (Kevin O’Connell). But for anyone to say they know what he is or will be, they are just speculating.”

“I’m sure there will be some rocky moments at the start,” offered Polian.

“He has to show he can put enough touch on his underneath throws to give the backs a chance,” said one scout. “And he has to show he can throw that deep crossing route, particularly to (Justin) Jefferson that they rely so much upon.

“If he can do that, then I think he’ll be fine.”

Scary stat!
Before the 2024 NFL Draft, CBS Sports highlighted that J.J. McCarthy was the first first-round quarterback since Christian Ponder in 2011 to be selected without having a single season with either 3,000 passing yards or 500 rushing yards during his college career.

Oh man. Our faith is being put to the test big time right now.

Minnesota Vikings News and Links

Other Vikings injury updates: Aaron Jones, Christian Darrisaw, more

RB Aaron Jones
Part of the reason the Vikings traded for Jordan Mason was the knowledge that Jones is 30 years old and has dealt with various bumps and bruises throughout his career, even if he’s mostly been durable. Mason has already out-snapped Jones in each of the first two games, and his snap share figures to spike in Week 3 as Minnesota’s clear-cut RB1 for quarterback Carson Wentz. With Ty Chandler on IR, Zavier Scott is now the Vikings’ RB2. They also have Xazavian Valladay on the practice squad.

LT Christian Darrisaw
Darrisaw missed a second consecutive game to start the season as he finishes up his recovery process from last October’s major knee injury. In Week 1, he was listed as questionable, but that was just so the Vikings could put him through a pregame workout at Soldier Field. He was never going to play in that game. In Week 2, he was ruled out in the final injury report on Friday.

If the Vikings thought Darrisaw was going to miss the first four games of the season, they could’ve put him on short-term injured reserve. That would seem to suggest he has a chance to play as soon as this week. Asked on Monday if he feels like Darrisaw is close, O’Connell gave an emphatic “yes.”

“It’s been a true day-to-day approach to it,” O’Connell said. “He’s doing everything he can.”

C Ryan Kelly
During Sunday night’s game, Kelly and Skule joined Andrew Van Ginkel and Jeff Okudah in the concussion protocol. For Kelly, it’s a bit more concerning given his history of concussions during his time with the Colts. O’Connell did say that there were “some positive early signs” on Monday, but added that it is “totally in the hands of the medical professionals as they work through the protocol.”

“It is encouraging that he does feel positive and good today, from a standpoint of knowing that history,” O’Connell added. “But like I said, my job is to have the best interest of the player and totally just allow the medical staff and our doctors and the independent doctors to guide where this thing goes.”

OLB Andrew Van Ginkel
Van Ginkel missed Sunday’s game while in the concussion protocol, which was his first injury absence since he joined the Vikings prior to last season. O’Connell said they’re “expecting some good news” on AVG and Okudah “with where they’re at in the phase of the protocol, being able to begin their practice work and clear that last hurdle to hopefully be available this week.”

S Harrison Smith
Smith has been ramping up after missing a big chunk of time due to a personal health matter, but he’s been inactive for the first two games of the season. O’Connell said he expects Smith to practice on Wednesday, and they’ll continue to evaluate him from there. The 14th-year veteran could make his season debut this week.
…
At one point in the second half of Sunday’s game, the Vikings were without 7 of their 22 projected starters coming into the season: Aaron Jones, Jordan Addison (suspension), Christian Darrisaw, Ryan Kelly, Andrew Van Ginkel, Blake Cashman (IR), and Harrison Smith. Now J.J. McCarthy can be added to that list. Even if some of those players might be back next Sunday, it’s been rough so far.

“We’re definitely dealing with some adversity right now, both through our performance but also the injury side of things,” O’Connell said. “It’s never ever gonna be an excuse. We’ve gotta find a way to have the next man up.

“That is the nature of our league, week in and week out. It’s just hit us pretty significantly early on here, and we’ve just gotta work our way through it and try to weather the storm and play good football, regardless of who’s in the game.”

Wentz gets chance to revive career with Vikings’ McCarthy reportedly out 2-4 weeks

“He was really impressive last week,” head coach Kevin O’Connell said of Wentz, who has been with the Vikings since August 24. “You felt the veteran presence and the command. He’s really smart. A guy that’s played a lot of football and he’s been able to get himself to a place where he’s felt very comfortable these past two weeks had he needed to go in the football game. Now he’ll get a week of preparation to get ready to go play.”

“He’s going to be a snap away and I know Max will be prepared,” O’Connell said of Brosmer.

7 things that stood out from Vikings’ ugly primetime loss to Falcons

Minnesota’s offense was a mess
This was a nightmarish evening for the Vikings’ offense, led by quarterback J.J. McCarthy in his second career start. McCarthy turned the ball over three times, throwing a pair of interceptions and also losing a fumble on a strip-sack. He threw for just 158 yards. The running game didn’t do much. As a team, the Vikings had only 198 total yards, in part because McCarthy was sacked six times. It’s only the second time in the Kevin O’Connell era that they’ve been held under 200 yards. It was just a complete mess from start to finish, with only a couple positive moments.

McCarthy has to improve quickly
As detailed above, this was a brutal game for McCarthy. He was unable to evade the Falcons’ pressure, missed some receivers, and most importantly, didn’t take care of the football. A key miss came in the fourth quarter, with the Vikings down 15-6. On 3rd and 1, McCarthy took a deep shot to an open Jalen Nailor and overthrew him, leading to a punt.

The Vikings need Christian Darrisaw back
Veteran Justin Skule, who was signed to be the Vikings’ swing tackle, got a second start despite being shaky in Week 1. He continued to struggle in this game, including giving up a key sack with the Vikings in the low red zone in the second quarter. Skule then left the game in the third quarter with a concussion. In came second-year player Walter Rouse, who proceeded to be called for a hold that negated a big Jordan Mason run.

Run defense was shaky
Romo revenge game
Myles Price struggles in return game
Rowdy crowd doesn’t get much to cheer about

Vikings snap counts and notable PFF grades from Week 2 loss to Falcons

Vikings offensive snap counts vs. Falcons (out of 47)
QB J.J. McCarthy: 47
LG Donovan Jackson: 47
RG Will Fries: 47
RT Brian O’Neill: 47
WR Justin Jefferson: 47
WR Jalen Nailor: 47
WR Adam Thielen: 38
LT Justin Skule: 35
TE T.J. Hockenson: 34
RB Jordan Mason: 28
C Michael Jurgens: 24
C Ryan Kelly: 23
RB Aaron Jones: 20
TE Josh Oliver: 14
LT Walter Rouse: 12
TE Ben Yurosek: 4
WR Tim Jones: 3

Bottom 5 PFF grades on offense (min. 20 snaps)
Normally we go over the top five grades on both sides of the ball. But after a loss like that, it feels more instructive to take a look at the worst grades. The usual disclaimer applies, which is that while PFF grades are interesting, they’re not some end-all, be-all evaluation of player performance.

D. Jackson — 44.4

McCarthy — 49.4

Skule — 49.7

Fries — 49.8

Jurgens — 57.0

Vikings defensive snap counts vs. Falcons (out of 66)
LB Eric Wilson: 66
CB Isaiah Rodgers: 63
S Theo Jackson: 62
S Josh Metellus: 62
CB Byron Murphy Jr: 62
OLB Dallas Turner: 60
LB Ivan Pace Jr: 59
OLB Jonathan Greenard: 57
DT Jonathan Allen: 49
DT Javon Hargrave: 48
DT Jalen Redmond: 38
DT Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins: 24
DT Levi Drake Rodriguez: 21
S Jay Ward: 16
CB Dwight McGlothern: 11
OLB Chaz Chambliss: 6
DT Elijah Williams: 6
OLB Gabriel Murphy: 5
OLB Bo Richter: 4
S Tavierre Thomas: 4
CB Fabian Moreau: 3

Bottom 5 PFF grades on defense (min. 20 snaps)

Hargrave — 30.4

Allen — 41.5

Pace — 43.6

Greenard — 45.4

Turner — 52.7

Week 3 NFL Power Rankings: Overreactions, a new No. 1 and Vikings, Commanders drop

Minnesota Vikings (1-1)
Last week: 12

Sunday: Lost to Falcons 22-6
Overreaction: They should have kept Sam Darnold (or Kirk Cousins)

The Vikings sent two perfectly good quarterbacks packing the last two years and put everything on the shoulders of J.J. McCarthy, who was overwhelmed by the Falcons in his second NFL start. McCarthy has taken the second-most time to throw of any QB in the league, taking three seconds to get the ball out, and he was sacked six times because of it on Sunday night. McCarthy’s EPA per dropback (minus-0.54) is the worst in the league by a good distance. With McCarthy now dinged up, Minnesota will likely turn to Carson Wentz.

How long can Vikings wait for J.J. McCarthy to develop? This was their grand plan, but it’s off to bumpy start

The transition was supposed to be seamless. The Minnesota Vikings didn’t necessarily say that. But they also kind of did. Whether it was talking up the seemingly quarterback-proof supporting cast around new starter J.J. McCarthy, or repeatedly turning away from more proven options at the position, the NFC North contender declared with both word and deed that the 2025 NFL season was about winning here and now.

Except, two games into McCarthy’s first campaign as “the guy,” the Vikings feel less like an established contender and more like an organization at the start of a rebuild. Two games is a small sample size. It’s also 11% of an NFL regular season. And samples don’t get much more dispiriting than what occurred Sunday night, when McCarthy was supposed to greet the hordes of purple-coated fans at U.S. Bank Stadium with a sturdy home debut.
…
Because the Vikings insisted over the summer and throughout the preseason, when McCarthy’s composure and mobility overshadowed his uneven production, that the Michigan product didn’t need to be Superman. McCarthy echoed the sentiment, telling CBS Sports before his NFL debut he felt no pressure to play “hero ball” as the face of a “stacked” lineup. Yet heroics aren’t even the concern here. Through two games, the biggest question is how long it’ll take McCarthy to even be generally competent. And how long the rest of the Vikings can afford to wait.
…
Again, let’s be clear: Two games does not make or break a quarterback. These were McCarthy’s first two starts at the NFL level. This year’s No. 1 overall draft pick, Cameron Ward, had similarly inefficient marks in Week 1. Plenty of star gunslingers have gotten off to ugly starts. And McCarthy wasn’t working with a fully healthy cast of characters Sunday, with two starting linemen in Christian Darrisaw and Ryan Kelly out of the lineup, as well as fill-in left tackle Justin Skule, by the end of the night. We’re also just a week removed from McCarthy producing a stellar close to his first start, spearheading a fourth-quarter comeback against the Chicago Bears.
…
The biggest reason for concern is not necessarily that the bumpy start portends a total failure of a career for McCarthy. It’s that the Vikings anticipated otherwise. Their entire 2025 offseason was centered around the decision to say thanks but no thanks to a bevy of alternatives at quarterback. In short order, they:

Refused to enter a bidding war for Sam Darnold, who threw 35 touchdowns and posted top five marks in passing yards and quarterback rating under O’Connell in 2024;
Refused to enter a bidding war for Daniel Jones, who finished 2024 on the practice squad behind Darnold and is now off to a career-best start as the Indianapolis Colts’ starter;
Barely entertained overtures from Aaron Rodgers, who by many accounts preferred to join the Vikings for his final NFL season as opposed to the Pittsburgh Steelers;
Waited until the last minute to swap out a struggling Sam Howell as the new backup quarterback, only signing journeyman Wentz at the close of the preseason.

Not one of those decisions was entirely head-scratching on its own. But as a whole, they paint a clear picture: The Vikings were, above almost anything else, committed to making 2025 all about McCarthy — making him comfortable, ensuring he went unchallenged as the present and future starter, getting the ball rolling on his opportunity to justify the club’s move up to draft him 10th overall in 2024. And the roster construction by general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, with heavy resources poured into the offensive and defensive lines, and proven stars like Jefferson at the skill spots, was designed to avoid a drop-off from the 14-win Darnold explosion of 2024.
…
So is it time to hit the panic button on J.J. McCarthy as the long-term face of the Vikings? Probably not. It is, however, time to start considering he’s not the guy to take the Vikings right back to the playoffs in 2025. There’s plenty of time for that story to be rewritten. But already the clock is ticking.

NFL rumors: Will Vikings push Kirk Cousins trade button after J.J. McCarthy injury?

It seems like a bit of a long shot at this point. First, the Vikings may not have the capital to spend on such a move. And the Falcons have already shown they are willing to hold Cousins “trade hostage” unless they get a beefy deal.

Furthermore, would Cousins really be the answer for the Vikings in 2025? Aren’t they totally committed to McCarthy?
…
“While last night’s injury likely impacted [McCarthy’s] late-game play, some Vikings fans have to be wondering whether they should have kept Sam Darnold or Daniel Jones,” Mike Florio wrote. “Or signed Aaron Rodgers. Or traded for Kirk Cousins.

“The last part remains possible. If, when McCarthy returns, the struggles continue, the Vikings will have until the Tuesday after Week 9 to decide whether to bring Kirk home in an effort to save the 2025 campaign.”

Eagles Quietly Cut Ties With Former Vikings 1st-Round Pick

Philadelphia officially waived veteran safety Lewis Cine on Monday fron the Injured Reserve, per the National Football League’s transaction wire.

Again, we all know the rules, but in case someone is new:

No discussion of politics or religion

No feeding of the trolls

Leave the gender hatred at the door

Keep the bad language to a minimum (using the spoiler tags, if you must)

Speaking of which, if discussing a newer show or movie, please use spoiler tags

No pictures that could get someone fired or in serious trouble with their employer

If you can’t disagree in a civil manner, feel free to go away

While navigating the open thread, just assume it’s sarcasm

Source: https://www.dailynorseman.com/minne...-and-links-our-faith-is-being-put-to-the-test

Minnesota Vikings · Sep 18, 2025

First Injury Report: Bengals at Vikings

The Minnesota Vikings and Cincinnati Bengals have issued their first injury reports of the week ahead of their Sunday matchup at US Bank stadium. Here they are:

Minnesota Vikings

LT Christian Darrisaw, Knee, Full

OLB Andrew Van Ginkel, Concussion, Limited

C Ryan Kelly, Concussion, DNP

LT Justin Skule, Concussion, DNP

CB Jeff Okudah, Concussion, Full

S Harrison Smith, Illness, Limited

QB J.J. McCarthy, Ankle, DNP

OLB Jonathan Greenard, Oblique, Limited

LG Donovan Jackson, Wrist, Limited

S Theo Jackson, Hip, Limited

TE Josh Oliver, Ankle, Limited

LB Austin Keys, Groin, Limited

The Vikings will be without J.J. McCarthy at quarterback on Sunday, meaning Carson Wentz will get the start and Max Brosmer will be the backup and new hire Desmond Ridder will be the emergency third QB on the roster. My guess is that we don’t see McCarthy until after the Vikings’ bye week, but we’ll see. He is expected to miss 2-4 weeks.

Christian Darrisaw’s status is murky at best, given his on again, off again rehab schedule at this point. Kevin O’Connell gives the same vague answer every week about Darrisaw’s status but it doesn’t seem like much progress has been made the last few weeks. That said, if things go well this week he could start on Sunday. But with Justin Skule in concussion protocol, it seems more likely that Walter Rouse will start at left tackle if Darrisaw can’t go on Sunday.

This is the fourth concussion for Ryan Kelly since 2023 and for that reason I doubt he’ll play on Sunday, meaning backup Micheal Jurgens will get the start.

Jeff Okudah appears to be further along the concussion protocol than Andrew Van Ginkel, but still possible both will play on Sunday. Jonathan Greenard returned to play on Sunday after suffering an oblique injury, which makes me think he’ll play on Sunday. Harrison Smith’s status remains murky but if he becomes a full participant this week I would expect him to play on Sunday. The remaining players that were limited are dealing with minor injuries and are likely to play on Sunday as well.

Cincinnati Bengals

G Dylan Fairchild, Shoulder, Full

DE Shemar Stewart, Ankle, DNP

CB Cam Taylor-Britt, Hamstring, Limited

LB Logan Wilson, Ankle, Limited

Of course the big injury for the Bengals is to starting QB Joe Burrow, who will miss Sunday’s game and isn’t expected back for a few months. Dylan Fairchild is the starter at left guard, but as a full participant today seems likely to play on Sunday. Shemar Stewart is a starter at defensive tackle who suffered an ankle injury last weekend and didn’t practice today. Bengals head coach Zac Taylor said he will miss Sunday’s game against the Vikings. Cam Taylor-Britt plays outside corner in nickel situations for the Bengals and suffered what is termed a minor hamstring injury in practice today and was limited. Hamstrings are tricky injuries, so this is something to monitor the rest of the week. Logan Wilson is a starting linebacker for the Bengals, so his status the rest of the week is worth monitoring as well.

Both teams are on backup quarterbacks and likely to be missing at least a couple other key starters as well. The Vikings have quite the laundry list of injured players, but hopefully this weekend will see the return of a few key starters that have missed time.

Follow me on X/Bluesky @wludford

Source: https://www.dailynorseman.com/minne.../90900/first-injury-report-bengals-at-vikings

Minnesota Vikings · Sep 18, 2025

Minnesota Vikings in the Power Rankings — Entering Week 3

Hello again sports fans. We’re back with another season of putting together a consensus power ranking for the Vikings each week, and with Week 2 now in the rear-view mirror, we’re off and running.

Let’s talk to it (rankings are hyperlinked for maximum clickage):

The Rankings
NFL.com — 19th (last week: 11th)

Key excerpt: “It has been a wild ride with McCarthy, and it’s tough to know how severe the injury is now, but it’s clear things haven’t gone according to plan early.”

The Athletic/New York Times — 22nd (last week: 12th)

Key excerpt: “McCarthy has taken the second-most time to throw of any QB in the league, taking three seconds to get the ball out, and he was sacked six times because of it on Sunday night.”

ESPN.com — 20th (last week: 13th)

Key excerpt: “(McCarthy) has held the ball an average of 3.15 seconds before throwing, second highest in the NFL, and is tied for second in the league with four turnovers.”

Pro Football Talk — 21st (last week: 12th)

Key excerpt: “The air came out of the balloon quickly.”

CBS Sports (Pete Prisco) — 17th (last week: 14th)

Key excerpt: “J.J. McCarthy struggled in the loss to the Falcons, and now he is out for a bit with a high ankle sprain. It’s Carson Wentz time for probably a few weeks.”

Palm Beach Post (Joe Schad) — 10th (last week: 6th)

Key excerpt: “Key offseason addition: Jonathan Allen; lost to Falcons.”

The Score — 15th (last week: 7th)

Key excerpt: “The Vikings could be on the rise again before long, but Sunday night’s loss to the Falcons was particularly discouraging.”

NFL Trade Rumors — 19th (last week: 14th)

Key excerpt: “This Minnesota defense is having a lot of fun and causing plenty of havoc, but the offense with McCarthy at the helm could get almost nothing done against Atlanta.”

Sports Illustrated — 16th (last week: 11th)

Key excerpt: “Meanwhile, is anyone else kind of excited to see Carson Wentz in a Kevin O’Connell offense?”

USA Today (Nate Davis) — 22nd (last week: 15th)

Key excerpt: “With apologies to injured J.J. McCarthy, here’s a wild stat − backup Carson Wentz is likely about to become the first quarterback to start for six different teams over a six-season stretch in the Super Bowl era, which dates to 1966.”

Yahoo! Sports — 16th (last week: 8th)

Key excerpt: “What happens if Carson Wentz plays well with McCarthy out?”

New York Post — 19th (last week: 17th)

Key excerpt: None provided.

—————

Average ranking: 18.0 (216 ranking points/12 rankings)

Spare thoughts: I don’t think the Vikings are the 18th-best team in the NFL, but it’s hard to disagree with much of this based on how they played last week. I’m eager to see how the Vikings play under Wentz, and think/hope the team has a chance to move up in the 12th-14th range next week.

What do you think? Join the conversation below (and recommend other power rankings to add if you wish)!

Source: https://www.dailynorseman.com/minne...vikings-in-the-power-rankings-entering-week-3

Minnesota Vikings · Sep 19, 2025

Second Injury Report: Bengals at Vikings

The Minnesota Vikings and Cincinnati Bengals have issued their second injury reports of the week ahead of their Sunday matchup at US Bank stadium. Here they are:

Minnesota Vikings

LT Christian Darrisaw, Knee, DNP

OLB Andrew Van Ginkel, Concussion, Limited

C Ryan Kelly, Concussion, DNP

LT Justin Skule, Concussion, DNP

CB Jeff Okudah, Concussion, Full

S Harrison Smith, Illness, Limited

QB J.J. McCarthy, Ankle, DNP

OLB Jonathan Greenard, Oblique, Full

LG Donovan Jackson, Wrist, Limited

S Theo Jackson, Hip, Limited

TE Josh Oliver, Ankle, Limited

LB Austin Keys, Groin, Limited

Christian Darrisaw did not practice today as part of his on again, off again practice schedule that he’s had for about a month, which provides little insight into his availability for Sunday’s game. I suppose tomorrow should then be a full practice and Saturday an off day, meaning that Sunday could be an on day, depending on how things go. Ryan Kelly and Justin Skule did not practice again today and I’d be surprised if either cleared concussion protocol and were available on Sunday.

Jonathan Greenard was upgraded to full participant which bodes well for his availability on Sunday. Everyone else who was limited yesterday was limited again today, and I expect all of those to play on Sunday with the possible exceptions of Andrew Van Ginkel and Harrison Smith. Jeff Okudah is on track to play.

Cincinnati Bengals

G Dylan Fairchild, Shoulder, Full

DE Shemar Stewart, Ankle, DNP

CB Cam Taylor-Britt, Hamstring, DNP

LB Logan Wilson, Ankle, Full

DE B.J. Hill, NIR- rest day, Limited

CB D.J. Turner, Hamstring, Limited

For the Bengals, Dylan Fairchild was again a full participant in practice Thursday indicating he’s on track to play on Sunday. Bengals head coach Zac Taylor has already said Shemar Stewart won’t play on Sunday so his not practicing again today is no surprise. Starting CB Cam Taylor-Britt not participating today after being limited yesterday makes his availability for Sunday more doubtful. To make matters worse for the Bengals at cornerback, starting corner D.J. Turner was added to the injury report with a hamstring and was limited, which potentially could make the Bengals even thinner at cornerback. Logan Wilson was upgraded to full participant today which makes it more likely he’ll play on Sunday. B.J. Hill had a rest day which won’t impact his availability on Sunday.

The Vikings are likely to be without Ryan Kelly and Justin Skule on Sunday, and Christian Darrisaw remains questionable. Jeff Okudah should be back. We’ll have to wait for the final injury report tomorrow to get a better idea on Harrison Smith and Andrew Van Ginkel.

The Bengals are looking at a potentially grim situation at cornerback, as two starters were downgraded. The only bright spot was Logan Wilson being upgraded and likely to play Sunday.

Stay tuned for the final injury reports out tomorrow.

Follow me on X/Bluesky @wludford

Source: https://www.dailynorseman.com/minne...90920/second-injury-report-bengals-at-vikings

Minnesota Vikings · Sep 19, 2025

Minnesota Vikings News and Links: Keep Hope Alive!

Carson Wentz has now gotten all of our attention and hopes. His career has been interesting. He had success in Philadelphia although he did miss out on playing in the Super Bowl. He still has a ring though.

His first year he had 16 TDs and 14 INTs.

In 2017, he had 33 TDs and 7 INTs.

In 2018, he had 21 TDs and 7 INTs.

In 2019, he had 27 TDs and 7 INTs. In 2020, he had 16 TDs and 15 INTs while being sacked 50 times in only 12 games. This was his last year in Philly and they ended up benching him the last four games. There was not much he could do that year since their offensive line was in shambles. Their star right tackle, Lane Johnson only played 35% of the snaps. Their right guard, Brandon Brooks missed the season. Their left tackle Andre Dillard missed the season and they had to turn to 7th round pick Jordan Mailata. Dallas Goedert missed 5 games, DeSeand Jackson missed 6 games, Marquise Goodwin missed the entire season, Alshon Jeffrey missed the first 8 games. The leading receivers were Greg Ward, Zach Ertz, Travis Fulgham, Dallas Goedert, and Jalen Reagor. But Wentz got most of the blame because that it what happens to QBs.

His next season in Indy, 2021, he had 27 TDs and 7 INTs. After that he started 7 games in Washington in 2022, and 1 game in 2023 & 2024.

He seems very careful with the ball and completes about 63% of his passes. He needs protection like most QBs. He could be a sneaky good signing.

Hopefully, Darrisaw returns which would leave concerns with Jurgens, Jackson, and surprisingly or disappointingly Fries.

PFF grades …

Donovan Jackson (31st out of 69) 60.7 overall, 62.9 pass block, 58.2 run block
Will Fries (46th out of 69) 54.7 overall, 67.4 pass block, 54.1 run block
Ryan Kelly (4th out of 33) 77.1 overall, 82.4 pass block, 74.0 run block
Brian O’Neill (2nd out of 68) 82.0 overall, 77.6 pass block, 81.1 run block
Justin Skule (53rd out of 68) 51.5 overall, 48.4 pass block, 50.0 run block
Michael Jurgens 57.0 overall, 45.2 pass block, 71.0 run block

I expect Fries will start to come around since he has been recovering from injury. I hope Kelly will return soon. If Darrisaw returns and plays well then it makes them much better for the QB.

Bottom line. We got to get this DUBYA this week!

Minnesota Vikings News and Links

‘He’s wildly capable’: O’Connell backs Wentz, critiques McCarthy after ankle injury

In the meantime, O’Connell isn’t putting all the blame on McCarthy.

“We didn’t play well as a team. We didn’t play well enough. We didn’t coach well enough. There’s a lot of aspects of it that we missed the mark on but it is Week 2,” O’Connell said on KFAN-FM 100.3 Tuesday morning. “We are a 1-1 team with a chance to get right back on track this week. I think, coming out of that game, there were some real learning opportunities for our young quarterback.”

“He was hit too much for my liking early on. We had some mental breakdowns and some physical breakdowns that we’ve got to find a way to rectify. I think we’ll be able to do that as we move on and press forward,” said O’Connell.

McCarthy was sacked a whopping nine times over the first two weeks. That trails only Titans rookie QB Cam Ward, who was sacked 11 times. When he has been protected, McCarthy has struggled to get the ball to his playmakers.

“Young quarterbacks have days where there’s always going to be the maximizing of the learning opportunities,” said O’Connell. “It’s very much easier to do after you come back, storming back in a football game on the road, in the NFC North, in the opener. But, you know, you’ve got to equally — if you’re going to be a 1-0 team, and a mindset of doing the things we try to do to win one game — we all have to acknowledge what took place on Sunday is not the standard.”

“I think, specifically for a quarterback, a right-handed thrower, that right ankle… that’s where you’re generating all your initial force off the ground, via transferring that through your mechanics to, inevitably, the ball leaving your hands with a lot of torque and revolutions on it. It’s all generated from the ground and I think one of the things that got away from him in the game was he wasn’t on the ground enough,” O’Connell reasoned.

“I had a good conversation with Sean [McVay] and I was able to talk to Andy Reid as well about his experiences last year,” O’Connell explained. “A lot of the things that both of those guys, who I hold in such high regard, they had very similar things to say, independent of each other. A lot of those things, if not all, have already been confirmed with what Carson has been able to do on the practice field.”

“He’s made throws. He showed his athleticism. He’s big. He can see everything on the field and he’s played a ton of football,” said O’Connell. “He’s carried teams on his back before. He’s not going to need to do that. He’s just going to need to go out there and do the things he’s wildly capable of doing and do that job at a consistent level. My hope is we get the execution around him to be the standard we want it to be.”

New Vikings starter Carson Wentz has been waiting for this moment

“It’s exciting,” he said on Wednesday. “Pretty fast pace the last couple weeks for me. It’s been fun to see J.J. and interact with him and be a part of what they’ve been doing here this whole offseason. It’s a bummer, obviously, what happened to him. Been there more times than I care to admit. But it’s been fun to see how he’s responded already — and exciting for me, I’m not gonna lie. It’s been a couple years since I played in a game like this, with real consequences.”

When asked if he thought he’d ever get another opportunity to start, he admitted that his mind has wandered to such places. After his one season with the Commanders ended, Wentz didn’t land another job until the Rams came calling in November of 2023. This year, he was a free agent until the Vikings brought him in to replace Sam Howell in late August. Now 32 years old, the former Eagles phenom didn’t know if or when he’d get another chance to show what he can still do.

“I’m a human being,” he said. “It’s hard to not have those thoughts. But at the same time, when they come, I try not to think too futuristically. Just be where I’m at, be grateful for the opportunity at hand, not try and put too much pressure on myself but not take it for granted either. It’s a very human thing to dwell on and think about, but that’s where my faith comes in.”

Wentz said he feels great physically and is “in a good spot” in terms of his knowledge of the offense. This week is all about dialing in on the game plan and getting ready to go play efficient football.

“It’s fun to go out there and sit through install meetings, knowing this is a chance, personally, that it’s been a couple years since I’ve had a meaningful start,” he said. “I’ve been staying ready behind the scenes, doing whatever I can. It’s been fast paced trying to learn this offense, learn these guys. It is quite a bit different, but at the same time, once we went out there, it’s a Wednesday practice, and I kind of fell right back into that same routine I’ve had for 10 years now.”

“I grew up rooting for this team. It’s one of those things, you play long enough and you can kind of forget about those things, because it’s football, you’re bouncing around teams. But being here, I kind of alluded to it when I first got here, just how cool it is for me. I used to cheer for the guys that I’m walking down the hallway seeing (on the walls). I used to come to the Metrodome and I was waving the towel, I was part of the Skol chants, all the things. So running out of the tunnel this week will probably hit me a little bit different in a really cool, kind of surreal way.”

Carson Wentz Progressing Through Offense Ahead of 1st Vikings Start

Carson Wentz has made a leap like this before.

Well, not exactly.

A growth spurt in his youth isn’t quite on the same level as jumping into the starting lineup in the NFL.

“I just remember praying, ‘God if you get me to 6-feet that would be terrific’ when I was 5-foot-8 as a (high school) freshman. And then we just kept going,” Wentz recalled Wednesday with a laugh. “Everybody’s got their own journey. That’s the unique part. And so God’s writing mine differently than other people.”
…
Wentz dislikes the circumstances of his promotion but is eager for what’s awaiting him.

“It’s a bummer, obviously, what happened to him – been there more times than I care to admit,” Wentz said regarding McCarthy’s status. “But it’s been fun to see how he’s responded already, and exciting for me, I’m not gonna lie. It’s been a couple years since I played in a game like this with real consequences.”
…
Take last Thursday as Exhibit A. McCarthy attended to his fiancée in labor; Wentz subbed in for the 22-year-old quarterback and repped with the 1s. O’Connell called it “one of the blessings” of last week.

A trial run, if you will.

Thursdays in the NFL typically entail blitz packages, third-down call sheets and a simulated environment that’s hellbent on urgency, which can breed some player anxiety, O’Connell told Allen.

But Wentz didn’t flinch.

“We had a phenomenal Thursday practice and the ball, I don’t think it hit the ground more than one time,” O’Connell shared. “He was in total command. I was really pushing the group via the play clock coming off the Chicago game because I thought we were a little slow with our operation, especially early, and I was trying to push the entire group and obviously the quarterback is going to feel that.

“And Carson did a phenomenal job with that,” O’Connell remarked and then recalled that Wentz has “carried teams on his back before” but won’t need to do that in his Vikings debut if execution improves.

O’Connell elaborated on Wentz’s practice presence and poise in his press conference Wednesday:

“It just kind of felt like a normal day,” O’Connell said in reference to last Thursday. “And I think the execution and kind of how I was pushing the group, looking for the growth from Game 1 to Game 2 from a procedural standpoint before the ball’s ever snapped – huddle, alignment, landmarks, emotions, and details of things – his ability to absorb all that and then run the show was apparent to everybody.”

He added, “I was telling the team today, you’ve got a guy that’s played at a really high level, played a lot of football, and ultimately is at a place in his career where I think you can really tap into a lot of that while also shaping a game plan he’s comfortable with and he can go out and have consistent success.”

In collaboration with quarterbacks coach Josh McCown and offensive assistant Jordan Traylor, the 32-year-old Wentz hastened his learning, got acquainted with installs and prepared like the starter.

“He’s really taken to the role he came in for – knowing that he’s one play away,” Phillips said.

Thielen has watched Wentz compete in practice with a purposefulness that he linked to age.

“He’s a guy that plays with a lot of confidence. You feel that and you see that even before he was starting, just his confidence in individual (drills) and routes on air and in scout-team reps, just going and slinging the football around and having fun doing it,” Thielen said. “As you get to be an older player and a veteran player, you learn to just go and enjoy it and not treat it so much like a job and a profession, but really just taking advantage of the moments that you have, and he’s a guy that does that, which is great.”

Phillips noted there’s variance with every quarterback. Aspects such as individual strengths and past experiences are agents in comfort level within a new offense. A positive for Wentz, bearing in mind that his debut for Minnesota will occur 28 days after his arrival, is his vast experience with different systems.

“A lot of [what we do as an offense] made sense to him conceptually,” Phillips said. “It’s just the verbiage, it’s kind of connecting those systems together: ‘OK, this is that. This is what I know as ‘that.'”

“And he’s got the confidence of our group. I know that,” Phillips continued, doubling down on O’Connell’s comments that Wentz impressed last Thursday in McCarthy’s stead when he was absent from practice to support the delivery process of his first child Rome Micah McCarthy. “I think people noticed [Carson] right off the bat. He’s big. He’s got a live arm, all those things. But actually stepping in – it’s kind of why you have a veteran backup – I mean, he stepped in and we had a really good practice.”

Wentz of course is not an ordinary QB2 on any roster.
…
To an extent, Wentz presents a skill set similar to former Vikings starter Sam Darnold. The former is a couple inches taller, but both have powerful lower bodies and can therefore make plays with their legs and generate good torque and revolutions on their throws. Phillips shared they gravitate toward some of the same throws (Darnold loved attacking the middle of the field) and identified a comparable mindset.

“A little bit of gunslinger in both of them, and you kind of like that,” Phillips expressed. “Sometimes you love it, and sometimes you try to rein it back in. But at the same time, you’d kind of rather [have] the guys that you have to rein back a little bit [rather] than [encourage] them to throw the shots and those types of things when some guys in this league, you know, they’re prone to throwing the checkdown.

“I think you like it the other way around, where you pull ’em back a little bit,” Phillips added. “And Carson’s made a lot of plays over his career. I mean, he’s had, really, MVP-type seasons in this league. So I think there’s a lot of confidence [and] a lot of respect among the players in what Carson can do.”
…
“It’s definitely given me a different perspective going from being a starter to traded, cut, all the things, that being a backup the last two years behind some future Hall of Fame quarterbacks, getting to see it done at a very high level,” Wentz said about his run of six teams in six seasons. “Also just the perspective of not taking this for granted. You never know when your next chance is going to be in this league. The league’s hard; two years ago I was at home until mid-November. It’s not something I want to take lightly or take for granted. So I’ve definitely got a lot of perspective, both from, you know, physically seeing how it’s done, but also just the mental side of, you know, being appreciative and not wasting an opportunity.”
…
“I think everybody’s got kind of their own routine [throughout the week], so to speak, but just seeing how they go about play calls and understanding the defense and processing quickly – Matthew and Pat are as good as it gets at their position. And they couldn’t play the game much differently, to be honest, and the offenses are very different, too” Wentz said, expressing how his recent experiences may benefit him. “I gleaned a lot from both in a very different way that I think, hopefully, I can utilize this Sunday.”
…
“The coaches have done a great job just helping me try and grasp this as [quickly] as I can,” he said with a sincere appreciation. “And that was one of my probably favorite things, just about getting a chance to sign here a couple weeks ago, was just knowing from afar the type of game plans Coach O’Connell puts together, the way he calls plays – just really respected and appreciated and admired that from afar.”
…
Brosmer, an undrafted rookie in line to serve as the backup to Wentz, is doing some admiring as well.

“He’s so professional, and you can see how smart he is, how fast he’s picked up on our stuff, and how he handles himself as the backup these past two weeks,” Brosmer noted. “You always talk about preparing like a starter, and you learn new ways to prepare like a starter. Watching him visualize everything, doing walk-throughs together – he brings me out for walk-throughs and we walk through the plays together, and Josh [McCown] will read the plays out, and we’ll talk some defenses, and hearing how he views the defenses and how he views the concepts, it’s really cool to hear. I love learning and love people teaching me new things. Carson is a new guy I’m learning from how to see the field differently, maybe.”

The Vikings leader on the other side of the ball extended respect too.

“Obviously, I haven’t been in meetings with him or know everything from that side of it, but my impressions of him have been very positive,” Defensive Coordinator Brian Flores remarked. “And look, he’s been around the block, so this isn’t, you know, gonna be his first time lining up in an NFL game.”
…
Perhaps it’s a climactic homecoming. Maybe it’s just another opp for Wentz to be an exemplary teammate. However it goes, Sunday’s kickoff against the Bengals at U.S. Bank Stadium will be cherished.

“My family was already planning to come. So now everybody’s – now there’s even more coming,” Wentz smiled. “Again, you never wish for injuries in those capacities, but just the way this is happening, to get a chance – team I grew up for, close to home, all the things – yeah, everybody’s excited for the chance.”

McCarthy’s eventual return will also be exciting after wetting his feet and assessing ways to improve.

“When you’re not playing you better be learning from the guy that is,” said Phillips, likening McCarthy’s circumstances to last year. “You have to learn from other people’s mistakes and the coaching points that they get when they do something that maybe is not within the bounds of the offense. You’ve got to make sure that you’re kind of storing those things away in your head to make sure that you can learn and not make the same mistake, not only that you made, but that someone else made in that same situation. We know that J.J. will be very intentional, just as he was rehabbing, and staying in it, staying involved.”

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When is the last time Carson Wentz played with this much talent around him?

Having been a backup with limited regular-season snaps the last two seasons with the Chiefs and Rams, the last time Wentz played truly meaningful snaps was in 2022 with the Commanders. Wentz had 11 touchdowns and nine interceptions in eight games that season, but it’s noteworthy that the 2022 Commanders didn’t have a strong roster.

According to Pro Football Focus (PFF), the Commanders graded 26th in pass blocking, 24th in run blocking, 15th in receiving and 24th in running the football. Their defense ranked 13th, serving as the strongest unit on an overall middling roster.

What’s interesting — but perhaps not surprising — is that Wentz seems to play to the level of his supporting cast. When his team’s PFF grades are good, he’s good. When he’s team’s PFF grades are average or below average, he follows suit.

Take a look at how he performed compared to his team’s PFF grades from 2017 to 2022.

2019 Philadelphia Eagles (9-7)
Pass blocking: 3rd
Run blocking: 1st
Running: 28th
Receiving: 21st
Defense: 18th

These Eagles were graded very well by PFF on the offensive line, but the running game, receivers and defense left something to be desired. Wentz was still good, however, passing for 4,039 yards with 27 touchdowns and seven interceptions while completing 63.9% of his attempts.

Analysis: Kevin O’Connell’s reputation as a QB whisperer for the Vikings is put to the test

Vikings sign Desmond Ridder as QB depth behind Carson Wentz after J.J. McCarthy’s injury

Vikings will have Max Brosmer as No. 2 QB, Desmond Ridder as emergency QB Sunday

Vikings’ first Week 3 injury report has some encouraging signs

Full participants
LT Christian Darrisaw (knee)
CB Jeff Okudah (concussion)
Darrisaw being a full participant on Wednesday doesn’t mean he’s going to make his season debut on Sunday. He was listed as a full participant the Friday and Saturday before the Bears game in Week 1, and he was never going to play in the game. He was full last Wednesday, too, although that was just a walkthrough day.

At his press conference on Wednesday, Kevin O’Connell gave another wordy non-answer about Darrisaw’s status. Whether or not the Vikings will have their star left tackle against Trey Hendrickson and the Bengals appears to still be completely up in the air. The safe way to play it as a fan would be to not expect to see Darrisaw and then be pleasantly surprised if he does play.

Okudah, the Vikings’ No. 3 cornerback, appears to be on track to return from a one-game concussion absence.

Limited participants
OLB Andrew Van Ginkel (concussion)
S Harrison Smith (illness)

Did not participate
QB J.J. McCarthy (ankle)
C Ryan Kelly (concussion)
LT Justin Skule (concussion)

5 things we’ve learned about the 1-1 Minnesota Vikings so far

McCarthy has a long way to go

The O-line is still a concern

Mason has to be a featured weapon

The defense is still good…

…but injuries have been a factor there, too

Can the Vikings’ offense expose the truth about the Bengals’ defense?

According to ESPN Insights, the Bengals have allowed opposing quarterbacks to post a 38 QBR, which is second best in the NFL through two weeks. The Bengals are also tied for the second-most interceptions with four and they’re applying pressure despite a 4% blitz rate, which is lowest in the league.

The data points from Pro Football Focus are similar.

7th in total defense
15th in run defense
10th in coverage
13th in pass rush
13th in tackling

On the flip side, the Vikings rank dead last in total defense and 31st in run defense and tackling. They’re also 30th in coverage and 25th in pass rush, according to PFF.

What’s more likely: The Bengals are good and the Vikings are bad on defense, or the opposite?

The Bengals are actually good on defense — or the beneficiary of facing Joe Flacco and Trevor Lawrences in the first two games of the season? Remember, this is largely the same Bengals defensive personnel that finished 25th in yards allowed per game (348) last season, while only six teams allowed more points per game (25.5).

Note: The Vikings faced an awful bears team with Caleb Williams and a Falcons team with a young QB who was on his 5th or 6th start.

Jaguars Steal Vikings Defender

Jaguars.com broke the news: “The Jacksonville Jaguars have signed S Kahlef Hailassie, the team announced today. Hailassie was most recently on the Minnesota Vikings practice squad. He joined the Vikings this offseason after spending his first two NFL seasons with the Cleveland Browns (2023-24).

“With Cleveland, Hailassie played in 10 games (one start) and recorded six tackles (one for loss) and one pass defensed as well as two special teams tackles. He originally entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent with Kansas City in May of 2023 and spent the offseason with the Chiefs before being waived and joining the Browns.”

Vikings’ 2026 comp picks could be affected by Cam Robinson’s benching in Houston

Robinson, who signed a one-year, $12 million deal with the Texans, did not play in Houston’s Week 2 game after starting and playing 59 snaps at left tackle in Houston’s Week 1 loss to the Rams. In that game, Robinson allowed just one quarterback hurry in 36 snaps as a pass protector.

Why the changes? Robinson seems to have fallen behind Ersery and Howard on the depth chart, and the Texans had options after former Vikings second-round pick Ed Ingram returned from an abdominal injury to start at right guard against Tampa.

After left tackle Christian Darrisaw suffered torn ligaments in his knee last October, the Vikings madea. trade with the Jacksonville Jaguars for Robinson. They had to give up a conditional 2026 fourth-round pick and a conditional 2026 seventh-round pick to get him.

When he signed with the Texans, it put Minnesota in line to receive a 2026 compensation pick. Where would that compensation pick fall in next year’s draft? There’s speculation from team insiders that it could be a fourth-rounder, but Over The Cap projects it as a fifth-round selection.

Playing time factors into the compensatory formula, so just because Robinson was benched doesn’t mean he’ll stay benched. In fact, he could very well find himself with a new team. On August 26, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that Ersery impressed enough during training camp and the preseason that the Texans were considering trading Robinson.

Again, we all know the rules, but in case someone is new:

No discussion of politics or religion

No feeding of the trolls

Leave the gender hatred at the door

Keep the bad language to a minimum (using the spoiler tags, if you must)

Speaking of which, if discussing a newer show or movie, please use spoiler tags

No pictures that could get someone fired or in serious trouble with their employer

If you can’t disagree in a civil manner, feel free to go away

While navigating the open thread, just assume it’s sarcasm

Source: https://www.dailynorseman.com/minne...nesota-vikings-news-and-links-keep-hope-alive

Minnesota Vikings · Sep 20, 2025

Norse Code Podcast Episode 571: The Promise of Greatness

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*****Download Link Here*****

Episode Notes:

My piece recapping the Vikings game and asking about the plan for the season

Matt Fries breaks down the offense to see if it’s terminally broken

I broke down the schedule of pass rushers the Vikings (and other teams) are up against

The Snoo

Stefon Diggs in the Minneapolis Miracle, 96 Questions and Family Feud

Follow us on Twitter / Bluesky

Arif – @ArifHasanNFL / @arif.bsky.social

James – @bigmono / @norsecodpocast.bsky.social

Jake – @JakeLiscow/ @jakeliscow.bsky.social

To listen to more, this is the link to that iTunes feed. If you can’t for whatever reason subscribe via iTunes, subscribe to via our RSS feed, which should support the RSS reader or podcast organizer of your choice. You can still leave a review even if you can’t subscribe via iTunes because it’s easy to create an AppleID. We also have a YouTube channel. Our podcasts are automatically uploaded there.

You can visit our shop here. Buy a onesie? Maybe a wiggler sticker?

But we also have a Patreon and that should make it even easier to support the best podcast for your Minnesota Vikings. We have a discord just for our Patreon supporters, along with special edition episodes. Check it out here. If you wanted to donate via Paypal instead of Patreon, head to this link.

And if you want something to show off your support of the show, buy our merch! We have multiple designs. Please do not buy a shower curtain.

Once again, contact me at arifmhasan (at) gmail dot com or the podcast at NorseCodePodcast (at) gmail dot com. Follow us on twitter at @NorseCodeDN or just me @ArifHasanNFL

Source: https://www.dailynorseman.com/minne...-podcast-episode-571-the-promise-of-greatness

Minnesota Vikings · Sep 20, 2025

Minnesota Vikings News and Links: Next Man Up

Going to be a really interesting game tomorrow. I am hoping for the best and that Carson Wentz does reasonably well. If Joshua Dobbs can play well in only three days prep time, I expect Wentz do to just as well if not better.

Note: Any links provided may or may not reflect my opinion.

Minnesota Vikings News and Links

Vikings’ Carson Wentz drawing rave reviews as he prepares for his first meaningful start in nearly three years

No one knew it at the time, but the Vikings’ practice last Thursday was a foreshadowing of what was soon to come.

With J.J. McCarthy awaiting the birth of his son, Carson Wentz stepped in and led the Vikings’ first-team offense during practice. Wentz is once again leading the Vikings in practice this week after McCarthy sustained an ankle injury during Sunday night’s loss to the Falcons that is expected to sideline him for several weeks.

Wentz, a former No. 2 overall pick one-time Pro Bowler with the Eagles, has received rave reviews as he prepares for Sunday’s game against the Bengals in what will be his first meaningful start in nearly three years.

“He was in total command,” Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell said of last Thursday’s practice. “I was really pushing the group via the play clock coming off the Chicago game because I thought we were a little slow with our operation, especially early, and I was trying to push the entire group and obviously the quarterback is going to feel that. And Carson did a phenomenal job with that.”

Vikings’ J.J. McCarthy still in walking boot as a ‘precaution’

How is McCarthy doing now that he’s five days removed from the ankle sprain suffered last Sunday night against the Atlanta Falcons? It sounds like he’s recovering nicely, though he is still wearing a walking boot as a “precaution,” according to head coach Kevin O’Connell.

“He’s progressing. He was able to be out at practice and standing right next to me as I’m calling the plays in to Carson. That’s the best development and dialogue in this particular short term that he’s going to be able to have. He’s been great in meetings. Great questions. Handling his responsibilities from a rehab standpoint,” O’Connell said Friday.

“We’re kind of through that initial wave of getting the swelling down and all those things. Now, as we progress, we just see where he’s at in his daily progression of getting back.”

Ja’Marr Chase plans to Griddy in Jefferson’s house: ‘I wanna piss him off’

Ja’Marr Chase was asked an important question on Thursday: Is he allowed to Griddy in Justin Jefferson’s house? He didn’t hesitate in his answer.

“I mean, if he doesn’t want me to, I wanna do it,” said Chase of his friend and former LSU teammate. “If he doesn’t want me to do it then I’m gonna do it now, purposely. I wanna piss him off. Hell yeah.”

“Who knows what I’ll do when I get in the end zone,” he added. “I might get a fine this week.”
…
Jefferson will have plenty of motivation, knowing he’s never scored against or beaten the Bengals. If he needed any extra juice, Chase’s playful trash talk might have supplied it.

“It’s always extra,” Jefferson said of going against Chase. “It’s always extra when you have a player like that that’s top in the league just as well as I am. Of course that competitive aspect is there. But at the end of the day, it’s about our team and it’s about winning. So as long as those two things are done, then I’m happy leaving the building.”

Vikings-Bengals Week 3 score predictions from the Vikings On SI staff

Will Ragatz: Bengals 20, Vikings 17
I understand why the Vikings are favored; they absolutely have the talent and coaching staff to win this game. But I’m going to take a wait-and-see approach with Carson Wentz. He hasn’t started a game with meaningful stakes in close to three years, and he’s been in Minnesota for less than a month. There’s a lot of uncertainty there. It would also be helpful to know if Christian Darrisaw and/or Ryan Kelly are going to play on Sunday.

Joe Nelson: Vikings 30, Bengals 16
True: Jake Browning is a solid backup quarterback. More true: Carson Wentz is an elite backup quarterback. False: The Bengals have a good defense. True: The Vikings have a great defense. Through two weeks, the Bengals and Vikings are living in the Upside Down, but the poles are going to flip and bring the football world back to balance as the Vikings expose Cincinnati’s defense and generate a collective sigh of relief for worried fans.

Tony Liebert: Bengals 24, Vikings 20
Jonathan Harrison: Vikings 14, Bengals 10

NFL Expert Picks: Opinions Divided for Vikings vs. Bengals in Week 3

While the sight of two NFL backup quarterbacks playing against each other is a common occurrence, what’s rare is how early the situation is presenting itself during the regular season. Sunday’s matchup between Wentz and Browning will be the first time in 27 years where two quarterbacks will face each other in Week 3 after not starting either of the first two weeks of their team’s seasons.

Strangely enough, that last instance (in fact, nearly to the day) also featured Minnesota. After Vikings starter Brad Johnson broke his leg in Week 2 of the 1998 season, Randall Cunningham made his first start of the season. On the other side, Detroit named Charlie Batch its starting QB after Scott Mitchell was benched following the team’s 0-2 start. Cunningham and the Vikings won the game 29-6, earning Minnesota its third of a franchise-record 15 victories that season.

Vikings 27, Bengals 17 – Pete Prisco, CBS Sports
Browning came off the bench in the Bengals victory over the Jaguars and led them to victory late. But I think Wentz at home will be the one who plays the better of the two to win it.

Bengals 24, Vikings 21 – Bill Bender, Sporting News
LSU teammates Ja’Marr Chase and Justin Jefferson will make plays, but it will come down to who wins the turnover battle.

Bengals 34, Vikings 31 – Vinnie Iyer, Sporting News
Browning should be motivated to attack the Vikings turnover-oriented defense who can’t handle all of his key weapons. Carson Wentz, who is replacing the injured J.J. McCarthy, will have trouble answering enough in a shootout.

4 of 7 experts pick the Vikings, The Athletic

Thought from The Athletic’s J.J. Bailey:

On one hand, it will never cease to amaze how steep the drop-off is from starter to backup quarterback in the NFL. On the other, the degree to which Cincinnati embraces its “break glass” protocol is truly admirable. Joe Burrow is out. They say for three months, but none of the 25 players who had the surgery he’s having returned the same season, and five of the 25 never returned at all. It is definitively Jake Browning Time, and the assignment for Browning is elegantly simple: You will put the ball into the hands of Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. There are no qualifiers to that. The how doesn’t matter. The stats do not matter. Things like sound strategy, Browning’s feelings or watchability are luxuries Cincinnati can no longer afford, and they know it. It’s feed the big dogs or die trying.

This is why Chase and Higgins accounted for two-thirds of Browning’s yards and more than half of his targets and completions. Incompletion? Who cares? Go again. Interception? Not a problem, do it again. Another interception? Psssh. Let it fly. Another? taps sign Chase and Higgins are two of the hardest takedowns in the NFL. The more they have the ball, the more chances they have to YAC their way to the end zone. Browning was in for 2.5 quarters, had three picks and a passer rating of 69.9. Higgins and Chase had 107 YAC, a pair of TDs and the Bengals won the game. Brian Flores will surely try to take them away, but I’m not sure he comprehends the lengths to which Browning and Cincinnati are willing to debase themselves to achieve their goal.

For their part, the Vikings surely don’t want their franchise quarterback playing on a bum ankle after missing a year with a shredded knee, but the alternative is Carson Wentz, who has attempted 43 NFL passes since 2023. He also won’t have Aaron Jones in the backfield, so this could get very strange very quickly. Worth a watch!

Vikings-Bengals predictions: What we’re watching in battle of the backups

What I’m watching
Lewis: Jordan Mason. This feels like a breakout spot. Not only will he be starting with fellow running back Aaron Jones on injured reserve, but Mason is also going up against a middling Bengals run defense. Last week, the Jacksonville Jaguars of all teams averaged 5.1 yards per carry against Cincinnati. Mason is more formidable than Travis Etienne or Bhayshul Tuten. The difference in the Vikings’ run game is stark with Mason on the field. Minnesota has a 51.9 percent success rate on Mason’s runs thus far in 2025, which would be good for No. 1 in the NFL. The team had a 35.7 percent rushing success rate with Jones on the field, which would have hovered in the bottom third of the league. Double-teams should work against Bengals interior defenders B.J. Hill and T.J. Slaton. Mason should be in for a big day.

Predictions
Lewis: Vikings 27, Bengals 17.
Krawczynski: Bengals 21, Vikings 18.

“You know, I'm always leery of evaluating a quarterback playing for the first time after two games…”

“When he came out,I didn't think he was a first round pick kind of player…I think that with him it's going to take time…”@GregCosell on Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy: pic.twitter.com/dl6IKti3QB

— Ross Tucker Podcast (@RossTuckerPod) September 18, 2025

Click to expand...

Note: Just because people are expressing concerns (and a lot are) about JJ does not mean they do not want him to succeed.

College Football Games

I wanted to keep doing college football previews but this site does not have enough interested members. Kind of sad but folks might not have enough time.

Some games today though …

12 p.m. | No. 17 Texas Tech at No. 16 Utah | FOX

David Bailey | Texas Tech | EDGE | 6’3″ | 250 | SR
Lee Hunter | Texas Tech | DL1T | 6’4″ | 320 | RSR
Jacob Rodriguez | Texas Tech | ILB | 6’1″ | 230 | RSR
Cole Wisniewski | Texas Tech | S | 6’3″ | 218 | RSR
Romello Height | Texas Tech | EDGE | 6’3″ | 240 | RSR
Spencer Fano | Utah | OT | 6’5″ | 304 | JR
Caleb Lomu | Utah | OT | 6’5″ | 302 | RSO
Tao Johnson | Utah | S | 6’1″ | 193 | RJR
Lander Barton | Utah | ILB | 6’3″ | 236 | SR
Smith Snowden | Utah | CBN | 5’9″ | 185 | JR

Bailey and Height vs Fano and Lomu will be good to see as all are draft candidates.

3:30 p.m. | No. 22 Auburn at No. 11 Oklahoma | ABC

Keldric Faulk | Auburn | DL5T | 6’5″ | 288 | JR
Eric Singleton Jr. | Auburn | WRS | 5’10” | 190 | JR
Connor Lew | Auburn | OC | 6’3″ | 302 | JR
Xavier Chaplin | Auburn | OT | 6’6″ | 338 | RJR
Izavion Miller | Auburn | OG | 6’5″ | 311 | RSR
Jeremiah Cobb | Auburn | RB | 5’10” | 196 | JR
John Mateer | Oklahoma | QB | 6’1″ | 219 | RJR
Deion Burks | Oklahoma | WRS | 5’9″ | 194 | RSR
R Mason Thomas | Oklahoma | EDGE | 6’2″ | 243 | SR
Peyton Bowen | Oklahoma | S | 6’0″ | 199 | JR
Jaydn Ott | Oklahoma | RB | 6’0″ | 210 | SR
Febechi Nwaiwu | Oklahoma | OG | 6’4″ | 339 | RSR
Gracen Halton | Oklahoma | DL3T | 6’2″ | 285 | SR
Marvin Jones Jr. | Oklahoma | EDGE | 6’5″ | 255 | SR
Gentry Williams | Oklahoma | CB | 6’0″ | 187 | SR

I want to see Connor Lew, Keldric Faulk, Deion Burks, and Gracen Halton.

3:30 p.m. | No. 21 Michigan at Nebraska | CBS/Paramount+
Jyaire Hill | Michigan | CB | 6’1″ | 185 | RSO
Justice Haynes | Michigan | RB | 5’10” | 210 | JR
Derrick Moore | Michigan | EDGE | 6’3″ | 256 | SR
Rod Moore | Michigan | S | 5’11” | 198 | RSR
Rayshaun Benny | Michigan | DL3T | 6’3″ | 296 | RSR
T.J. Guy | Michigan | EDGE | 6’4″ | 250 | RSR
Jaishawn Barham | Michigan | ILB | 6’3″ | 248 | SR
Zeke Berry | Michigan | CB | 5’11” | 196 | RJR
Ernest Hausmann | Michigan | OLB | 6’2″ | 235 | SR
Elijah Pritchett | Nebraska | OT | 6’5″ | 327 | RJR
Dane Key | Nebraska | WR | 6’2″ | 210 | SR
Dasan McCullough | Nebraska | OLB | 6’4″ | 235 | SR

I really just want to see Dylan Raiola QB Nebraska who is not draft eligible.

7:30 p.m. | Florida at No. 4 Miami (Fla.) | ABC
Tyreak Sapp | Florida | DL5T | 6’3″ | 275 | RSR
Austin Barber | Florida | OT | 6’5″ | 314 | RSR
Caleb Banks | Florida | DL1T | 6’6″ | 325 | RSR
Jake Slaughter | Florida | OC | 6’5″ | 308 | RSR
Roderick Kearney | Florida | OG | 6’4″ | 305 | RSO
Eugene Wilson III | Florida | WRS | 5’10” | 183 | JR
J. Michael Sturdivant | Florida | WR | 6’2″ | 205 | RSR
Francis Mauigoa | Miami (FL) | OT | 6’6″ | 315 | JR
Rueben Bain Jr. | Miami (FL) | EDGE | 6’3″ | 275 | JR
Carson Beck | Miami (FL) | QB | 6’4″ | 220 | RSR
Akheem Mesidor | Miami (FL) | DL5T | 6’2″ | 280 | RSR
Damari Brown | Miami (FL) | CB | 6’1″ | 190 | JR
C.J. Daniels | Miami (FL) | WR | 6’2″ | 205 | RSR
Anez Cooper | Miami (FL) | OG | 6’5″ | 350 | SR

A lot of players to watch here. Barber Banks, Slaughter, Mauigoa, Bain Jr, & Daniels.

7:30 p.m. | No. 9 Illinois at No.19 Indiana | NBC/Peacock
Gabe Jacas | Illinois | EDGE | 6’2″ | 275 | SR
Xavier Scott | Illinois | CB | 5’11” | 190 | SR
Hank Beatty | Illinois | WRS | 5’10” | 185 | SR
J.C. Davis | Illinois | OT | 6’5″ | 320 | RSR
D’Angelo Ponds | Indiana | CBN | 5’9″ | 170 | JR
Fernando Mendoza | Indiana | QB | 6’5″ | 225 | RJR
Elijah Sarratt | Indiana | WR | 6’2″ | 209 | SR
Mikail Kamara | Indiana | EDGE | 6’0″ | 265 | RSR
Amare Ferrell | Indiana | S | 6’2″ | 200 | JR
Aiden Fisher | Indiana | ILB | 6’1″ | 233 | SR
Roman Hemby | Indiana | RB | 6’0″ | 208 | RSR
Carter Smith | Indiana | OT | 6’5″ | 308 | RJR

Big game. Players to watch include Scott, Davis, Ponds, Mendoza, Ferrell, and Hemby.

And, of course …
11 p.m. | Michigan State at No. 25 USC | FOX
Malik Spencer | Michigan State | S | 6’1″ | 192 | SR
Jack Velling | Michigan State | TE | 6’4″ | 244 | SR
Aidan Chiles | Michigan State | QB | 6’3″ | 217 | JR
Makai Lemon | USC | WR | 5’11” | 190 | JR
Kamari Ramsey | USC | S | 6’0″ | 204 | RJR
Ja’Kobi Lane | USC | WR | 6’4″ | 195 | JR
Braylan Shelby | USC | EDGE | 6’5″ | 265 | JR
Eric Gentry | USC | OLB | 6’5″ | 215 | RSR
D.J. Harvey | USC | CBN | 5’11” | 174 | RSR

Ramsey and Gentry are the Trojans I like as potential future Vikings.

Yore Mock

Trade Partner: Steelers
Sent: Pick 16, Pick 113
Received: Pick 20, Pick 74
…
Trade Partner: Browns
Sent: Pick 80, Pick 196
Received: Pick 98, Pick 130, Pick 155
…

Pick 20. LT Overton EDGE Alabama 6’4″ 283
Pick 48. Connor Lew OC Auburn 6’3″ 302
Pick 80. Daylen Everette CB Georgia 6’1″ 190
Pick 98. Emmanuel McNeil-Warren S Toledo 6’2″ 202
Pick 130. Taylen Green QB Arkansas 6’6″ 230
Pick 155. Jake Golday LB Cincinnati 6’4″ 240
Pick 176. Demond Claiborne RB Wake Forest 5’10” 195
Pick 204. Lee Hunter DT Texas Tech 6’4″ 320
Pick 207. Patrick Payton EDGE LSU 6’5″ 250
Pick 209. VJ Payne S Kansas 6’3″ 208

Again, we all know the rules, but in case someone is new:

No discussion of politics or religion

No feeding of the trolls

Leave the gender hatred at the door

Keep the bad language to a minimum (using the spoiler tags, if you must)

Speaking of which, if discussing a newer show or movie, please use spoiler tags

No pictures that could get someone fired or in serious trouble with their employer

If you can’t disagree in a civil manner, feel free to go away

While navigating the open thread, just assume it’s sarcasm

Source: https://www.dailynorseman.com/minne.../minnesota-vikings-news-and-links-next-man-up

Minnesota Vikings · Sep 21, 2025

Daily Norseman Staff NFL Picks, Week 3

Ladies and gentlemen, it is once again time for the staff of learned pro football blowhards that power your favorite Minnesota Vikings website to put together their picks for games around the league for Week 3 of the 2025 NFL season.

But first, here’s our widget from the folks at Tallysight that will allow you to see how all of our selectors are doing so far this season. You can take a look at any individual week or the season as a whole for any of the categories we make picks in.

With that, let’s get on to the picks for this week. As always, we remind you that the different odds and numbers for each person can (and will) vary based on when each person put their picks into the Tallysight system.

With that, here are our selections for this week.

Unanimous Picks

Indianapolis Colts over Tennessee Titans

Tampa Bay Buccaneers over New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles over Los Angeles Rams

Atlanta Falcons over Carolina Panthers

Green Bay Packers over Cleveland Browns

Seattle Seahawks over New Orleans Saints

Kansas City Chiefs over New York Giants

Buffalo Bills over Miami Dolphins (everyone gets it right)

7-1 Picks

Washington Commanders over Las Vegas Raiders (Eric dissenting)

Minnesota Vikings over Cincinnati Bengals (Eric dissenting)

Los Angeles Chargers over Denver Broncos (Eric dissenting)

Dallas Cowboys over Chicago Bears (Brandon dissenting)

Baltimore Ravens over Detroit Lions (Brandon dissenting)

6-2 Picks

Pittsburgh Steelers over New England Patriots (Eric and Sam dissenting)

5-3 Picks

Houston Texans over Jacksonville Jaguars (Brandon, GA Skol, and Sam dissenting)

Arizona Cardinals over San Francisco 49ers (Eric, Shawn C, and Warren dissenting)

A lot of Eric standing with the minority on these picks (or even standing by himself). Well, he’s been at the top of our picks since we started doing them like this, so who am I to question him?

Those are our picks for this week in the National Football League, ladies and gentlemen. Let us know who you’re rolling with as far as this week’s picks!

Source: https://www.dailynorseman.com/daily...s/91003/daily-norseman-staff-nfl-picks-week-3

Minnesota Vikings · Sep 22, 2025

Cincinnati Bengals at Minnesota Vikings: Key Information and First Quarter Discussion

We are just about thirty minutes away from kicking things off at U.S. Bank Stadium between the Cincinnati Bengals and our Minnesota Vikings. Let’s make sure you have everything you need to be up to speed on today’s contest.

Date and Time: Sunday, 21 September 2025, noon Central time

Location: U.S. Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, Minnesota

Television Coverage: WCCO-4 in the Twin Cities, CBS affiliates around the country, YouTube NFL Sunday Ticket

Radio Coverage: Vikings Radio Network affiliates, SiriusXM Channel 229

Line: Vikings -3, over/under 42.5

Chris’ Prediction: Vikings 24, Bengals 21

Three Keys

1) Start fast, please – In the first quarter of both of their games so far this season, the Vikings’ offense has been a complete disaster. This is a team that’s really built to play from out front, so Kevin O’Connell and company need to do something to get some points on the board early. With the Vikings turning to Carson Wentz in this one in place of the injured J.J. McCarthy, they’re going to have to do something to get him comfortable. The offensive line not looking like a sieve would be a huge help on that front.

2) Slow down the run – The Vikings were gashed in a big way by the Falcons on the ground last week. We know that the Bengals can sling it all over the yard, even with Jake Browning at quarterback in place of Joe Burrow, but they’re going to be that much more effective if they can get Chase Brown going in the run game, too. If the Vikings can keep the Bengals “behind the chains” in this one, it would go a long way towards their success.

3) Be smart on special teams – The Vikings’ special teams have been a mixed bag this year. Will Reichard has been outstanding kicking the ball and Myles Price has been very good as a punt returner. Last week against the Falcons, however, Price took several kicks out of the end zone and came up well short of the 35-yard line, a bad idea for an offense that’s struggling. The Vikings need to be smarter on special teams, plain and simple. Hopefully that’s been a theme in this week’s preparation.

Know the Foe: Cincy Jungle

Twitter: @DailyNorseman

FaceBook: https://www.facebook.com/thedailynorseman

There you have it, folks! We’ll be starting a brand new Open Thread at the beginning of each quarter, so keep your eyes open for those and keep the discussion moving along accordingly.

Here’s hoping that in about three hours or so we’ll be talking about the Carson Wentz resurgence and how great it is to have a little momentum before the team’s European Vacation over the next two weeks.

SKOLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL VIKINGS!!!!

Source: https://www.dailynorseman.com/minne...ings-key-information-first-quarter-discussion

Minnesota Vikings · Sep 22, 2025

Minnesota Vikings 48, Cincinnati Bengals 10: Defense Fuels Blowout Victory

After a very, very rough performance against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday Night Football in Week 2, the Minnesota Vikings bounced back in a big way when they faced the Cincinnati Bengals at U.S. Bank Stadium in Week 3.

Cornerback Isaiah Rodgers had an all-time defensive performance, and Jordan Mason chipped in with his first two touchdowns as a Viking to lead the way in a 48-10 blowout win over the Bengals in Minneapolis on Sunday afternoon. The Vikings’ defense forced five turnovers on the afternoon and just had the Bengals’ offense in a blender all afternoon.

The Vikings got the ball first after the Bengals chose to defer to the second half after winning the coin toss, and Carson Wentz marched the Minnesota offense right down the field for the team’s first first-quarter touchdown in three games this season. He found tight end Josh Oliver for a 12-yard touchdown, and two minutes into the game, the Vikings were up by a score of 7-0.

.@cj_wentz's 1st TD in Purple gives the #Vikings the early lead.

: @NFLonCBS pic.twitter.com/zo2Z8uf1so

— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) September 21, 2025

Click to expand...

The next points were provided by the Minnesota defense, as they pressured Bengals’ quarterback Jake Browning, and he threw a pass that was tipped by Harrison Smith and into the hands of Isaiah Rodgers. Rodgers handled it from there, streaking up the left sideline for an 87-yard pick six, and just like that, the Vikings were ahead by a score of 14-0.

CRIBBED.@rodgers_isaiah

: @NFLonCBS pic.twitter.com/VRusxti1cT

— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) September 21, 2025

Click to expand...

The Vikings extended their lead with a little more than nine minutes left in the second quarter, as Will Reichard connected on a 35-yard field goal to make it 17-0. The Bengals then got on the board on their ensuing drive, as Evan MacPherson hit a 45-yard field goal to make it 17-3 with just under five minutes left before halftime.

The Bengals were in Minnesota territory after the two-minute warning, but then Isaiah Rodgers struck again. He forced a fumble from Chase Brown after a short pass, and then scooped it up and took it to the end zone himself for a 66-yard fumble return for a touchdown to make it 24-3 with less than two minutes remaining before halftime.

Punched it out

Picked it up

Put 6 on the board

: @NFLonCBS pic.twitter.com/fzW29QyKq2

— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) September 21, 2025

Click to expand...

Rodgers then did it again on the Bengals’ next series, forcing a fumble from Ja’Marr Chase that was recovered by Jeff Okudah for another turnover in Cincinnati territory. That led to Jordan Mason’s first touchdown in purple, as he rumbled in from five yards out to make it 31-3 in favor of the home team with less than 30 seconds left. That helped Rodgers to make NFL history by becoming the first player with an interception return for a touchdown, a fumble return for a touchdown, and two forced fumbles in one game. . .and he did it in one half.

The Vikings then forced another Cincinnati fumble, this one coming courtesy of Jalen Redmond, who forced Samaje Perine to put the ball on the turf with Jon Allen recovering the loose ball. The Vikings then got themselves into position for Will Reichard to attempt a 62-yard field goal, which he drilled to make it 34-3 going into the locker room at halftime.

Minnesota then added to its lead midway through the third quarter courtesy of Jordan Mason’s second touchdown of the day. He went into the end zone from four yards out to make it 41-3 with six minutes remaining in the third quarter.

.@jpmason27

: @NFLonCBS pic.twitter.com/rxYQDphunO

— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) September 21, 2025

Click to expand...

The Vikings’ defense then forced another turnover, as Browning threw one into the waiting arms of Josh Metellus for his second interception of the afternoon.

Minnesota turned that into still more points, as Wentz connected with T.J. Hockenson on a 5-yard touchdown pass to make it 48-3 with seconds remaining in the third quarter. It was Hockenson’s first regular season touchdown since 2023 and marked the highest scoring output for the Vikings in the Kevin O’Connell era.

Foot on gas.@cj_wentz x @TheeHock8

: @NFLonCBS pic.twitter.com/kyeXwZoFSc

— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) September 21, 2025

Click to expand...

Cincinnati finally got into the end zone on their next possession, with Browning finding tight end Drew Sample for a 4-yard touchdown to make it 48-10.

From there, the Vikings gave Max Brosmer some time at quarterback, the first-ever NFL regular-season appearance for the undrafted free agent from just down the road at the University of Minnesota. He only got to throw four passes, completing two of them for 29 yards and getting his first-ever NFL completion on a 9-yard pass to fellow rookie Tai Felton.

After this blowout win, the Vikings will now head out on their two-game European road trip, where they’ll face two more AFC North opponents. They’ll face the Pittsburgh Steelers at Croke Park in Dublin, Ireland in Week 4 and then take on the Cleveland Browns at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London in Week 5.

The Vikings blow out the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 3 NFL action by a final score of 48-10. Thank you to everyone who got their coverage of this week’s game right here at The Daily Norseman!

Source: https://www.dailynorseman.com/minne...ota-vikings-final-score-game-recap-highlights

Minnesota Vikings · Tuesday at 2:43 AM

Donovan Jackson to Miss Two Games Following Wrist Surgery

Minnesota Vikings rookie guard Donovan Jackson played the best game of his (admittedly) short NFL career on Sunday in the purple’s blowout win over the Cincinnati Bengals, and he did it with an injury that will now, unfortunately, cause him to miss a couple of weeks.

Vikings rookie LG Donovan Jackson had surgery on his wrist today, per Kevin O'Connell. Suffered the injury in Week 2 but played with it in Week 3. Expected back on the field after the Week 7 bye. Was on the injury report last week and was limited in two practices.

— Kevin Seifert (@SeifertESPN) September 22, 2025

Click to expand...

Per Kevin Seifert of ESPN, Jackson underwent surgery on his wrist on Monday. He is expected back on the field following the Vikings’ bye week but will miss both games of their upcoming European road trip.

Jackson suffered the injury in the Week 2 loss to Atlanta, but played through it on Sunday and put together a very solid performance next to the returning Christian Darrisaw. He was listed on the team’s injury report and was limited in a couple of practices leading up to the Bengals game. Head coach Kevin O’Connell said in his Monday press conference that doctors told Jackson he would not make the injury any worse by playing through it on Sunday, so he got the start and played very well.

Blake Brandel, who saw extensive time at left tackle on Sunday as part of a rotation with Darrisaw, will take Jackson’s starting spot at left guard. He started all 17 games at the left guard spot for the Vikings last season.

It’s a bit of a downer that the rookie won’t be able to capitalize on his performance in Sunday’s victory, but at least he’s going to be out of the lineup for a very limited amount of time, by all accounts.

Source: https://www.dailynorseman.com/minne...iss-two-games-wrist-surgery-minnesota-vikings

Minnesota Vikings · Tuesday at 2:50 PM

2025 NFL Week 4: Minnesota Vikings “at” Pittsburgh Steelers (in Dublin, Ireland)

The Minnesota Vikings will take to the road in Weeks 4 and 5, and it’s an awfully long road, at that.

Yes, this coming Sunday will bring us the first half of the purple’s two-game sojourn to the European continent, and it will start off with the first-ever National Football League game at Croke Park in Dublin, Ireland, as they face off with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Both of these teams come into this matchup with 2-1 records, with each of them winning their season opener, losing in Week 2, and getting back on track with victories in Week 3. Even though this is, at least on paper, a home game for the Steelers, the Vikings have been installed as a slight favorite in the early betting.

The last time these teams got together was a wild one on a Thursday night at U.S. Bank Stadium in 2021. The Vikings got a marvelous performance from Dalvin Cook, who ran for over 200 yards despite dealing with a shoulder injury, and held a 29-0 lead over the Steelers until just before the two-minute mark of the third quarter, when Pittsburgh finally dented the end zone. The comeback was on for the Steelers after that as they ran off three fourth-quarter touchdowns, and the game’s final play saw Harrison Smith knock away what could have been a potential game-tying touchdown pass to Pat Friermuth to preserve a 36-28 Minnesota win.

This isn’t even the first time these two teams have met overseas. They got together at Wembley Stadium in London in 2013, and the Vikings took a 20-10 lead into halftime on the strength of a 70-yard touchdown pass from Matt Cassel to Greg Jennings and a 60-yard touchdown run for Adrian Peterson. The Vikings had to hold off another Pittsburgh comeback to finish things off, as Ben Roethlisberger led the Steelers down to the Minnesota 6-yard line with time running down. The game ended when Roethlisberger was sacked by Everson Griffen, with Kevin Williams falling on the loose ball to save a 34-27 victory for the purple.

A quick reminder that this one will be kicking off early, as will the Week 5 contest against the Cleveland Browns. Kickoff is slated for 8:30 AM Central time on Sunday morning for both games, and both games will be aired exclusively on the NFL Network, though we will provide you with the local broadcast options for those of you in the Twin Cities area.

We’ll be bringing you all of the coverage of this one, folks, and we’ll put it all in one spot for you.

Donovan Jackson to Miss Two Games Following Wrist Surgery

Minnesota Vikings Odds: Vikings Slight Favorite for Dublin Game

Source: https://www.dailynorseman.com/minne...ta-vikings-pittsburgh-steelers-dublin-ireland

Minnesota Vikings · Wednesday at 2:56 AM

Vikings Make Handful of Roster Moves

On Tuesday, the Minnesota Vikings made several roster moves, most of which involved players departing. Let’s get you caught up on all of the moves as they’ve just been officially announced by the team.

First, the Vikings announced that they have terminated the contract of wide receiver Tim Jones. Jones had been elevated to the active roster from the practice squad for the first game of the season and was on the 53-man roster for the next two. The expectation seems to be that he will sign back with the practice squad.

Speaking of the practice squad, the team waived two members of the practice squad this afternoon: wide receiver Lucky Jackson and running back Xazavian Halladay. Jackson has been with the Vikings’ practice squad for some time, while Halladay joined the Vikings during the preseason and had a decent performance in the team’s final exhibition contest.

To fill one of the spots on the practice squad, the Vikings signed running back Corey Kiner. Kiner was undrafted this past April after playing his college ball at the University of Cincinnati. He was with the San Francisco 49ers during the preseason, and the Niners waived him with an injury settlement in mid-August due to an ankle injury he suffered. He had 12 carries for 68 yards for the Niners during the preseason.

Lastly, the Vikings waived undrafted rookie defensive lineman Alexander Williams from their injured reserve list.

The Vikings did not officially announce the reinstatement of wide receiver Jordan Addison following his three-game suspension, but Jones’ release means that there’s a spot on the 53-man roster for him to take tomorrow, when the team will lose the temporary roster exemption that they’ve been given for him.

Those are all the moves the Vikings made on Tuesday, folks. We’ll keep bringing you all of the latest with our favorite team as news comes across the proverbial wire.

Source: https://www.dailynorseman.com/minnesota-vikings-2025-season/91104/minnesota-vikings-roster-moves

Minnesota Vikings · Wednesday at 3:16 PM

Isaiah Rodgers Named NFC Defensive Player of the Week

For the second time in the first three weeks of the 2025 NFL regular season, a member of the Minnesota Vikings has been recognized as a superior performer for the week.

Cornerback Isaiah Rodgers, who put together a historic performance in the Vikings’ 48-10 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday, has been named the NFC’s Defensive Player of the Week for Week 3.

Rodgers likely would have won this week’s award even if he had sat out the second half on Sunday. In the first half of Sunday’s game, he had an 87-yard interception return for a touchdown, followed that up with a play where he forced a fumble and returned it 66 yards for another touchdown, and followed that up with another forced fumble that led to more points for the Vikings.

After those plays happened, Rodgers officially became the first player in NFL history to have an interception return for a touchdown, a fumble return for a touchdown, and two forced fumbles in one game. . .and, again, he did it in one half of football.

In a couple of other historical milestones for Rodgers, he became the first player in NFL history with an interception return of at least 85 yards for a score and a fumble return of at least 65 yards for a score in the same game. And, to top it all off, he became the first player in Minnesota Vikings’ history to score multiple defensive touchdowns in a game. . .no small feat for a franchise who has six defensive players in the Pro Football Hall of Fame and has been around for 65 seasons.

Rodgers’ performance helped him to earn the highest grade that Pro Football Focus has ever given a defensive player, a 99.9 grade. He’s currently the highest-graded cornerback in the entire league by PFF’s measurements.

The award makes Rodgers the seventh member of the Vikings to win a Defensive Player of the Week Award in the Kevin O’Connell era. He joins the following players:

Za’Darius Smith, 2022 Week 8

Jordan Hicks, 2023 Week 6

Camryn Bynum, 2023 Week 7

Ivan Pace Jr., 2023 Week 14

Jonathan Greenard, 2024 Week 3

Andrew Van Ginkel, 2024 Week 16

Congratulations to Isaiah Rodgers on winning the NFC’s Defensive Player of the Week Award for Week 3 of the 2025 NFL season!

Source: https://www.dailynorseman.com/minne...odgers-named-nfc-defensive-player-of-the-week

Minnesota Vikings · Thursday at 3:32 AM

First Injury Report: Vikings at Steelers

The Minnesota Vikings and Pittsburgh Steelers have issued their first injury reports in advance of their Sunday game in Dublin, Ireland. Here they are:

Minnesota Vikings

DT Javon Hargrave, Chest, DNP

DT Jonathan Allen, Vet Rest Day, DNP

LG Donovan Jackson, Wrist, DNP

QB JJ McCarthy, Ankle, DNP

OLB Andrew Van Ginkel, Neck, DNP

TE Ben Yurosek, Knee, DNP

C Ryan Kelly, Concussion, Full

DT Jalen Redmond, Hand, Full

T Justin Skule, Concussion, Full

S Josh Metellus, Foot, Limited

Judging by Kevin O’Connell’s press conference comments on injuries, the only starters who will be inactive for Sunday’s game on the injury list are Donovan Jackson and JJ McCarthy. Jackson is likely out through the bye-week after having wrist surgery and McCarthy is looking at a similar schedule before he is active. Ben Yurosek is questionable at this point, but both Ryan Kelly and Justin Skule being full participants on Wednesday likely means they’re on track to clear concussion protocol and be active on Sunday. Hargrave suffered a chest contusion that kept him out of the last half of the game against the Bengals, but he should be able to ramp up for Sunday’s game with the Steelers. Van Ginkel is dealing with some ongoing issues with the neck injury that caused him to miss some time in training camp, but it sounds like this is something that may limit him in practice this week but that he’ll be able to play through. The injuries to Redmond and Metellus appear to be minor things they will play through.

Pittsburgh Steelers

LB Patrick Queen, Oblique, Limited

CB Joey Porter Jr., Hamstring, Limited

S DeShon Elliott, Knee, Limited

OLB Alex Highsmith, Ankle, DNP

In addition to the above, the Steelers had a number of veterans not practicing on veterans rest days. These included Darius Slay, Jaylon Warren (limited), Isaac Seumalo, Jonnu Smith, TJ Watt, and Cameron Heyward. None of the players on veterans rest days rest days are likely to miss Sunday’s game.

However, the four listed above are all defensive starters that could have an injury designation at the end of the week. Alex Highsmith suffered a high ankle sprain during week two, and has been ruled out for Sunday’s game against the Vikings. Joey Porter Jr. has also missed time with a hamstring injury he suffered in week one, but his being limited on Wednesday could potentially be a ramp up to play on Sunday. We’ll see. The same is true for DeShon Elliott, who suffered an MCL sprain week one. Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said both are questionable to play Sunday. Patrick Queen was limited but has been playing through his oblique injury and is likely to play Sunday as well.

Overall, the Vikings are slowly getting starters back, which includes Jordan Addison this week who was finished his three game suspension. Jackson and McCarthy are the exceptions. For the Steelers, they will still be without a key edge rusher in Alex Highsmith, and both Joey Porter and DeShon Elliott could potentially miss Sunday’s game or be on a pitch count as they recover from injuries that have caused them to miss the past couple games.

Follow me on X/Bluesky @wludford

Source: https://www.dailynorseman.com/minne...91147/first-injury-report-vikings-at-steelers

Minnesota Vikings · Thursday at 3:36 PM

Minnesota Vikings in the Power Rankings — Entering Week 4

Hello again sports fans. We’re back with another season of putting together a consensus power ranking for the Vikings each week, and with Week 3 now in the rear-view mirror, we’re off and running.

Let’s talk to it (rankings are hyperlinked for maximum clickage):

The Rankings
NFL.com — 15th (last week: 19th)

Key excerpt: “Sunday showed it was too soon to punt on Minnesota.”

The Athletic/New York Times — 14th (last week: 22nd)

Key excerpt: “At this point, it would be fun to see which quarterback you could drop onto this roster with O’Connell and still win a game.”

ESPN.com — 13th (last week: 20th)

Key excerpt: “Through three weeks, the Vikings have the NFL’s best defensive expected points added per play (minus-0.17).”

Pro Football Talk — 15th (last week: 21st)

Key excerpt: “Carson Wentz played well enough to keep on playing.”

CBS Sports (Pete Prisco) — 13th (last week: 17th)

Key excerpt: “If they play defense like they did against the Bengals, it won’t matter who plays quarterback.”

The Score — 12th (last week: 15th)

Key excerpt: “Trading for Mason, who’s averaging 5.4 yards per carry, was a genius move from this front office.”

NFL Trade Rumors — 16th (last week: 19th)

Key excerpt: “(Isaiah Rodgers’ game) was a ludicrously productive game, and he’s the first player in PFF history to record a perfect 99.9 game grade. He outscored the Bengals by himself. Have a day, Isaiah.”

Sports Illustrated — 14th (last week: 16th)

Key excerpt: “The return of Harrison Smith has been a game-changer for this defense and absolutely ripped apart a quality backup in Jake Browning.”

USA Today (Nate Davis) — 15th (last week: 22nd)

Key excerpt: “Next up, the league’s first regular-season game in Ireland − and doesn’t ginger Carson Wentz kinda resemble an oversized leprechaun?”

Yahoo! Sports — 14th (last week: 16th)

Key excerpt: “The Vikings are well-served by the strength of their coaching staff and roster but QB being unsolved remains a big-picture concern.”

New York Post — 14th (last week: 19th)

Key excerpt: None provided.

—————

Average ranking: 14.1 (155 ranking points/11 rankings| High: 12th; Low: 16th)

Spare thoughts: Joe Schad’s power rankings are now behind a paywall that I don’t have access to. Either way, I was never that big of a fan (especially of his analysis that was simply copied and pasted the week before) and he put them out before the Monday night game. Never understood that.

Anyway, it’s good to see the Vikings on the ascent. This is more like it, though there’s still work to be done.

What do you think? Join the conversation below (and recommend other power rankings to add if you wish)!

Source: https://www.dailynorseman.com/minne...vikings-in-the-power-rankings-entering-week-4

Minnesota Vikings · Friday at 4:04 AM

Norse Code Podcast Episode 573: Live from the O’Connell Bridge (w/ guest Nick Farabaugh)

View Link

*****Download Link Here*****

Episode Notes:

Nick Farabaugh’s author page at PennLive

The NFL blocked the Steelers from traveling earlier in the week

My game recap for the Vikings performance against the Bengals

Matt Fries broke down Isaiah Rodgers’ perfect game

Follow us on Twitter / Bluesky

Arif – @ArifHasanNFL / @arif.bsky.social

James – @bigmono / @norsecodpocast.bsky.social

Nick – @FarabaughFB / @nickfarabaugh.bsky.social

To listen to more, this is the link to that iTunes feed. If you can’t for whatever reason subscribe via iTunes, subscribe to via our RSS feed, which should support the RSS reader or podcast organizer of your choice. You can still leave a review even if you can’t subscribe via iTunes because it’s easy to create an AppleID. We also have a YouTube channel. Our podcasts are automatically uploaded there.

You can visit our shop here. Buy a onesie? Maybe a wiggler sticker?

But we also have a Patreon and that should make it even easier to support the best podcast for your Minnesota Vikings. We have a discord just for our Patreon supporters, along with special edition episodes. Check it out here. If you wanted to donate via Paypal instead of Patreon, head to this link.

And if you want something to show off your support of the show, buy our merch! We have multiple designs. Please do not buy a shower curtain.

Once again, contact me at arifmhasan (at) gmail dot com or the podcast at NorseCodePodcast (at) gmail dot com. Follow us on twitter at @NorseCodeDN or just me @ArifHasanNFL

Source: https://www.dailynorseman.com/minne...om-the-oconnell-bridge-w-guest-nick-farabaugh

Minnesota Vikings · Friday at 4:27 PM

Second Injury Report: Vikings at Steelers

The Minnesota Vikings and Pittsburgh Steelers have issued their second injury reports in advance of their game on Sunday in Dublin. Here they are:

Minnesota Vikings

DT Javon Hargrave, Chest, Limited

LT Christian Darrisaw, Veteran Rest Day, DNP

LG Donovan Jackson, Wrist, DNP

QB JJ McCarthy, Ankle, DNP

OLB Andrew Van Ginkel, Neck, DNP

TE Ben Yurosek, Knee, DNP

C Ryan Kelly, Concussion, Full

DT Jalen Redmond, Hand, Full

T Justin Skule, Concussion, Full

S Josh Metellus, Foot, Full

The Vikings had a few upgrades on Thursday. First, Ryan Kelly and Justin Skule have cleared concussion protocol, so both should be good to go on Sunday. They were both full participants in practice this week but officially clearing concussion protocol serves as an upgrade. Josh Metellus was also a full participant Thursday after being limited on Wednesday, and Javon Hargrave was upgraded from DNP to limited on Thursday, putting him on track to play on Sunday.

Andrew Van Ginkel was again a non-participant in practice on Thursday which casts some doubt on his availability. We’ll see what designation he’s given tomorrow but it could be a situation where if he plays he may only do so for limited snaps like last week. Christian Darrisaw was also a non-participant in Thursday’s practice, but this was designated a veteran rest day and not injury related, so he’s still on track to play Sunday. Ben Yurosek also did not participate in Thursday’s practice making it less likely he’ll be active on Sunday.

Pittsburgh Steelers

LB Patrick Queen, Oblique, Full

CB Joey Porter Jr., Hamstring, Limited

S DeShon Elliott, Knee, Limited

OLB Alex Highsmith, Ankle, DNP

The Steelers also had TJ Watt, Cameron Heyward, Jaylon Warren, and Jonnu Smith on veteran rest days in which they either did not participate or were limited in Thursday’s practice but are unlikely to have an injury designation for Sunday’s game.

Alex Highsmith has already been ruled out for the Steelers on Sunday. But Joey Porter Jr. and DeShon Elliott being limited again on Thursday casts some doubt on their availability on Sunday and how many snaps they might play if active. Both have missed the last two games. Patrick Queen being upgraded to full participation in Thursday’s practice likely means he’ll play on Sunday and probably without an injury designation tomorrow.

Overall, more positive than negative developments for the Vikings and really only Andrew Van Ginkel is in doubt among starters for Sunday’s game in Ireland. JJ McCarthy and Donovan Jackson have been ruled out.

For the Steelers, Joey Porter Jr. and DeShon Elliott remain questionable for Sumday’s game and will probably have questionable designations tomorrow. My guess is they may be on a snap count if they play.

Follow me on X/Bliesky @wludford

Source: https://www.dailynorseman.com/minne...1191/second-injury-report-vikings-at-steelers

Minnesota Vikings · Saturday at 5:15 AM

Minnesota Vikings News and Links: May The Road Rise To Meet Us!

As we get ready for the game across the pond, the speculation will continue about the QB situation. I think it will play itself out. In the meantime, how about some Irish sayings/proverbs?

Here’s health to your enemies’ enemies!
Here’s to a long life and a merry one. A quick death and an easy one. A pretty girl and an honest one. A cold pint and another one!
May you have the hindsight to know where you’ve been, the foresight to know where you are going, and the insight to know when you have gone too far.
A man loves his sweetheart the most, his wife the best, but his mother the longest.
Don’t be breaking your shin on a stool that’s not in your way.
Men are like bagpipes – no sound comes from them until they are full.
Always remember that hindsight is the best insight to foresight.
What butter and whiskey won’t cure, there is no cure for.

Minnesota Vikings News and Links

Steelers’ Mike Tomlin on facing Vikings: ‘Grizzly veteran’ Carson Wentz ‘certainly has our attention’

The Minnesota Vikings offense ran as smoothly as it has all season in Week 3 with Carson Wentz at the helm. That didn’t surprise Week 4 opponent Pittsburgh or Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin.

“That certainly has our attention,” Tomlin said on Tuesday. “He’s a grizzly veteran. Oftentimes, particularly when you have a young, inexperienced quarterback, there’s some big-time benefits of playing with a vet backup. The veteran guy oftentimes does the intangible components of the job very well. … They oftentimes are able to carry more schematic responsibility and so forth at the line of scrimmage. So, I don’t necessarily view it as a negative thing for the Minnesota Vikings, at least in the short term, that Carson is playing for them.”
…
The Steelers are keenly aware of the talent surrounding the quarterback, which makes life easier on Wentz.

“He certainly has a full repertoire of targets available to him. The return of Jordan Addison, I think, is significant,” Tomlin said. “Certainly, (Justin) Jefferson is a man to be reckoned with, good 50/50 ball guy, tough, good after the catch, as well. T.J. (Hockenson) at the tight end is a challenge. So, Carson has a nice arsenal of people to throw the ball to.”

QB Carson Wentz Valuing Every Rep Ahead of Vikings International Trip

Carson Wentz is selfish in all the right ways.

The quarterback is preparing for his second start with the Vikings, and he’s soaking up every bit of coaching, insight and experience he can.

“Every rep, every practice rep, every walk-through [rep] right now is, I want ’em all,” Wentz told Twin Cities media members Thursday afternoon. “I want ’em all and to get ’em all on film. I want to talk to coaches and just get their feedback.

“The game was huge to kind of see that play out live, but I’m still hungry for just understanding as much as I can about this offense,” he added, “and that’s definitely been part of my process.”

“I think the play calls, the extra time that coaches put in to help me understand timing, spacing, all the [aspects] of the system [helped me play with anticipation],” he explained. “You know, there’s still a lot of carryover within the system from other teams I’ve been on. They might be called something different, there might be little nuances and intricacies, but at the same time, throwing into zone versus Cover 3, they’re still the same. So just understanding the timing and the footwork that the coaches have been super to me in understanding since I got here, that helped a lot.”
…
Wentz enjoyed contributions against the Bengals from a dynamic Vikings defense — namely, Isaiah Rodgers’ two touchdowns and two forced fumbles — and recognizes he didn’t play a perfect game.

He described his outing as “not bad” but added there are “definitely some things I want back,” including the three sack plays and too many pre-snap penalties by the offense.

Wentz tipped his cap to second-year center Michael Jurgens, who started in place of Ryan Kelly last week, but also appreciated reuniting this week with Kelly, who has cleared concussion protocol. Wentz and the veteran center overlapped in 2021 in Indianapolis, where they started 14 games together.

Any level of familiarity is helpful for Wentz when it comes to his teammates and the playbook. Getting back into the groove of a game week, though, has been like riding a bike.

“It’s fun. It feels great,” he said. “You know, I did this for quite a long time leading up to the little hiatus there, so it feels good, feels normal, so to speak. Right back in it this week. Tight turnaround like aways. Obviously weird circumstances, all the things, but it feels good.”
…
Wentz said he took note of the atypical schedule when signing with the Vikings but is looking forward to the unique opportunity.

“I wasn’t in training camp. I wasn’t in the trenches with those guys day-in and day-out. So there is this aspect for me that will be fun to get around these guys and get some extended time,” he said. “I love my wife and kids, but they’re not coming. So at the end of the day, it’s like, ‘Who are we going out to eat with? Who are we connecting with?’ You have a little more free time.

“That’s the beauty of training camp,” Wentz added. “I wasn’t there for camp, so it will be fun to get to know guys on a deeper level and spend more time with them.”

Vikings vs. Steelers: Three must-know storylines for Sunday’s game in Ireland

Veteran quarterbacks square off in throwback matchup
Wentz, in relief of an injured J.J. McCarthy, looked comfortable in Kevin O’Connell’s offense last Sunday, completing 14 of 20 passes for 173 yards with two touchdowns and no turnovers in a blowout win that didn’t ask too much from the 32-year-old.
…
On the other sideline, Rodgers has been efficient through his first three games with the Steelers, throwing seven TDs (second in NFL) for an offense that’s hit pay dirt on 87.5% of red-zone possessions (second in NFL).

Vikings’ blitz-happy, sure-tackling defense poses problem for Steelers
Minnesota has led the league in blitzing (45.4%) and defensive scores (seven) since defensive coordinator Brian Flores took control in 2023. It poses as a big threat against Rodgers, who’s struggled mightily against the blitz the past two seasons with a 5.7 yards-per-attempt average that ranks lowest in the NFL (minimum 350 passing attempts since 2024), according to Next Gen Stats.
…
The Steelers’ offensive success this season has largely been through a short passing attack that has gained a league-high 443 yards after catch, amounting to 73% of Rodgers’ passing yards (586). For now, it’s supplemented an ineffective ground game for Pittsburgh (63.0 YPG; second-worst in NFL), but that kind of game plan will have a tough time versus a Vikings defense that’s allowed 225 yards after catch (third-fewest in NFL) and boasts the league’s third-best defense against the pass (141.3 YPG).

Jordan Mason could be game’s X-factor
The Vikings’ offseason trade for Mason is already looking like a brilliant move. Faced with a similar situation last year in San Francisco, the fourth-year RB stepped up last week in place of an injured Aaron Jones, gaining 116 yards on 16 carries (7.3 YPC) and scoring two TDs in his first start with Minnesota. Mason, with stalwart left tackle Christian Darrisaw back healthy and leading the charge, has an opportunity to aid Wentz in his backup role once again against a Steelers defense that’s yielded 139.3 rushing yards per game.
…
The Steelers are also coming off a great defensive performance last week after forcing five turnovers (four fumbles) and collecting five sacks. T.J. Watt, Cameron Heyward and first-round rookie Derrick Harmon, who impressed in his debut last Sunday, would love to wreak havoc and force the issue on Wentz, but they’re going to have to stop Mason first.

NFL Expert Picks: Vikings vs. Steelers at Dublin Expected to Be Close

Steelers 23, Vikings 20 – Pete Prisco, CBS Sports

This game in Ireland will be the first of two overseas for the Vikings in successive weeks. That will be challenging. The Vikings were outstanding last week against the Bengals, with the defense coming up big. I think Aaron Rodgers will play well against that defense, while Carson Wentz will struggle some. Steelers win it.

Steelers 20, Vikings 17 – John Breech, CBS Sports

With the NFC North, I’ve been having a classic zig-zag problem: When I think they’re going to zig, they zag. When I think they’re going to zag, they eat pizza. When I pick an NFC North team to lose to the Bengals, they put up 48 points. When I think an NFC North team is going to cake walk to a win over the Browns, they end up blowing a 10-point lead in the final four minutes. And yes, I’m looking at you, Packers.

Steelers 24, Vikings 21 – Bill Bender, Sporting News
Both teams forced five turnovers in Week 3 – so it’s about protecting the football here. Aaron Rodgers didn’t take a sack in Week 3, and Minnesota will try to change that with Defensive Coordinator Brian Flores. The Vikings are 4-0 in the NFL International Series, so Pittsburgh better be careful.

Steelers 20, Vikings 17 – Vinnie Iyer, Sporting News

The Vikings loved what Carson Wentz did in leading the offense but it was big plays on defense and a dominant running game that destroyed the Bengals. This AFC North foe is a little tougher, far on the road in Dublin, Ireland. The Steelers will be jacked to make sure they win this one for the Rooney family with Aaron Rodgers ready to protect the ball and make some needed small and big plays.

5 of 5 experts pick the Vikings, NFL.com
Analysis from NFL.com’s Dan Parr:

As the Falcons showed back in Week 2, a good way to beat the Vikings is by running the ball down their throats. Surely, Pittsburgh Offensive Coordinator Arthur Smith – with a reputation for being one of the league’s best run-game designers – can whip up a plan to seize on Atlanta’s blueprint, right? Well, I’m not so sure. The Steelers rank second-to-last in rushing yards per game (63) and are averaging a measly 2.8 yards per carry. Against a neutral box (seven defenders), they are averaging just 2.3 ypc, per Next Gen Stats. If the Steelers don’t break from that trend on their trip to the Emerald Isle, it’s hard to imagine the luck of the Irish smiling upon them. A similarly run-game-challenged Bengals team was no match for Brian Flores’ defense last week. On the other hand, if Mike Tomlin’s defense continues to take the ball away at a high rate, the turnovers can mask some of the deficiencies, especially with the Vikings once again starting backup QB Carson Wentz, who hasn’t been asked to make plays in a tight, meaningful game in a few years.

2 of 7 experts pick the Vikings, Bleacher Report
5 of 7 experts pick the Vikings, The MMQB
5 of 10 experts (1 of 11 total had not submitted) pick the Vikings, ESPN
4 of 7 experts pick the Vikings, The Athletic

Five key stats show how bad Aaron Rodgers has been under pressure

30.2% pressure rate
Rodgers has been under pressure on 30.2% of his 96 drop backs this season, according to Pro Football Focus. He’s 6-of-22 passing for 146 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions when pressured with the Steelers. Of the 29 quarterbacks who have at least 63 drop backs this season, Rodgers’ 30.2% pressure rate ranks 27th. That means he’s not facing nearly as much pressure as the likes of Lamar Jackson (41.3%) or Jordan Love (40.9%).

Ranked dead last in PFF under pressure
Of the 29 quarterbacks with at least 63 drop backs this season, Rodgers’ offensive grade from Pro Football Focus is 27.4 when he’s pressured. That is the worst PFF offensive grade among qualified quarterbacks under pressure through three weeks. For context, Sam Darnold’s PFF offensive grade under pressure is No. 1 in the league at 83.5.

Worst completion percentage when under pressure
Rodgers’ completion percentage when under pressure is 27.3% (6 of 22), ranking dead last among the 29 quarterbacks with a minimum of 63 drop backs. The next worst is Trevor Lawrence at 36.4%, while Dak Prescott leads the NFL at 65.1% when under pressure.

If you’re thinking, ‘Oh, well, that stat probably doesn’t include receiver drops.’ Wrong. Rodgers’ completion percentage under pressure has been impacted by ZERO drops. He’s simply been inaccurate.

Turnover-worthy passes
This fun PFF stat calculates how many turnover-worthy passes (TWP) quarterbacks throw, and Rodgers is tied for the most in the NFL with three when he’s under pressure. But it’s more interesting when you consider that Rodgers has three turnover-worthy passes on just 22 attempts, giving him a TWP percentage of 9.4%, which is second-worst in the NFL behind Cincinnati’s Jake Browning (11.1%).

Who is to blame for the pressure?
PFF tracks this stat and it splits the blame on Pittsburgh players like this:

QB: 14.8%
LT: 33.3%
LG: 18.5%
C: 11.1%
RG: 11.1%
RT: 22.2%
TE: 3.7%
Other: 3.7%

‘They can throw a lot at you’: Rodgers praises Flores, Vikings defense

“Well, they’re going to bring pressure at some point and you got to have some ideas to combat that. So you got to expect it. They do a good job of disguising, everything looks the same. You don’t want them to get going and sack you a bunch and play behind the sticks,” Rodgers told media on Wednesday when asked about playing the Vikings.

“The schemes they run and the way they’re coached, there’s a lot of really good chemistry and continuity on that side. It doesn’t just come from players. There’s a schematic part of that, that’s really impressive. And then the players obviously make it go, once the call is made,” said Rodgers.

“You have veteran guys, you have guys that can do different things like their three outside guys (Jonathan Greenard, Dallas Turner and Andrew Van Ginkel) who can all drop into coverage and be effective, rush the passer extremely effective. You got my old buddy Harrison (Smith) running around disguising. A couple really good corners, a great corner that can come in and play nickel. Couple great inside guys. So there’s not any holes on the defense and they can throw a lot of stuff at you.”

As for the guy calling the plays and drawing up the schemes for Minnesota’s defense, Rodgers had high praise for Vikings’ third-year defensive coordinator Brian Flores.

“He’s a phenomenal coach,” said Rodgers. “It’s good to see him in a position of leadership. I feel like, at some point, he should get another head coaching job based on the way he’s coached defense over the last couple years.”

Josh Metellus on Dealing With Long Travel, Challenge of Facing Aaron Rodgers and More

Adam Thielen on Embracing The ‘Chaos’ of Back To Back Overseas Games, Stout Steelers Defense and More

Cheat Sheet: Week 4 vs. Vikings

Why Vikings Wanted Dublin & London Combo & How They’re Approaching Historic Trip

One month ago, Vikings Head Coach Kevin O’Connell began a media session featuring leaders of multiple initiatives with the following words:

“From my vantage point, to be able to just worry about coaching the team and preparing the team from a football perspective is obviously a huge part of it for me, but also knowing that this group not only exists, how they work together, how each and every decision is made, and then ultimately, how I know each and every decision that’s being made is made out of the best interest of our players, is what I think makes us the right team to do this, to show that not only it’s possible, but a team can have success — pre, during and post — with how you do it, and my confidence level that we’re going to come out of this, saying that it not only can be done, but it can be done the right way is due to these folks next to me.”

Why Vikings wanted to play back-to-back in Dublin, London

The NFL launched an expansion of its global reach this spring. For the first time, a team would face the daunting gauntlet of consecutive international games in different counties.

Which club would the NFL burden with the job? It turned out to be the Minnesota Vikings, whom the league scheduled for a game in Ireland during Week 4 and England in Week 5.

Immediately, Vikings staffers began hearing from their friends around the league.

“A lot of people reached out and said, ‘What did you guys do to the NFL to get this?'” said Vikings vice president of player health and performance Tyler Williams.

Equipment manager Mike Parson laughed and said: “They said we got screwed.”

A 10-day, two-city international trip imposes an unprecedented logistical challenge and runs counter to the instincts of every routine-oriented coach and player. But as those league friends soon found out, the Vikings actually wanted to do it.

What are Vikings’ travel, practice plans for unique two-country trip?

The Vikings practiced as usual on Wednesday at TCO Performance Center. They’re practicing (mostly) as usual on Thursday. And then they’re off. They’ll fly to Dublin overnight tonight (and will provide sleeping aids to players who want them). Friday morning, they’ll head straight to a walk-through practice at their home for the weekend, the IRFU High Performance Centre. They’ll hold a standard practice that afternoon. Sunlight and caffeine will help them power through the day.

After getting plenty of sleep Friday night, everyone should be fairly well-adapted. They’ll have some time to explore Dublin on Saturday, and kickoff against the Steelers will be at 2:30 p.m. local time (8:30 a.m. central) at Croke Park on Sunday. It’s the first NFL game to ever be held in Ireland.

The next part is where things get different. Instead of flying back to Minnesota after the game, the Vikings will stay in Dublin overnight and then take a short flight to London on Monday afternoon. There, they’ll go about their usual weekly practice schedule at Hanbury Manor, which is about 20 miles north of Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. They’ll get ready to play another game that Sunday, this one against the Browns. And on Monday, October 6, after 10 nights away from home, they’ll return to Minneapolis and enter a much-needed bye week.

Kevin O’Connell: ‘Podium’ Camp by Jordan Addison has Vikings Excited for Receiver’s Return

Kevin O’Connell let a smile slip as the question was asked.

How excited are you to get Jordan Addison back?
…
“He can win early. He can win late. And then he’s proven time and time again just how elite a catcher of the football he is. So I think that’s Jordan,” O’Connell commented. “The training camp he had, you know, if you asked me to figure out the podium of first, second and third place of the best training camps we had, he would for sure be on the podium. … He was as good as he’s ever been for us throughout [camp].

O’Connell continued, “Hoping he can pick up right where he left off.”

“His role, clearly, is a role that he’s kind of really made for himself over his time here, knowing how versatile and all the things we do with Justin [Jefferson], Jordan’s kind of the same way; he could be in any position in our formation,” O’Connell added. “And then that’s where I’m really excited about having both Jalen [Nailor] and Adam [Thielen] – to really kind of fuel having the best group we can have fresh.”
…
“I’m expecting him to have fresh legs, and when Jordan Addison has fresh legs, that’s normally a really good thing,” O’Connell told the local media. “The guys are so excited to have him back full time for real. It has helped to have him back in the building the past couple weeks, but now it feels much more real.”

Vikings Prepared for Stunning Jordan Addison Move Despite Off-Field Issues

There were questions about Addison’s future with the team if he couldn’t stay out of trouble. But with Addison’s legal issues resolved, the Vikings are seemingly prepared to make a surprising move by signing him to a lucrative contract extension in the near future, according to KSTP’s Darren Wolfson.

“Wait until you see the contract extension [Addison] will sign,” Wolfson said on a September 23 appearance on SKOR North. “The Vikings have in their minds this idea that they are going to pay Addison. They feel like they hit on a first-round pick. The idea is in a pass-first offense in many ways that you want two dynamic receivers.”

For capologists, the idea of signing Addison to an extension may seem unwise after the Vikings signed Justin Jefferson to a record-breaking extension in the summer of 2024.

It would be a similar path the Cincinnati Bengals took with Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins this summer. Chase leapfrogged Jefferson as the highest-paid non-quarterback in the league, signing a four-year, $161 million deal ($40.3 million annually), while Tee Higgins landed a four-year, $115 million deal ($28.8 million annually).

The Bengals have run into some serious roster-building constraints with those two new contracts on top of Joe Burrow‘s $55 million-a-year deal, opting not to extend last year’s sack leader, Trey Hendrickson.

The trio of Burrow, Higgins and Chase combine for 33.5% of the Bengals’ total cap space this year. Sinking that much cap into three players, all tied to the same play style, doesn’t lend itself to having the most resilient roster, as seen by the impact of losing Burrow early this season.

49ers DC Robert Saleh reveals that former Vikings coaches have a sign stealing strategy that is allegedly used under Kevin O’Connell and Sean McVay

Sign stealing itself isn’t illegal, but filming the other team’s signs certainly is. Former New York Jets head coach and current San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh revealed that the Jacksonville Jaguars use a legal sign-stealing system, and he referenced the former Minnesota Vikings assistant coaches who joined the Jacksonville Jaguars and current head coach Kevin O’Connell.

“Liam [Coen] and his staff, including a couple of guys coming from Minnesota. They’ve got a legally advanced signal-stealing type system, where they always find a way to put themselves in an advantageous situation. They do a great job with it,” said Saleh. “You try to find any nugget they can. So we’ve got to be great with our signals, and we got to be great with our communication, and to combat some of the tells that we might give on the field. So they’re, they’re almost elite in that regard.

“That whole entire tree, from Sean [McVay] to Kevin O’Connell, all those guys, they all do it. So, there are challenges they’re going to catch us in some situations where they have the advantage, and we just got to play good, sound fundamental football and do our best to execute.”

Lunchbreak: 3 ‘Under-the-Radar Great Starts’ for Vikings

If not before, Isaiah Rodgers is firmly on everyone’s radar now.

Name recognition comes with the territory he pioneered this past Sunday, intercepting a pass and returning it 87 yards for a touchdown and forcing two fumbles, including one he picked up off the turf and took back 66 yards for another score. You can read all about the ins and outs of his historic day here.

Several “underrated” players, like Rodgers, have been instrumental to Minnesota’s 2-1 start. Running back Jordan Mason has injected confidence in the ground game; Eric Wilson has subbed strongly for injured starter Blake Cashman as the Green Dot on the defense, forcing a fumble in back-to-back games; and kicker Will Reichard and punter Ryan Wright are in their bags as dependable, big-legged specialists.

Who else has impressed, though? Which other under-the-radar players deserve some shine?

Will Ragatz of Sports Illustrated picked one out from each phase Wednesday and assessed via film review and advanced metrics how they’ve helped the Vikings succeed through the initial three games.

Up first, wide receiver Jalen “Speedy” Nailor, who currently is second on the team behind Justin Jefferson in receiving yards (97). Nailor has played 90 percent of the offensive snaps and is uncovering consistently. While his stats are modest, Head Coach Kevin O’Connell has raved about his performance.

To strengthen the case for Nailor, Ragatz shared a leaderboard from an analytics company, Fantasy Points, that utilizes a charting metric called Playing Time-Adjusted Average Separation Score (PASS). Nailor leads all players in that ranking (Jefferson is fourth, by the way) with a 15.5 score. The Top 5 is rounded out by Rams WR Davante Adams, Ravens WR Zay Flowers and Chargers WR Ladd McConkey.

Defensively, Ragatz pinpointed interior lineman Jalen Redmond, whose snap share has rocketed from 24 percent in 2024 to 55 percent this season. Redmond’s twitchiness has stood out versus the run and pass.

In this instance, Ragatz highlighted an analysis of how defensive linemen across the NFL have fared in true pass sets. Redmond’s pass rush win rate and pressure percentage puts him in the same company as Titans star Jeffery Simmons in this graph.

Interior DL pass rush through week 3 (excluding MNF)
– True pass sets only pic.twitter.com/6Wyw0khDwU

— Stat Acccount (@AcccountStat) September 22, 2025

Click to expand...

In Week 3, Redmond earned an 89.8 PFF grade with four quarterback hurries, two tackles and one forced fumble.

Big Time Defender Suddenly Available to the Vikings

NFL male cheerleading pioneer defends Vikings performers amid preseason outcry

Napoleon Jinnies, who was the first male cheerleader in the NFL when he performed for the Los Angeles Rams in 2018, came out in defense of Blaize Shiek and Louie Conn.

Jinnies told People in a recent interview that the outrage around male cheerleaders was nothing new.

“I’m rolling my eyes,” he told the magazine. “They’re not saying anything new.”

Jinnies recalled his own journey going from competitive cheerleading in college to trying to make a profession out of his passion. He wasn’t the only male cheerleader on the team either.

He said critics sent nasty messages on social media and were heckling them at games. He said the comments and criticism didn’t bother him because they weren’t attacking his cheering or dancing abilities.
…
“Maybe I could see their point if they were bad cheerleaders,” he said of the detractors. “But they’re beat-for-beat, step-for-step killing it with the girls. I’m looking at them like a dance judge, like, ‘Well, they shine. Sorry if that ruffles your feathers.’”

College Football Games Today

7 p.m. | No. 8 Florida State at Virginia | ESPN
Darrell Jackson Jr. | Florida State | DL1T | 6’5″ | 330 | RSR
Duce Robinson | Florida State | WR | 6’5″ | 220 | JR
Jeremiah Wilson | Florida State | CBN | 5’10” | 185 | SR
McKale Boley | Virginia | OT | 6’4″ | 302 | SR

9 p.m. | No. 24 TCU at Arizona State | FOX
Bud Clark | TCU | S | 6’2″ | 185 | RSR
Markis Deal | TCU | DL1T | 6’4″ | 325 | RSO
Jordyn Tyson | Arizona State | WR | 6’1″ | 195 | RJR
Sam Leavitt | Arizona State | QB | 6’2″ | 200 | RSO
Keith Abney II | Arizona State | CB | 5’10” | 195 | JR
Kanye Udoh | Arizona State | RB | 6’0″ | 220 | JR
Max Iheanachor | Arizona State | OT | 6’5″ | 325 | RSR

10:30 p.m. | Houston at Oregon State | ESPN
Tanner Koziol | Houston | TE | 6’6″ | 237
Conner Weigman | Houston | QB | 6’3″ | 220
Latrell McCutchin Sr. | Houston | CB | 6’1″ | 180
Maalik Murphy | Oregon State | QB | 6’5″ | 234
Trent Walker | Oregon State | WR | 6’2″ | 194

Yore Mock

PICK: 17 RND: 1 – Anthony Hill Jr. LB Texas 6’3″ 238
PICK: 49 RND: 2 – Domonique Orange DL Iowa State 6’4″ 325
PICK: 81 RND: 3 – Kamari Ramsey S USC 6’0″ 205
PICK: 97 RND: 3 – Chandler Rivers CB Duke 5’10” 185
PICK: 117 RND: 4 – Davison Igbinosun CB Ohio State 6’2″ 195
PICK: 156 RND: 5 – Demond Claiborne RB Wake Forest 5’10” 195
PICK: 170 RND: 5 – Logan Jones C Iowa 6’3″ 302
PICK: 173 RND: 5 – Taylen Green QB Arkansas 6’6″ 235
PICK: 188 RND: 6 – Kenyatta Jackson Jr. EDGE Ohio State 6’6″ 265
PICK: 195 RND: 6 – A.J. Haulcy S LSU 6’0″ 222
PICK: 209 RND: 6 – Zxavian Harris DL Ole Miss 6’8″ 330
PICK: 230 RND: 7 – Eric Gentry LB USC 6’6″ 225

Again, we all know the rules, but in case someone is new:

No discussion of politics or religion

No feeding of the trolls

Leave the gender hatred at the door

Keep the bad language to a minimum (using the spoiler tags, if you must)

Speaking of which, if discussing a newer show or movie, please use spoiler tags

No pictures that could get someone fired or in serious trouble with their employer

If you can’t disagree in a civil manner, feel free to go away

While navigating the open thread, just assume it’s sarcasm

Source: https://www.dailynorseman.com/minne...s-news-and-links-may-the-road-rise-to-meet-us

Minnesota Vikings · Saturday at 6:55 PM

Final Injury Report: Vikings at Steelers

The Minnesota Vikings and Pittsburgh Steelers have issued their final injury reports along with injury designations for their game on Sunday in Dublin. Here they are:

Minnesota Vikings

QB J.J. McCarthy, Ankle, OUT

LG Donovan Jackson, Wrist, OUT

OLB Andrew Van Ginkel, Neck, OUT

TE Ben Yurosek, Knee, OUT

What has been a long and varied injury report for the Vikings has become short and simple. The four above are ruled out for Sunday’s game against the Steelers with no other injury designations. Kevin O’Connell said that Van Ginkel’s neck injury isn’t a long-term or ongoing thing and that they were just being cautious in ruling him out for Sunday’s game. Not sure the extent of Yurosek’s knee injury, but McCarthy and Jackson should be good to go after the bye week.

Pittsburgh Steelers

OLB Alex Highsmith, Ankle, OUT

CB Joey Porter Jr., Hamstring, QUESTIONABLE

RB Jaylen Warren, Knee, QUESTIONABLE

TE Jonnu Smith, Hip, QUESTIONABLE

For the Steelers, safety DeShon Elliott, who has missed two games with a knee injury and was limited a couple days in practice this week will play on Sunday without an injury designation. Joey Porter Jr., who has also missed the last two games with a hamstring injury, remained limited all week in practice and is questionable on Sunday. That probably means either he will be inactive or limited in his snap count on Sunday.

There was also a couple surprises from the Steelers on Friday as Jaylen Warren and Jonnu Smith, who had been listed as limited and having veteran days off this week, showed up as limited on Friday with knee and hip injuries. Both are now questionable for Sunday. Warren in particular would be a key loss as the Steelers try to get their ground game going this season. In any case, the Steelers will be without Highsmith and possibly Joey Porter Jr. again defensively.

Bottom line, the Vikings continue to add rather than subtract from their starting roster as key players return from injury and suspension. The Steelers progress getting players back is a bit slower this week but we’ll have to wait until Sunday to get a clearer picture.

Follow me on X/Bluesky @wludford

Source: https://www.dailynorseman.com/minne...91238/final-injury-report-vikings-at-steelers

News Vikings Team Notes

Team Leader

Minnesota Vikings News and Links​

Team Leader

Minnesota Vikings​

Cincinnati Bengals​

Team Leader

The Rankings​

NFL.com — 19th (last week: 11th)​

The Athletic/New York Times — 22nd (last week: 12th)​

ESPN.com — 20th (last week: 13th)​

Pro Football Talk — 21st (last week: 12th)​

CBS Sports (Pete Prisco) — 17th (last week: 14th)​

Palm Beach Post (Joe Schad) — 10th (last week: 6th)​

The Score — 15th (last week: 7th)​

NFL Trade Rumors — 19th (last week: 14th)​

Sports Illustrated — 16th (last week: 11th)​

USA Today (Nate Davis) — 22nd (last week: 15th)​

Yahoo! Sports — 16th (last week: 8th)​

New York Post — 19th (last week: 17th)​

Team Leader

Minnesota Vikings​

Cincinnati Bengals​

Team Leader

Minnesota Vikings News and Links​

Team Leader

Team Leader

Minnesota Vikings News and Links​

College Football Games​

Yore Mock​

Team Leader

Unanimous Picks​

7-1 Picks​

6-2 Picks​

5-3 Picks​

Team Leader

Team Leader

Team Leader

Team Leader

Team Leader

Team Leader

Team Leader

Minnesota Vikings​

Pittsburgh Steelers​

Team Leader

The Rankings​

NFL.com — 15th (last week: 19th)​

The Athletic/New York Times — 14th (last week: 22nd)​

ESPN.com — 13th (last week: 20th)​

Pro Football Talk — 15th (last week: 21st)​

CBS Sports (Pete Prisco) — 13th (last week: 17th)​

The Score — 12th (last week: 15th)​

NFL Trade Rumors — 16th (last week: 19th)​

Sports Illustrated — 14th (last week: 16th)​

USA Today (Nate Davis) — 15th (last week: 22nd)​

Yahoo! Sports — 14th (last week: 16th)​

New York Post — 14th (last week: 19th)​

Team Leader

Team Leader

Minnesota Vikings​

Pittsburgh Steelers​

Team Leader

Minnesota Vikings News and Links​

College Football Games Today​

Yore Mock​

Team Leader

Minnesota Vikings​

Pittsburgh Steelers​

Minnesota Vikings News and Links

Minnesota Vikings

Cincinnati Bengals

The Rankings

NFL.com — 19th (last week: 11th)

The Athletic/New York Times — 22nd (last week: 12th)

ESPN.com — 20th (last week: 13th)

Pro Football Talk — 21st (last week: 12th)

CBS Sports (Pete Prisco) — 17th (last week: 14th)

Palm Beach Post (Joe Schad) — 10th (last week: 6th)

The Score — 15th (last week: 7th)

NFL Trade Rumors — 19th (last week: 14th)

Sports Illustrated — 16th (last week: 11th)

USA Today (Nate Davis) — 22nd (last week: 15th)

Yahoo! Sports — 16th (last week: 8th)

New York Post — 19th (last week: 17th)

Minnesota Vikings

Cincinnati Bengals

Minnesota Vikings News and Links

Minnesota Vikings News and Links

College Football Games

Yore Mock

Unanimous Picks

7-1 Picks

6-2 Picks

5-3 Picks

Minnesota Vikings

Pittsburgh Steelers

The Rankings

NFL.com — 15th (last week: 19th)

The Athletic/New York Times — 14th (last week: 22nd)

ESPN.com — 13th (last week: 20th)

Pro Football Talk — 15th (last week: 21st)

CBS Sports (Pete Prisco) — 13th (last week: 17th)

The Score — 12th (last week: 15th)

NFL Trade Rumors — 16th (last week: 19th)

Sports Illustrated — 14th (last week: 16th)

USA Today (Nate Davis) — 15th (last week: 22nd)

Yahoo! Sports — 14th (last week: 16th)

New York Post — 14th (last week: 19th)

Minnesota Vikings

Pittsburgh Steelers

Minnesota Vikings News and Links

College Football Games Today

Yore Mock

Minnesota Vikings

Pittsburgh Steelers