MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Vikings were all-in on developing quarterback JJ McCarthy this season after his rookie year was lost to injury, with the belief they could shield him from some of the natural challenges of inexperience by surrounding him with a solid group of veterans and an experienced coaching staff.
After a bumpy start left some holes in the plan, it all but fell apart in Thursday's loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. Not only did the players and offensive and defensive schemes not work, but they had all of two games to test McCarthy.
“I told our team, 'We're going to figure out what we're doing here,'” coach Kevin O'Connell said after the 37-10 loss, the second-worst of his four seasons.
The Vikings were dealt a major blow when McCarthy, the 10th overall pick in last year's draft, needed surgery on the meniscus in his right knee before starting the regular season. The high right ankle sprain he ended his second game with was even more devastating considering Sam Darnold mostly thrived in 2024 and Carson Wentz mostly flopped in 2024.
After going 2-3 with Wentz, who battled a non-throwing shoulder injury and endured multiple hard hits throughout an increasingly painful night, McCarthy is set to return next week. With the Vikings (3-4) currently ranked 12th in the NFC and trailing their daunting division by two losses, even McCarthy's remarkable improvement over the last 10 games may not be enough to propel them into the playoffs.
Wentz had the misfortune of playing most of the game without stalwart tackles Christian Darrisaw and Brian O'Neal due to knee injuries, not to mention center Ryan Kelly, who was barely available. On the other hand, spending free agents on defensive tackles Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave at age 30 didn't pay dividends. And the lack of production in recent drafts has left them with little depth at cornerback, let alone other positions.
“It’s a team effort,” receiver Justin Jefferson said, “and we just don’t do enough.”
What works
There's nothing for the Vikings to feel good about. Rookie Miles Price averaged 27 yards on five kickoff returns as he continued to show aggressiveness and a burst that seemed close to breaking him free and scoring. Accordingly, he had a 46-yard run back to start the game and a 42-yard return in the third quarter, both of which were negated by penalties to rookie Tyler Batty.
What needs help
Run defense has been the most common and damaging issue this season. Just four days after Flores rallied to hold off 2024 champion Saquon Barkley and spy on shifty Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts, the Vikings were trampled by sophomore Kimani Vidal. Justin Herbert rushed for a back-breaking 62 yards himself seven times, and the Chargers became the second team to top 200 yards among the Vikings this season. They held 10 different opponents to 86 yards rushing or less last season.
Stock up
Winning performances were few and far between, but winger Jonathan Greenard, who faced 2024 No. 5 overall pick Joe Alt, often found himself on the back foot. He had six tackles, three for loss and one sack with two hits on Herbert. Defensive tackle Jalen Redmond also stood out, playing 86% of the snaps, far more than all linemen.
Stocks fell
OLB Dallas Turner. The 2024 first-round draft pick made the difference: Pro Bowl pick Andrew Van Ginkel missed five of the first seven games with injury, and consistency and productivity weren't there for the player the Vikings traded last year. Turner has yet to show he can reliably stop the run, and he only has a sack and a half. Turner also took a 15-yard penalty for a helmet hit on Herbert in the first quarter, giving the Chargers their first score.
Trauma Report
After fielding their fullest roster of the season last Sunday against Philadelphia, the Vikings took an alarming step back in overall health, thanks in part to a grueling four-day trip to Los Angeles. Darrisaw left after two episodes, and O'Neill couldn't come at all. Kelly (concussion) is expected to miss at least one more game, but it is unknown when or if he will return. Defenseman C.J. Ham (hand) did not play Thursday along with Van Ginkel (neck). One positive was the return of running back Aaron Jones after a four-game absence.
The Vikings now have three extra days to recover for a potential boost before the Nov. 2 game in Detroit, and McCarthy will likely top the list of returnees. New injuries against the Chargers included Greenard (ankle) and tight end Josh Oliver (foot), whose departure in the first quarter prevented the game from continuing before the score got out of hand with another key blocker, Ham, already out of the game.
Key number
0-6 — The Vikings have lost all six night road games they have played in four years under O'Connell, including three on Thursdays. O'Connell is 4-11 overall, including a loss to the Los Angeles Rams in the first round of the playoffs last season. The Vikings have lost four straight in prime time by a combined score of 117-34. But this model predates O'Connell. Over the past 20 years, with four coaching staffs, the Vikings are 9-28 on the road at night and 24-42 overall. They are 1-9 on the road on Thursdays with their last win coming in 1978.
Next
The Lions (5-2) will be more rested than the Vikings after the bye week. Minnesota lost five straight to Detroit, their longest losing streak since their first five games in 1961–63. The Vikings also lost four straight games in Detroit.
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