MAJOR Minnesota Vikings injury updates; Who plays center?; When will JJ McCarthy be back?

MAJOR Minnesota Vikings injury updates; Who plays center?; When will JJ McCarthy be back?

Purple Daily is daily Vikings entertainment. I just want the Vikings to win a Super Bowl before we die. I will ride with this group. Seriously, man. Please. And away we go. All right. We got our guy Darren Doogie Wolson in the house from the KSTP Channel 5 Eyewitness News sports department. And we just got the injury report here from the Vikings. So, we’ll get to that. But Dukes, you uh it looks like you’ve your your face continues to to look a little thinner here. Awaken 180 has been doing you some good over the past few weeks. Phil, I’m not on any sort of injury report. Knock on whatever. Yes, down nearly 15 lbs in the last month thanks to Awaken 180. Awaken 180 weight loss. The website is awaken180weightloss.com. As importantly, I have sustained energy. Mrs. W got home very late last night from a work conference in Las Vegas. Wanted to greet her when she walked through the door. Woke up early this morning. Hey, minimal sleep. Still feel somewhat energized. Yesterday, East View High School, big Drewie 9th grade football game. I’m thinking, okay, they will play in the stadium. Nope. They were relegated to a sidefield. Well, yours truly forgot his lawn chair. Didn’t have a lawn chair standing for nearly two and a half hours. You know what? Three, four months ago, I’d have been like, “Hey, I’ll just sit on the grass.” Like, I can’t stand for that long. Yesterday at the football game, able to stand. Have solid energy thanks to Awaken 180 weight loss. It’s an easy plan to follow. There’s no calorie counting, no workouts required, there’s no medication. you eat to lose weight. They have thousands of recipes. So, there’s all sorts of variety. Had Chipotle for dinner last night. It’s just about making sensible decisions. 3 months ago, okay, my chicken bowl, had a bunch of stuff. Now, just adjusting how to eat, why to eat, when to eat, right? The how and why behind the eating. They provide all the guidance. They know what they’re doing. This plan works. The website awaken180weightloss.com. Again, awaken1180weightloss.com. The results are proven. Dukes, let’s start with the Vikings injury report that just came out here. There’s a there I there’s a few headlines. I would say the number one headline is the Vikings starting center Ryan Kelly has not practiced each of the last two days with another concussion, which is not that shocking. It sounds like a separate concussion. There hasn’t been a lot of information on it, but it but he had a his fourth career concussion a couple weeks ago or three weeks ago, missed a game, got got cleared, came back, another concussion. So, that’s like a long-term conversation. Not surprising. But Michael Jurgens, the backup center, has not practiced the last two days with a hamstring injury. So, let there’s a there’s other things on this injury report, but let’s just start there. Who the hell plays center for this team now? Well, it would be Blake. Do we go? We tried to get to the bottom of this Brandle or Brandell because I’ve heard many people say Brandell. We’ll go Brandle. Blake, just say it fast. Is your starting center? Yes. I mean, if Michael Jurgens and Hey, when you can’t practice Wednesday plus Thursday, hamstring, we know how tricky a hamstring injury is. Blake Brle and that means Joe Huber expected left guard. So, left to right, we are looking at Christian Darasaw, who did not practice today, but I would not worry about his status heading into Sunday. So, Christian Darasaw, left tackle, Joe Huber, left guard. Blake Brle center, Will Fry, right guard. Justin School right tackle. Your main backups, Walter Rouse can play tackle. Actually, if in a pinch, Walter Rouse could play guard as well. certainly has gotten reps at guard. And you have Henry Bird from the practice squad. Those would be your two main backups. There’s maybe some other names behind those two, but those would be the two main backups. Walter Rouse plus Henry Bird. It is remarkable, Phil, how we’ve gotten to this point. The investment going back to the off season, all the money spent on this O line. Now, I suppose if you’re looking for some sliver of hope, one, it is the Browns. Now, that defense is legit, don’t get me wrong. Right. But can you scheme to get the ball out of Carson Wentz’s hands fast enough? Can you find a way to win like a 13-10 type game that yes, it’s a daunting defense, but all things considered, do you feel okay playing the Browns than having the by-week to recover before the Eagles game? Okay, for the Eagles game, Donovan Jackson expected back. Brian O’Neal not placed on injured reserve. So, we’ll have to wait and see how he is October 13th, 14th, Wednesday the 15th. But there’s a thought that Brian O’Neal doesn’t need to miss four games. Maybe it’s more than Sunday. Maybe it’s more than one game. But that Brian O’Neal, it’s not a season ending type injury. Ryan Kelly, Phil, you’re right. Those are long-term conversations. Yeah. I mean, it is what now six documented concussions going back to Alabama. Do I have that number right? I mean, it’s multiple. I mean, we’re talking many concussions. So, to me, that may be a conversation that takes place. Ryan with his family when you’re thinking about the long term. That’s me speculating here on Reckless Speculation Thursday. I don’t have any specific intel that Ryan Kelly is on the cusp of retirement, something like that. And I’m just saying thinking aloud when you have that many concussions, two documented concussions in the last couple weeks, I just don’t know at his age how you don’t contemplate the long-term future. On Brandle, uh he he spoke with reporters it looks like today after the practice. And according to our friend Kevin Seafford of ESPN, he confirmed that while he has had a lot of practice reps at center over the past few years, he has never played the position in a game in his life. Wow. So, that sort of just tells you where where things stand right now. Uh, now I will say this before we write off the Vikings chances. Uh, yes, the Cleveland defense is good. Yes, Miles Garrett actually is on the injury report and didn’t practice yesterday. And then throw in the fact that Dylan Gabriel is going to be making his first career start against a Brian Flores defense that has held uh rookie quarterbacks to a 1 and9 record. So, all hope is not lost, but man, that offensive line, it just feels like something’s gone wrong every single time. And and I’ve lost hope. I don’t think they are going to play together. The original construction dukes, I don’t think they’re going to play one single game together, all five of those guys this season. Yeah. I mean, as you say that in the moment, yes. My money would be on your original starting five, Darasaw, Jackson, Kelly, Fry, O’Neal. Yeah, I would say it’s hard to envision those five playing one snap together this year. I still feel like Darasaw was really close to playing in Chicago week one, but it didn’t happen. Okay. So, yes, at this point. Yes. I mean, I don’t know how you would think otherwise just with the Kelly situation. Yeah. How these five would play one snap together all year. Plus, Phil, the injury. I mean, Jud, I know you put something on social media like around this time last week about pushing the panic button, but you brought it up in this space multiple weeks ago. Now, they haven’t put him on IR, so they’re holding out some hope. And I haven’t heard that it’s a season ending type neck injury, but certainly concern about Andrew Van Genko, who at this point all signs point to him not playing on Sunday. Remind me. So, okay. So, Darasaw is going to start at left tackle. It sounds like Brandle’s gonna start at center and then Fry and then uh school at right tackle. Who’s the left guard to start? That would be Joe Huber. Joe Huber. Okay, I’ll tell you what. I mean, he was a stud at Wisconsin. I don’t know why. Short arms, whatever. Like Joe Huber to me is a legit NFL player. We can debate whether week five he’s a legit NFL starter but to me Joe Huber regardless of you know not drafted all that like he’s to me a legit NFL player. Now maybe that’s my Big 10 bias but he was really good at Wisconsin. I’d love for you to pick the brain of of Boon and and those guys like the O line committee. I’m a Joe Huber fan and so to me like I don’t think you’re losing a ton there. Like I don’t think he’s going to be put it this way, Brandle stunk last week at left guard. He just did, right? I don’t know what the PFF grade was, all that, but just from the eye test. And hey, I’m the one who was saying, you go back to the first half of last year, Brandle next to Darasaw, Brandle was fine. He was more than fine. He was pretty good. But just in the moment of last Sunday, that game against the Steelers, Blake Brle stunk at left guard. So I can’t imagine that Joe Huber would be any worse. I think he’ll be in fact significantly better. Did one of you guys are I’m just going through some of the beat writer tweets here. I know Jud brought up Seaffort on Brle confirming that he has had practice reps but no game reps. Uh so well that would beg the question cuz the Vikings have been one hit away from a center going down in a game now a couple times, right? Okay. Well, what if what if Brle gets dinged or something? Then what? Well, Joe Huber has Yeah, Joe Huber in college has played a little bit in and Henry Bird. So, I mean, they have contingency plans in place, but I mean, it’s already a disaster in many ways. Could you imagine if Yeah. something like that happens? I also think, yeah, right now all appearances are just based on even the practice reports from today that it was Brle snapping to Wentz. Like, why wouldn’t it be Brle at center? I think it’s fair to have the conversation. Would you be better off with either Huber at center or probably more like Henry Bird or even Lee like elevating one of those guys from the practice squad? Would you truthfully be better off with one of those guys at center compared to Blake Brandle? So, two two weeks ago when Kelly was out and I I was uh that was last home game. So, I watched the pregame warm-ups and who the quarterbacks were taking snaps from. The top three centers were Jurgens was one, Bird was two, and Bird had been elevated from the practice squad for that game and Huber was three. So my guess is that if something happens here or Blake is just unplayably bad, that um that Bird would actually come in at center and Huber would stay in at left guard until Bird of course then gets hurt because with with the way the season’s gone, who the hell knows? And then Huber would be so Huber’s choice three. Bird is choice two. Jurgens is choice one. At that point in time, Brandle was not taking snaps or doing he was just solely at guard. He’s not doing anything at center. Well, and remember, I mean, he came in as a tackle years ago college. And so, I’m just saying like, is it fair to have the conversation, why would you put Blake Brandle in at center with such little well zero experience? would you be better off starting practice squad guy Henry Bird? I’m just telling you all sign point to right this second Blake Brindle being the center on Sunday. But I’m just saying can we have the conversation would it make sense to have Henry Bird at center on Sunday? I think yeah, it’s uh these are there there is no good option here and and my guess is Kevin Okonnell is leaning toward the offensive lineman that has been more immersed in his system longer versus like the actual mechanics of snapping a football and the chemistry with the quarterback. But that is not something to take for granted, dudes. they’re going to run 55 or 60 offensive plays against the Browns. There is a very heightened chance of a snap going ary when you have a guy that’s never done that before. That Kevin Oonnell for all the talk in the first month of he needs to simplify things for McCarthy, simplify things for for uh for Carson Wentz, that has never been more true going into this game. And there is another domino to this is Miles Garrett did not practice with an ankle yesterday. We’re still waiting as we record this for the Thursday uh Browns practice report, but he’s kind of up in the air. He’s certainly not going to be 100% for this game, but whether he plays or not, you can’t have like I feel like the the protections need to be very very uh basic pre- snap protections. And you’re you’re running a much more simplified version of everything. And I think I think our guys on the O line committee would uh would echo that sentiment. simplify everything. Well, I mean, quick release throws, right? Like I think about Aaron Rodgers last Sunday. Carson Wentz, I mean, we can destroy the O line for the performance against Pittsburgh, rightfully so. But I mean, Wentz still held the ball too long, too, against Pittsburgh, right? So, like, the ball needs to get out of his hands incredibly fast on Sunday. And hey, just find a way. The overunder is what? 33 and a half. The lowest overunder total in a long time. Although week one, that Jets Steelers game was a pretty low overunder and it ended up being a very highscoring game. But like this is the lowest overunder total of the season and so just find a way. I mean Jud, you said it right. I mean Flo dominates rookie quarterbacks. Now I get it. Stfansky heavy play action. Dylan Gabriel can get out of the pocket. He can move. Joe Flacco, what? Six turnovers so far this year. I get why the Browns are doing this. But to me, if I’m a Vikings fan, if I’m Flo, if I’m the Vikings, I feel a lot better facing Dylan Gabriel compared to Joe Flacco. So, just find a way to grind out a victory, get to three and two, then reset. Speaking of some of those Vegas overunders, did you guys see the overunder? At least it was one betting site. I don’t know if it’s across the board, but one betting site originally had eight and a half for the Vikings overunder win total. When I say originally, you know, before week one, that number has now gone down to seven and a half. I guess that’s what happens when you lose two of your first four games, the softest part of the schedule, and you already have two losses. So, Dukes, what’s our thought here on on uh the eventual return of JJ McCarthy? He was there was some conjecture that he might actually practice today. Now, the practice report says he did not. Uh but as he slowly but surely comes back from the high ankle sprain, obviously he has to practice first uh for sort of the ball to start rolling for his potential return against Philadelphia or the Chargers. So, what’s our feeling about that? because you know to get him back on the field becomes the most important thing and we talked about this a couple of days ago too. The most important thing now is can he stay healthy? Can he stay can he get on the field and stay there? Because we have now two games of sample size which in fairness is not enough to judge him but the problem is look at the sample size of games he he’s missed. So, I think that becomes the next question and that becomes the next step is when can you get him back on the field to protect himself with this offensive line and then just as importantly to get him reps that he desperately needs to get. Emphasis on this offensive line, this makeshift offensive line. I know. I know. JJ stay healthy behind. So, let’s fast forward to October 19th. Okay. Donovan Jackson back, but Brian O’Neal big question mark. Certainly Ryan Kelly big question mark. like can he protect himself October 19th to me is he able to even do anything tomorrow like I thought today or tomorrow if he gets to the limited status I’m not expecting full practice but limited status then I feel pretty good about him playing October 19th but if his first like full practice is Wednesday October 15th or close to maybe that’s a limited practice October 15th after the buy then I’m Not sure he’s playing October 19th. So like I need to see that he can move around. I get it. He’s progressing, right? KOC has said that on the record, but still DNP today. Okay. Like something tomorrow, anything like to me that will be the telltale sign. If he’s able to be limited tomorrow, then I feel pretty good about him playing October 19th. If he’s not, then I need to gather a lot more information right after the buy starting on Monday, October 13th. I actually think I think the lack of participation in in today and yesterday’s practice unless they’re unless they’re flip-flopping the intensity of like a Thursday Friday practices are usually just walkthrough speed and shorts and so you know if you’re a full participant it doesn’t really or even limited I so I feel like him not practicing but he might ramp up a little bit. You’re right undoubtedly Phil you’re right but I would still feel pretty good if he’s just if he’s limited tomorrow. I get it the Friday practice is not super intense. I understand that it’s Wednesday, Thursday, but I still need to see that he’s at least limited Friday for him to have a chance, a real chance to play October 19th. They did a walk through yesterday. They actually were far more intense today and then we’ll do a slow but but he’s but if he if and when he comes back like if he practices, he’s only going to go through I think now individual drills like I I don’t think there’s a plan to unleash him. I think they literally want to get him back on the field just to be like handing the ball off a couple of times and doing things. So like this is a very slow process, but that’s where I’m with Dukes. Like if we don’t trigger the process at some point in time by week, okay, he gets more arrest, but then are you putting him back out there Wednesday before the Philadelphia game and saying let’s go get it, or are you now saying the offensive line’s in shambles and we don’t really trust the process that you’re going to be prepared to play. So, like this this to me becomes a very important timeline cuz until he is fully prepared to practice, I don’t think he plays in in a game, which is why I would just like to see him do something gradual uh today, which didn’t happen, or on Friday. It’s amazing that we’ve gotten to this point. Yeah. And hey, like we’ve said it, I mean, to me, a big part of them winning 14 games last year was a good amount of injury luck, if that’s how you want to term it. Mhm. It’s the complete opposite this year so far, right? Then you think about what’s coming after the buy, right? I mean, Eagles, then Chargers on a short week. Now, who knows if Joe Alt will be back for that game. So, hey, it’s across the league. There’s been a ton of injuries, but then you have the Lions and the Ravens. Then what? The Bears and Packers. But over the course of six weeks, five games against the Packers, Lions, Ravens, Chargers, Eagles. Yeah. I mean, considering all these injuries now, hey, CJ Ham’s in a good spot, I feel like they can use him. I’d like to think they activate him. I was told weeks ago he should be ready to go for the Browns game. So, CJ Ham full participant in practice today. Make that move. Activate him. He can help for 15, 20 snaps, whatever it is. Phil, I don’t even know if they get to 60 snaps. Sounds great. I don’t even know if they get When I When I said that, I was like maybe like 45 snaps. Let’s get there first. Yeah. I mean, I’d like to think for sure 45, but I just don’t know if they get to 60. Hopefully, you know, maybe I guess if you’re going short throws and can establish enough of a run game, maybe you have a 9, 10, 11, 12 play field goal type drive, right? So, maybe you get to 55ish. This is so sad. 60. I don’t know though if you’re getting to 60, right? him that I don’t know maybe but I’m just saying I not sure but Blake Kman progressing well can he return for for the Eagles game? Aaron Jones would still have to miss what one additional game so he can’t play. Yeah. In the Eagles game, but my understanding is he’s progressing well. So, at some point he gets some of these guys back, right? At some point. O’Neal, don’t know exactly when. Uh certainly not Sunday, but you know, where is he at after the buy? Ben Ginkle neck. Yeah. I mean, Jud going back to training camp. Yep. You were spot on weeks ago when when you first pushed the panic button over everybody. It’s a tweak, Duke. It’s a tweak. It’s just a small neck tweak. Those are never a problem. Denil Hunter all over again, right? Feels like it actually. Yeah. Hopefully not. But I I I want to run there’s another Speaking of panic button. Let’s just, you know, let’s just treat this like a therapy session here. I have a I have a JJ McCarthy thing I want to throw at you in a second here. But um shout out to Pepsi. All right. Listen, let’s stay hydrated out there with our with our Pepsi and this Justin Jefferson souvenir cup, which you can see on the YouTube channel. And on these cups, which you can get inside US Bank Stadium, you can get them now at HY Fast and Fresh locations and at Buffalo Wild Wings. There is a QR code on the side of this cup. And when you scan it, you can enter to win Victor’s Ride, a Polaris 1000 ATV that he will deliver right to the to the winner’s house later on this season or uh or in the offseason. So, Pepsi, go get your Justin Jefferson souvenir cups. Scan that QR code again. Inside US Bank Stadium, HY Fast and Fresh locations, and Buffalo Wild Wings, Pepsi, the official beverage of the Minnesota Vikings. Uh Jud, you’re a hockey guy. The World Juniors are coming to town. We’re a We’re a big event town here, baby. And this is a big one for sure. And this, in my opinion, forget the NCAA basketball tournament. This, in my opinion, is the best annual tournament in sports. It is the 2026 World Junior Championships coming to town December 26th through January the 5th at both Grand Casino Arena and 3M at Maruchi. The 50th anniversary of this great tournament which hasn’t been in Minnesota since 1982. Sports Dad was very young, but he did go the best under 20 players in the world featuring NHL uh future National Hockey League stars competing on ice right here in our state. Single game tickets on sale now starting at $39. Uh preliminary round and quarterfinal matchups available. The medal round packages will be released later. World Juniorsmn26.com. World Juniorsmn26.com to grab your tickets today. So Dudes, on the JJ McCarthy front, you know, we’re four games in the the NFL, man. It’s a conveyor belt. It just it you you wait all you wait all off season and it’s like seven months but then it’s like boom you look up and you’re already in week five and we’re talking about McCarthy has not practiced yet so he it it looks like to me he’s probably going to miss the Philly game but we’ll kind of see. But here’s my point. I’m not there yet, Phil. I’m not there. Okay. I’ve thought he would be back for the Philly game. I just I need a little bit more info but I wouldn’t rule him out at this point for the Philly game. But either way, since the 2024 draft where where he was selected 10th, Caleb Williams has played in 21 games now. Bo Nicks has played in 21 games. Jaden Daniels has been dinged up. He’s he’s played 19 games and an NFC Championship game, rookie of the year. Uh Drake May is showing some major flashes. 17 games under his belt already. And hell, there’s a couple guys from like Cam Ward getting his ass kicked, but he’s already played twice as many games as a starting quarterback as JJ McCarthy has. Jackson Dart is about to hit his second start here. He’s All right, we’re getting to see some Jackson Dart. Um, dudes, we’re we’re a year and a half since the draft and we are inching our way toward the halfway point of his second NFL season. We have no idea what he is. None whatsoever. He’s going to hit he has four guaranteed years on his rookie scale contract. The Vikings have a fifth year option if they want. You’re going to blink three times and be halfway through the guaranteed portion of his rookie scale contract and you’re going to have no answers unless he gets back on the field quickly. And so I’m just I just I’m raising a red flag here that the quarterback clock continues to tick. All these other dudes from his draft class have played 17, 19, 21 games and we still have no idea what JJ McCarthy is. I’d like to think in three months, end of the season, maybe it’s longer than that, that we have a much better sense of the player that JJ McCarthy can be. You’re still a ways out from any sort of decision on the fifthear option. To me, he would have to tank mightily to not exercise the fifthear option. But I’d like to think, Phil, whether it’s the Philly game or not. And I get it. That’s a goofy week, right? Cuz short week with travel, Thursday night game in Los Angeles. So he’s not playing against Philly. I don’t know how he’s them playing against the Chargers. But at some point here in the next three, four weeks, we should. I’ve not heard of any sort of setback or anything crazy like that. So we will get JJ McCarthy back on the field. Then the question is, can he stay on the field? Can he sustain some sort of lengthy run? Can he play five, six, seven, eight games without some sort of other injury popping up? But I’d like to think, Phil, we will get that book. And hey, I still fall back on his performance whether in high school, you know, in Chicago, at IMG Academy, the success at Michigan, Jim Harbaugh being so outspoken about the person, the player that JJ McCarthy is that I’ll defer to folks like that and still firmly believe remain bullish, very bullish on J.J. McCarthy. But what you’re raising, it’s fair. Like, I’m not going to blow back at you on that. It’s fair, but I’m just saying we should get some sort of book by the end of the season on JJ. I think also in in this discussion is the fact that, you know, he’s two games into a career, so we have no clue there. I I find it I find it laughable that people are are, you know, giving up on him or whatever, but yes, he has to play he has to play within the system. If nothing else, he’s got to get the reps so Okonnell can expand them, too. Like I do think that Okonnell probably and I I think he’s guilty of this just because he sees the game clearly. I think Kevin Oonnell is guilty probably of expanding uh his quarterback’s repertoire before some of those quarterbacks are prepared. But that being said, that’s where the season becomes so important because opening day then of 2026 like we can’t have the training wheels on in perpetuity. So I you know and it might be a good year they might come back. It might be a terrible year but at the end of the day he’s got to have the repertoire. He’s got to have the reference points that he’s so sorely lacks right right now. And that’s where I think Okonnell, unfortunately for him, is going to to have to be patient. But there’s going to come a point where that patience is like, “Okay, now we’re going to turn it up to 10. Can you do this at a 10?” Well, and then it goes back to something we’ve brought up, but how does the locker room respond? So, you’re referencing 2026. So much went into success this year. 100%. Yeah. How does that change the dynamic of how the rest of this year is looked at some of these vets? Heck, think about Harrison Smith, who’s been a part-time player through two weeks. He’s still ramping up stamina wise. It may be more Philly and onward. I mean, I don’t know if Harrison Smith all of a sudden is playing 55 60 snaps this Sunday, but like I think about the structure of his contract. Yeah, he’s making many millions of dollars, but he can earn multiple million dollars more based on a few factors, but including a thought that the Vikings could make a run to the Super Bowl, team success, right? And so, right, you just you start thinking about some of those dynamics. It’s fascinating to me. It really is. Not that JJ has lost the locker room or anything crazy like that. You know, as far as I know, a lot of those guys still firmly believe in JJ, but at some point, we need to see a little bit more than the fourth quarter against Chicago. Absolutely. But when I talked about when McCarthy urgently got hurt and I talked about the locker room and going back in there, if Carson Wentz is winning and saying, “We’re going back to JJ.” One, Carson Wentz has been okay, but he’s not great. But second of all, that also was predicated on guys staying healthy. That was predicated on the run defense being much improved. So, like there are now a lot of things that have nothing to do with JJ McCarthy that are becoming problems, including the the fact that, as you just said, unfortunately, and I think he’s still a brilliant player on the field mentally, Harrison Smith, the body might finally just be going. So, like there’s a lot of things that now, like my feeling about the locker room becomes much different if Hargrave and Allen aren’t pulling their weight, no pun intended, in the run game. Uh if three-fifths of your offensive line is lost, Ryan Kelly has lost. So that’s where you almost get McCarthy back in there. Yes, he might have to run a little bit more, but it’s hard it’s hard for those guys to get upset when they simply either aren’t performing or not playing. So like this is where the dynamic changes to me completely from we’re going to take this readymade team and put a young quarterback back into unfortunately that ready-made team now is at times a shell of what we expected. Yes. And hey, how about some players that you thought would take a step forward that haven’t so far? Think about Ivan Pace Jr. Yeah. Right. Like, you know, so you think about some of those guys that you put stock into thinking, okay, they’re going to be better this year. Well, entirely possible they’re not going to be better. In fact, they may be significantly worse in some cases. Then you think about all these penalties, right? No. How fixable is that? I get it. It’s a lot of pre- snap penalties. You’d like to think that can be fixed, but man alive, it’s hard when you’re that slow down. It’s so hard when I know that like when you’re a fan, you’re watching like what? This is your job. How do you not know? when you’re Joe Huber, when you’re Michael Jurgens the last few weeks, even when you’re a veteran backup like a Justin School and you’re not in there every week for 50 or 60 plays and you haven’t been working with the quarterback, the communication, especially when it’s kind of loud and the play clock is running down and the defense is shifting and doing things, it’s a lot to process even for really good high-end veterans to not, you know, have some communication issues. So I yeah like stop you got to clean it up pre- snap that yes 100% that would be great but if there were ever an example of uh of why it’s hard to just clean it up and you know Kevin O’Connell needs to be better. This is about as red alert as you get for from an offensive line and quarterback perspective what the Vikings have been dealing with the first five weeks. So I mean even Darasaw too, right? I mean Darasaw has committed multiple penalties. Well totally right. I mean, he’s still trying to get into the groove. I get it, right? All those snaps he played on Sunday, right? That’s why we’re seeing Darasaw rest multiple days this week. He has to be so worn out, right? Cuz yeah, he practiced in August, but like that thing ramped up so much on Sunday and yeah, he played against Cincinnati, but I’m just saying like, you know, these Derosol penalties, yeah, they stink. Yeah. But I get it. I understand it. And so, yeah, when you’re starting an offensive line of Christian Darasaw, Joe Huber, Blake Brle, Will Fry, and Justin School, which all signs point to on Sunday, I don’t know how you don’t have at least a couple pre- snap penalties. Like, I at this point, I fully expect that. Yeah. So, wow. Just a a a freaking dictionary sized injury report here for the Vikings that we just comb through. Darren Doogie Wilson from the five eyewitness news. Dallas Turner sick. That was a new name. Yeah. Now illness. So I think he’ll be okay for Sunday, but that’s a new one. Even third tight end Ben is the pronunciation. Urask is it? Us. Well, somebody told me it wasn’t Yurk. I think it might be Yuras. Euros. Uk. The way if you knew. He’s out. That’s a I know. I’m the TV guy. I I should know. I should know pronunciation. That’s why I just I throw it out there. We’re just podcast idiots. You’re the real pro here. Why? Undrafted free agent, but firmly won the number three tight end job. Like knee issue. He’s out. And so it just it is it’s truly remarkable how lengthy that injury report is. Yeah. Uh boys. All right. We got to we got to run here. Get to a Thursday episode two. Plenty of things happening on the Purple Daily podcast feed YouTube channel. Click that like button, the subscribe button, and Dudes, we will talk to you again after week five here. Good stuff, man. All things being said, boys, still think they win on Sunday, grind out a victory, get to three and two, reset during the by week. Yeah, deep breath. Not too shabby. It Yeah, it it feels worse than two and two, potentially three and two, but just just get to the buy three and two and your season’s still alive. So, I mean, heck, like Eagles fans are bitching right now, Phil. 31st ranked passing offense. They’re four and up. So, yeah, I’m just saying, right? Just survive September. Things ramp up October on. Find a way get some of these guys back. Not all, but certainly some. And hey, let’s get ready for that Eagles game on October 19th. Yep. All right, Dudes. We’ll catch you next week for the Sports Dad. For Dukes, I’m Phil and this is Purple Daily. We just want the Vikings to win one before we die. It’s really tough right now.

Mackey, Judd and Doogie dive into a THICK Minnesota Vikings injury report — including four starting offensive linemen, a backup center, JJ McCarthy and more. The Vikings have no idea who will play center against the Cleveland Browns. And when will JJ McCarthy be back? What does the continued missed time mean for his career?

Subscribe to our channel for more Vikings content every day of the week!

https://www.youtube.com/@FlagrantHowls — Subscribe to our new YouTube channel for Flagrant Howls!

Support our sponsors:

https://lucy.co/PD20 — Get 20% off Lucy Nicotine pouches

https://play.underdogfantasy.com/p-skor-north — Use promocode SKOR at Underdog Fantasy for a deposit match

https://seatgeek.onelink.me/RrnK/PURPLE10 — Use our code to get 10% off tickets! (Max $20) Restrictions Apply

https://renaissancefest.com/ — Get your tickets to the Minnesota Renaissance Fest!

https://www.standardheating.com/ — Contact Standard Heating & Air for HVAC services

https://gamedaymenshealth.com/minnetonka-mn/purpledaily/ — Find your maximal self!

https://www.parkdental.com/ — Schedule your next cleaning at Park Dental

https://minnesotarusco.com/ — Let Minnesota Rusco handle your next home remodel

https://www.roku.com/ — Elevate your television viewing with a Roku TV

https://FederatedInsurance.com — Where it’s Our Business to Protect Yours!

https://www.blackstackbrewing.com/ — Check out BlackStack Brewing in St. Paul.

https://OmahaSteaks.com — to get 50% off sitewide during their Red-Hot Sale Event. And use Promo Code PURPLE at checkout for an extra $35 off. Minimum purchase may apply. See site for details. A big thanks to our partner, Omaha Steaks!

WHERE TO FIND US:

Purple Daily on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/purple-daily-a-minnesota-vikings-podcast/id923544550

Purple Daily on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3gP5J0KGDpXRDMoUeGistO

The SKOR North app on Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/skor-north-mn-sports/id529143109

The SKOR North app on Google: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.espn.tc&hl=en_US&gl=US

Follow Judd on Twitter: http://www.Twitter.com/jzulgad
Follow Mackey on Twitter: http://www.Twitter.com/philmackey
Follow Mackey on Instagram: http://www.Instagram.com/philmackey
Follow SKOR North on Instagram: http://www.Instagram.com/SKORNorth

#MinnesotaVikings #NFL