Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
The Minnesota Vikings took quite the beating on Thursday night, falling 37-10 to the Los Angeles Chargers in a contest that, from the moment Isaiah Rodgers pick-six was overturned in controversial fashion early in the first quarter, they were completely dominated in every facet.
Thankfully, no matter how bad the loss was, it only counts once. But now, the Vikings will go to Detroit in 10 days rest for what feels like a must-win game against the division-rival Lions, who are on their bye this week and had to be salivating watching Minnesota’s embarrassing performance on Prime(time) Video.
Minnesota Vikings hit hard by injuries in week 8 (again)
But the MN Vikings can’t concern themselves with that. Stop me if you have heard this before (wait don’t because this isn’t an old article) but this is a team that needs to focus on getting healthy, after yet another outing that included the exit of multiple starters due to injury.
Head coach Kevin O’Connell entered Thursday without starters (FB) CJ Ham, (OLB) Andrew Van Ginkel, (C) Ryan Kelly and (QB) JJ McCarthy. And it took just two drives before they lost another. And surprise, it came at the worst possible position.
Kevin O’Connell said he did not want to get into detail on Christian Darrisaw’s injury. (We understood it to be a torn left ACL/MCL.) Regardless, O’Connell said that with Thursday game after a high-snap game like last week, “there’s just only so much that we can do.”
— Kevin Seifert (@SeifertESPN) October 24, 2025
Christian Darrisaw continues to work his way back from midseason knee surgery one year ago. He was very questionable going in, and after the 26-year-old did not look/feel like himself during those first couple drives, Darrisaw took himself out for the second time in three weeks.
Injury issues started with Darrisaw, continued all night for Wentz
It does not appear the 2021 No. 23 overall pick suffered any sort of setback with that knee. According to reports, Christian had swelling in his knee after playing 69 snaps in week 7 against the Philadelphia Eagles, and the quick turnaround was not enough time to recover.
#Vikings HC Kevin O’Connell touches on Christian Darrisaw:
“Based upon the idea of the type of injury he’s coming back from. I’m not going to go into detail with what that injury was, but I would just say there is a layer to Christian doing everything he can. But, when he has a… pic.twitter.com/mA9V3n2yJH
— VikingzFanPage (@vikingzfanpage) October 24, 2025
Speaking of beatings, without his starting center, left tackle and right tackle, Carson Wentz — who entered with a shoulder injury he’s been nursing since London — took one of the worst of any quarterback I’ve seen play in a Minnesota Vikings uniform during my 30+ years of watching them play.
He was sacked 5 times and hit 8 more, in large part because he is struggling to see open receivers and get the ball out on time. Frustrations and pain boiled over multiple times on the field and sideline, but KOC just continued to send Wentz back out to QB his own death.
Carson Wentz’s night in one photo. pic.twitter.com/Tm4WhKTyD7
— John Frascella (Football) (@NFLFrascella) October 24, 2025
Finally, after he held back tears of pain for the entire second half, Max Brosmer replaced Wentz for the Vikings final drive. More than likely, he will be replaced by JJ McCarthy next week.
Wentz came in wearing a sort of shoulder contraption that, if you squinted, looked like a third shoulder pad. Hopefully it helped keep that shoulder in place, because it certainly didn’t make him a better quarterback.
Oliver, Okudah, Greenard leave MN Vikings vs LA Chargers injured
By the time quarter one turned to quarter two, Josh Oliver exited the game with a foot injury and was later carted off the sideline, to the locker room. Obviously, that is not a good sign. The Minnesota Vikings need all the help they can get in pass and run blocking so losing the best blocking tight end in football will hurt.
Then, there’s Jeff Okudah. He missed time earlier in the season with a concussion. Last night, the 2020 No. 3 overall draft pick suffered his second head injury of the season, meaning his return is way up in the air. Not just next week, but the rest of the season.
Hopefully, this is the last one but we may not find out until next week, being Vikings vs Chargers was the early game in week 8. Jonathan Greenard also left last night with a late-game ailment.
He got off the field on his own power and looked hungry to return. Had the Chargers not run away with things by then, he likely would have. Leading up to his injury, Greenard was one of the few bright spots in Thursday’s loss.
#Vikings edge rusher Jonathan Greenard so far:
• 4 Total Tackles
• 3 TFL
• 1 Sackpic.twitter.com/xYSrbR1g9S
— VikingzFanPage (@vikingzfanpage) October 24, 2025
Mentioned in this article: Carson Wentz Christian Darrisaw injury updates Jeff Okudah Jonathan Greenard Josh Oliver
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