Credit: Wm. Glasheen/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
On Sunday, the Minnesota Vikings experienced a reality they spent all offseason trying to see realized. After committing a boatload of money last spring to revamp the interior offensive line, finally, in week 12 the starting starting five took the field together for the very first time.
The timing couldn’t have been any better, either, facing hated division rival Green Bay in a game the Vikings had to win to keep their 2025 season alive. Unfortunately, their young quarterback let the team down yet again, in a 23-6 loss, the type of failure that’s becoming dangerously routine for the redshirt rookie out of Michigan.
Credit: Tork Mason / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Just as we have seen for the past few weeks, the Minnesota Vikings offense was stuck in the mud all Sunday afternoon in Green Bay. On the day, JJ McCarthy & Co put up a total of 6 points against a Packers defense that feasted on their young quarterback all day.
With every week that goes by, it becomes more and more obvious that the Vikings’ No. 1 problem is their second-year QB. Against the Packers in week 12, not only did the kid QB throw for just 87 total yards, but for the third-straight game, McCarthy threw two interceptions.
MN Vikings walk out of Green Bay with more OL injuries…
For the non-math wizzes out there, that’s SIX total interceptions. In those same three games, the 2024 No. 10 overall draft pick threw just TWO touchdowns. And worse yet, that newly healthy offensive line we opened this article talking about… doesn’t look all that healthy anymore.
After a pair of concussions landed him on injured reserve, veteran center Ryan Kelly was back to lead the offensive line. Will Fries was out of practice early in the week, but he took the field Sunday as well.
Unfortunately two other o-linemen — left tackle Christian Darrisaw and left guard Donovan Jackson — did not escape so lucky, both exiting early with ankle injuries. On a positive note, neither seems overly serious… but it’s too early in the process to start guessing at availability for week 13.
Head Coach Kevin O’Connell provides injury updates following today’s game. pic.twitter.com/5dO0LXvwI0
— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) November 23, 2025
“Christian Darrisaw had an ankle that he tried to play through. Eventually he came out of the game. Donovan Jackson also had an ankle and a foot and was trying to come back in the game. The trainers thought it would be best to hold him out as well. Metellus had a shoulder, but was battling through that, and able to return.”
Darrisaw has proven to be an instrumental part of the line, but we knew that coming into the year. The Minnesota Vikings needed their young, talented LT at full strength against Micah Parsons, and he was far from that.
The Vikings opened as 9.5 point underdogs tonight, for their matchup one week from Sunday, another road game, this time out west against the QB that got away, Sam Darnold, and his new team, the Seattle Seahawks.
Mentioned in this article: Christian Darrisaw Donovan Jackson
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