Mercifully, the 2025 season is over.<\/p>\n
The Minnesota Vikings<\/a> closed out a disappointing year with a 16\u20133 victory over the Green Bay Packers<\/a>, finishing the season at 9\u20138. On paper, that\u2019s a winning record and a win over a division rival. In reality, it\u2019s the end of a season that never quite lived up to expectations and now gives way to a long list of offseason questions \u2014 perhaps none bigger than the questions with J.J. McCarthy and the future of the quarterback position.<\/p>\n Still, beating the Packers is never meaningless, and Sunday offered a few moments worth appreciating. So, as a treat for the final column of the season, we’re focusing on the positives and only highlighting the Studs for this week.<\/p>\n Here are the Studs and Studs from the Vikings\u2019 Week 18 win.<\/p>\n Stud: Justin Jefferson<\/p>\n The offense hasn’t always been pretty this season for the Vikings. At times, it’s been nearly unwatchable. Vikings’ star receiver Justin Jefferson could have packed it in long ago. Instead, he kept his head up, was a vocal leader on the team, and was ultimately rewarded \u2014 if only symbolically.<\/p>\n With his performance on Sunday, Jefferson surpassed 1,000 receiving yards for the sixth straight season, becoming just the third player in NFL history to begin a career with six consecutive 1,000-yard seasons. The only other players to accomplish that feat? Mike Evans and Randy Moss. Any time you can put your name alongside all-time receivers like that, you deserve to be highlighted.<\/p>\n That kind of consistency is remarkable on its own. Doing it amid constant injuries that affect the offensive game plan and consistency makes it even more impressive. No matter how turbulent the season became, Jefferson remained exactly who he\u2019s always been \u2014 a leader and a consummate professional.<\/p>\n Stud: Jordan Mason<\/p>\n Jordan Mason didn\u2019t carry the ball a ton on Sunday, but when he did, he made it count. He finished the first half with 44 yards on eight carries, averaging 5.5 yards per attempt, and consistently ran with physicality.<\/p>\n Mason showed good vision, broke a few tackles, and ran with purpose \u2014 the kind of downhill, no-nonsense rushing that has been missing at times this season. In a game that wasn\u2019t about style points, Mason\u2019s hard running helped keep the offense on schedule and took some pressure off the passing game.<\/p>\n Mason only got six more carries in the second half, but he made the most of them, adding another 50 yards and pushing his yards-per-carry average to 6.7. With starting running back Aaron Jones likely heading towards the twilight of his career, as well as a pending free agency after next season, Mason may have earned himself a chance at a larger role in the Vikings’ offense in 2026 and beyond with this performance.<\/p>\n Stud: Andrew Van Ginkel and Eric Wilson<\/p>\n Brian Flores\u2019 defense set the tone early, and Andrew Van Ginkel and Eric Wilson were right at the center of it. The duo was everywhere in the first half, flying to the ball and creating problems for the Packers\u2019 offense.<\/p>\n Between them, they combined for eight tackles, three tackles for loss, and a pass defensed in the first half alone, adding another six tackles and another pass defensed in the second half. Their impact went beyond the stat sheet, as their activity disrupted the Packers’ game plan and kept Green Bay from finding any rhythm early.<\/p>\n When Flores\u2019 defense works, it\u2019s because players like these are winning at the point of attack, playing with urgency, and setting the tone early. That was very much the case on Sunday.<\/p>\n Stud: Dallas Turner<\/p>\n After a somewhat notorious slow start to his career, Dallas Turner continues to look like a foundational piece on the defensive side of the ball. Turner recorded two sacks and forced a fumble, showcasing his ability to finish plays and capitalize on opportunities.<\/p>\n Turner\u2019s growth over the course of the season has been one of the more encouraging developments for the Vikings. His speed and closing ability consistently showed up, and performances like Sunday\u2019s offer a glimpse of what he could become with more experience and refinement.<\/p>\n Stud: Coaching Staff (for doing right by their players)<\/p>\n In a game with no playoff implications, the Vikings\u2019 coaching staff still made an effort to do right by their players. Justin Jefferson was allowed to surpass the 1,000-yard mark. C.J. Ham found the end zone in what may well be his final NFL game. Harrison Smith was pulled with just a few minutes to go in the game and was allowed to get one last heartfelt shoutout from the crowd he’s given everything to for the past 14 seasons.<\/p>\n Those moments matter. They don\u2019t change the outcome of the season, but they reflect an understanding of the human side of the sport \u2014 acknowledging milestones and giving veterans moments they\u2019ve earned.<\/p>\n Final Thoughts Heading into 2026<\/p>\n The Vikings ended the season with a win, a winning record, and a clean result against their biggest rival. That doesn\u2019t erase the frustrations of the 2026 campaign, but it does provide some closure.<\/p>\n Now, the focus shifts forward. There are questions to answer, decisions to make, and a direction to define. Sunday was less about momentum or optimism and more about taking a breath and turning the final page, closing a chapter fans would rather soon forget.<\/p>\n After a season like this, that might be the most important thing of all.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Mercifully, the 2025 season is over. 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