The Vikings may be without OT Brian O’Neill for the foreseeable future. (Photo by Ric Tapia/Getty Images)
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Stop if you’ve heard this before. Injuries on the offensive line are killing the Minnesota Vikings.
The weakness in that area of the team was obvious in the two end-of season losses to the Detroit Lions and Los Angeles Rams. They were addressed in the offseason when they signed center Ryan Kelly and right guard Will Fries from the Indianapolis Colts. They also drafted left guard Donovan Jackson from the national champion Ohio State Buckeyes.
The problem appeared to be solved, but Kelly has suffered his second concussion this season, while Jackson is out with a wrist injury. In Sunday’s loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, right tackle Brian O’Neill went down with a probable MCL injury that appears to be serious.
Christian Darrisaw was hurt at the start of the season and missed the first two games as he recovered from last season’s torn ACL. He is back now and Fries has stayed healthy, but the Vikings have backups working at 60 percent of the OL positions.
That’s the main reason why QB1 J.J. McCarthy suffered a high ankle sprain and it’s also the reason backup QB Carson Wentz was under fire in the 24-21 loss to the Steelers. Wentz was sacked 6 times and he was under pressure on several other occasions. He finished the game under duress as he nearly led the team back from a 24-6 deficit.
“We had breakdowns in this game,” said head coach Kevin O’Connell. “Those breakdowns took us out of our rhythm and prevented us from running the ball and working our play-action passes.”
The Vikings converted just four of 14 third-down attempts and they are the second-worst team in the league when attempting to convert third-and-long opportunities. The only team that is worse in that category is the New York Jets.
Backups like Michael Jurgens at center and Justin Skule at tackle are active and willing, but they are not up to the task of stopping pass rushers like defensive tackle Cam Heyward and edge rusher T.J. Watt of the Steelers.
It is up to O’Connell, offensive coordinator Wes Phillips and offensive line coach Chris Kuper to figure out a way to protect Wentz and keep him from getting abused on an every-week basis.
Tough situation is likely to get worse
Myles Garrett could have a huge day against the battered Vikings offensive line. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)
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As bad as it was against the Steelers, it may be worse next week against the Cleveland Browns. Cleveland has the toughest, most skilled and meanest pass rusher in Myles Garrett and he is going to be facing backup offensive linemen.
The likelihood is that O’Neill has suffered a serious injury that will keep him out for weeks – if not months. Kelly has suffered multiple concussion throughout his career. In addition to this season’s injuries, he also had a pair of concussions in the 2023 season. The Vikings cannot put a vulnerable player back on the field. He is going to have to pass several key tests before he can go back on the field again.
Wentz has shown that he can take some abuse even when the pass rush looks like it is going to swallow him up. Running back Jordan Mason has also demonstrated that he can make plays even when the offensive line is not opening holes for him.
Going up against Garrett will be scary, but the team can find a way to survive. But after that game is played in London, the Vikings will be dealing with the iron of their schedule. The Eagles, Chargers, Lions and Ravens will all come calling.
The Vikings may not be able to survive that gauntlet. They have already dropped two games, and they could be 3-6 before the Chicago Bears come to U.S. Bank Stadium in Week 11, and that may be too much for this team to overcome.
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