The Vikings walked into Week 5 with a new problem they didn’t need: the left side of their offensive line suddenly looks shaky.
For the first three games, Minnesota’s blind side was a strength. Left tackle Christian Darrisaw and left guard Donovan Jackson formed what could fairly be called a left side lockdown, barely letting whoever was at quarterback get touched. Pro Football Focus charged Darrisaw with the two sacks the pair allowed through Week 3, but the bigger number was the one that didn’t show up: they gave up zero quarterback hits.
That changed fast on Sunday against the Miami Dolphins. Jackson went out after just seven snaps with a knee injury, and the fact that he was ruled out for the rest of the game so quickly only deepened the concern.
Later in the first half, Darrisaw left with a neck injury, part of the injury cycle that keeps following him around. He returned after halftime, which at least looked like a positive sign, but then exited again to be evaluated for a concussion.
After the game, head coach Kevin O'Connell said Jackson will get imaging done on his injured knee. On Darrisaw, O'Connell said he cleared concussion protocol from the hit that caused the neck injury but experienced symptoms after a second hit.
Now the Vikings are staring at a familiar kind of offensive uncertainty, just on a part of the line that had held up so well. Minnesota’s offense already has enough going on, injury-related or otherwise, and losing stability on the left side adds another layer of trouble.
Jackson’s outlook sounds especially grim, with his situation seeming pretty straightforward in the sense that he appears likely to miss significant time. The exact timeline remains to be seen.
Darrisaw’s case is less clear. He did come back into the game, but the second hit that forced him out again makes this one harder to read, especially with the way his left knee was handled last season. That history naturally raises questions.
The Vikings do appear better prepared to absorb offensive line injuries than they were a year ago. Rookie tackle Caleb Tiernan stepped in for Darrisaw on Sunday instead of veteran Ryan Van Demark. The reason for Tiernan getting the call wasn’t clear, but if Darrisaw can’t go, Van Demark would likely be the starter at left tackle.
At left guard, PFF wasn’t impressed with Huber’s fill-in work against Miami, though he could be the man there in Week 5 against the Saints, at least for now.
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