(MINNEAPOLIS) — This season, the Minnesota Vikings have suffered a number of significant injuries, including star receiver Justin Jefferson and quarterback Kirk Cousins.
As Minnesota tries to stay in the playoff picture, injuries continue to mount.
Tight end T.J. Hockenson and linebacker D.J. Wonnum will miss the rest of the season, according to coach Kevin O’Connell.
In Sunday’s 30-24 loss to Detroit, Hockenson tore the MCL and ACL in his knee after a defender dived at his knees on a tackle. Wonnum suffered a non-contact quadriceps tear.
“I was crushed for both of them. “They’re two of our most important players and leaders on the team,” O’Connell said. “Two guys that will be difficult to overcome their loss.”
Minnesota (7-8) has now lost four of five games and is out of playoff contention after Sunday’s loss, in which Nick Mullens, the team’s fourth quarterback, threw four interceptions. To make the playoffs, the Vikings must win their final two games and receive assistance from either the Los Angeles Rams or the Seattle Seahawks.
That task will be made more difficult by the loss of Hockenson and Wonnum. Both players, according to O’Connell, will be placed on injured reserve.
This season, Hockenson leads the team with 95 catches and 960 receiving yards, as well as five touchdowns. Wonnum leads the team with eight sacks. He’s had 15 quarterback hits and seven sacks.
Last season, Minnesota won the NFC North while avoiding major injuries to key players.
“It’s been different,” said O’Connell. “You can say ‘next man up’ as much as you want.” You can discuss that mindset. We live by that mentality because we like to prepare all of our guys. We may lose some of our more impactful players, but we must continue to go out there and win football games. And that’s essentially what this entire year has been about.”
Jefferson led an explosive group of receivers with six catches for 141 yards and a touchdown in his third game back from a hamstring injury that kept him out for two months. On Sunday, Minnesota had six players with at least a 23-yard reception, including Hockenson.
The Vikings as a team averaged 18.7 yards per reception, with K.J. Osborn contributing five catches for 95 yards and a touchdown.
Following Ty Chandler’s 132-yard rushing game in place of Alexander Mattison last week — Minnesota’s first 100-yard rushing game of the season — the running game took another step back.
Chandler rushed for 17 yards on eight carries against Detroit. Mattison returned to the game after missing one due to an ankle injury and had two carries for minus-1 yard.
Wonnum had developed into a formidable opponent for leading pass rusher Danielle Hunter. Pat Jones II might be ready to take over. Jones had six tackles, three tackles for loss, and a sack in the game on Sunday.
O’Connell said the team is “working through” who will start at quarterback against Green Bay on Sunday after Mullens had six turnovers in his previous two starts. Jarrett Hall and Joshua Dobbs, who have both started since Cousins went down with a torn Achilles tendon, are also in the mix.
Hunter leads the league in tackles for loss with 21. This is on top of his 15 1/2 sacks, which rank third.
Two divisional games await, beginning on New Year’s Eve with a prime-time home game against Green Bay. Minnesota concludes the season against NFC North champion Detroit, which may not have much to play for.
