Vikings safety Harrison Smith should return against Packers; Ivan Pace Jr. back at practice

Safety Harrison Smith “should be available” for the Vikings’ game Sunday against the Packers, coach Kevin O’Connell said Monday.

The defense could also have linebacker Ivan Pace Jr., who will resume practicing after missing the required four games on injured reserve because of a hamstring strain.

The Vikings will monitor Pace with the hope he returns to play Green Bay on Sunday at U.S. Bank Stadium (3:25 p.m., Ch. 9).

“We’ll see how he progresses,” O’Connell said. “Coming off a hamstring, you never quite know, so I don’t want to be absolute, but the plan is right now to open his [21-day practice] window, get him some work, and hopefully have him available.”

Smith missed his first game of the year because of a foot injury suffered in the Dec. 16 win over Chicago.

The Vikings will need to clear a roster spot before activating Pace, whom O’Connell said plays with the type of physicality — or “play style,” in coaching parlance — that coaches preach. The second-year linebacker is one of the Vikings’ most effective run defenders, which will be needed against both Packers and Lions offenses in the next two weeks.

“Ivan is the poster guy for that,” O’Connell said, “because he tackles, he flies around. When he blitzes, he’s as impactful as anybody. When you can really get him and [Blake Cashman] out there at the same time, they both can really play to their strengths. Cash is phenomenal in coverage, reading the quarterback, and when you can pair those guys together … that’s when we’re at our best.”

Quarterback Sam Darnold officially took seven hits (three sacks) by a Seahawks defense in Sunday’s 27-24 victory that twice sandwiched him between defenders on back-to-back plays in the fourth quarter. Seahawks defensive linemen Dre’Mont Jones and Byron Murphy II combined to land on his left leg and grab his face mask on the play before his go-ahead touchdown pass to Justin Jefferson. Jones drilled Darnold again as he let go of the scoring throw.

Start time for Sunday’s game changed

Darnold reported to TCO Performance Center on Monday morning without an issue, per the coach.

“Yeah, I went down to get a coffee earlier this morning and he was getting a massage,” O’Connell said, “so I’ll take that as a positive.”

Darnold’s five game-winning drives (defined as go-ahead possessions in the fourth quarter or overtime) trail only Patrick Mahomes, who has seven for the 14-1 Chiefs this season, according to Pro Football Reference.

All five of Darnold’s game-winning drives have come within the eight-game winning streak, including Sunday’s 39-yard touchdown to Jefferson in the Vikings’ victory in Seattle. He also led go-ahead possessions against the Jaguars, Bears, Cardinals and Falcons (a blowout win that was tied 21-21 entering the fourth quarter).

“When we’re down or something is maybe not going our way,” tight end T.J. Hockenson said, “nobody ever doubts what we’re able to do when we get out on the field. We’re able to move the ball. We have a special offense. They cover one guy, the other guy is open.”

With a 112.3 passer rating in Seattle, Darnold has also put together just the 10th season ever in which a quarterback had at least 12 games with a rating of more than 100. Only two quarterbacks — Aaron Rodgers (2011, 2020) and Mahomes (2018) — have reached 13 or 14 such games in one regular season. Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson also has 12 starts this year with a rating more than100.

O’Connell was awarded a game ball Sunday as right tackle Brian O’Neill was captured on team cameras congratulating O’Connell for becoming the first coach in franchise history with multiple 13-win seasons.

O’Connell said he previously was awarded game balls by players after his first win and following the birth of his fourth child, Callie, in November 2022.

“That was really special,” O’Connell said. “I truly have relished those moments with the team after these victories. … Those have been the real highlights of the year for me. Nobody I respect more than Brian O’Neill, so to get that from him in that moment was really special.”

The Vikings defense has an NFL-leading 22 interceptions, including two off Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith on Sunday, which are the most in franchise history since the 2005 defense picked off 24 passes.

They’ve been all hands on deck. A league-leading 10 defenders have at least one interception after edge rusher Dallas Turner and safety Theo Jackson nabbed their first picks in Seattle.

Only five defenses have intercepted more passes in the last decade. They are the 2018 Bears (27), the 2021 Cowboys (26), the 2019 Patriots (25), the 2015 Panthers (24), and the 2021 Patriots (23).