Vikings left tackle Christian Darrisaw knocked out of Rams game; severity of knee injury unknown

INGLEWOOD, Calif. – Left tackle Christian Darrisaw fell to the turf clutching his left knee just before halftime of the Vikings’ 30-20 loss to the Rams on Thursday night, and a hush fell over a purple-heavy crowd at SoFi Stadium.

Darrisaw was ruled out for the rest of the game because of a knee injury. He got hit from the side by a Rams defender while blocking on an Aaron Jones run deep in Rams territory with 35 seconds left in the first half. Tackle David Quessenberry replaced Darrisaw for the rest of the game.

Darrisaw moved gingerly after the game as he left the Vikings locker room on crutches.

“We’ll continue that evaluation here and onto [Friday],” head coach Kevin O’Connell said, “and try to confirm what that is, keeping our fingers crossed that we get some positive news.”

Teammates rallied around Darrisaw, one of the game’s best left tackles, as he was evaluated by Vikings medical staff. He was helped up and limped slowly toward the tunnel, where defensive tackle Harrison Phillips, a team captain, briefly followed him.

Phillips said he actually required his own medical attention after the bottom of his chin was “split open,” needing four stitches to close the cut. He played the second half.

“It just so happened that docs were walking in with CD as well,” Phillips said. “I just prayed over him quick ... wanted to lift him up.”

Darrisaw, the 2021 first-round pick out of Virginia Tech, was rewarded this summer with a four-year, $76 million contract extension. He has started 46 of 53 games since taking over at left tackle in the middle of his rookie season.

Center Garrett Bradbury said he’s trying to hope for the best for Darrisaw.

“You could just see he was in pain,” Bradbury said. “Anytime you grab a lower extremity, everyone [thinks] worst-case scenario. He’s as tough as they come and watching the way he walked off, I hate whatever happened.”

Tight end T.J. Hockenson traveled with the Vikings to SoFi Stadium, but he watched from the sideline.

The two-time Pro Bowler will return soon. Hockenson is expected to be activated Friday from the physically unable to perform list. The Vikings utilized all three weeks of Hockenson’s practice window, postponing his season debut to Nov. 3 against the Colts at U.S. Bank Stadium.

Hockenson has been practicing while recovering from ACL surgery on his right knee in January. The Vikings used their final practice squad elevation on tight end Robert Tonyan, who will need to be signed to the active roster to play again this season.

Guard Dalton Risner was also not activated yet while returning from a back injury. Risner, who started 11 games last season, has about 10 days left in his 21-day practice window on injured reserve.

Starting linebacker Blake Cashman (turf toe) and reserve cornerback Akayleb Evans (hip) missed their second straight games with injuries.

Rams receiver Puka Nacua made a big impact in his return from injured reserve. Nacua was a surprise activation on Thursday night having practiced just once since sustaining a knee injury in the season opener. He looked in midseason form with seven grabs for 106 yards against the Vikings.

Star receiver Cooper Kupp also played Thursday, returning from a Week 2 ankle injury and catching a touchdown. Kupp helped seal the game for the Rams with a 28-yard grab on third down in the fourth quarter.

The Vikings defense hadn’t allowed an opening-drive score or a first-quarter touchdown through six games this season. The Rams accomplished both thanks, in part, to linebacker Ivan Pace Jr. getting flagged for a face mask penalty, setting up a first-and-goal for the Rams offense. Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford threw a 5-yard touchdown to running back Kyren Williams, who slipped past Pace in coverage over the middle.

Stafford and the Rams offense hunted the middle of the field, where Cashman deflected five passes in five games before suffering a turf toe injury in the Oct. 6 win against the Jets.

The Vikings defense suddenly became penalty-prone in Los Angeles, where edge rusher Jihad Ward and cornerbacks Byron Murphy Jr. and Stephon Gilmore gifted the Rams first downs with third-down flags. Defensive holding calls on Murphy and Gilmore extended a drive that ended with Stafford’s 7-yard touchdown to Kupp that tied the score 14-14 in the second quarter.

Murphy intercepted Stafford in the third quarter. But he was flagged again for defensive pass interference in the fourth quarter when he grabbed Kupp’s wrist in coverage. The Rams gained five first downs on Vikings defensive penalties.

“That gave them a whole other drive,” Murphy said of his penalty on Kupp. “I have to be better.”

The Vikings offense, plagued by pre-snap penalties this season, had another three flags in the second quarter when they were popped for an illegal formation and two false starts by left guard Blake Brandel and Darrisaw.

Overall, the Vikings had 12 penalties (three declined) for 50 yards.

Receiver Trent Sherfield Sr. showed off his range in the first half. He caught his first touchdown of the season from 10 yards away in the first quarter. Sherfield, who has replaced Evans on the punt team, then corralled Rams punt returner Xavier Smith at the 12-yard line, securing a 57-yard net punt for Ryan Wright.

During the next Vikings punt, Sherfield again shook a blocker and forced a fair catch by Smith at the Rams’ 11-yard line for a 53-yard net punt.

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