INGLEWOOD, Calif. – A hush fell over a purple-heavy crowd at SoFi Stadium just before halftime of the Vikings’ 30-20 loss to the Rams on Thursday night, when left tackle Christian Darrisaw fell to the turf clutching his left knee.
Vikings left tackle Christian Darrisaw suffers knee injury, leaves game vs. Rams
Darrisaw, who was rewarded with a four-year, $76 million contract extension this summer, got hit from the side by a Rams defender at the end of the first half Thursday night.
The Minnesota Star Tribune
October 25, 2024 at 2:06AM
Darrisaw was ruled out for the rest of the game due to 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.
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.
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.
Hockenson’s debut on hold
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 due to 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.
Cashman’s absence looms
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 Rams 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.
Pace and edge rusher Andrew Van Ginkel, who aligned at inside linebacker at times, were targeted over the middle early in the game.
Still seeing yellow
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.
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. The Vikings offense averages a league-worst three pre-snap penalties per game.
Overall the Vikings had nine penalties for 50 yards Thursday.
Sherfield’s range
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.
The Vikings lost for the second time in five days to drop to 5-2 on the season as Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford threw four touchdown passes Thursday night.
