Coach Kevin O’Connell announced Monday that the Vikings will play their final three games of the season without outside linebacker Jonathan Greenard, who will undergo season-ending shoulder surgery.

Greenard aggravated a left shoulder injury he originally suffered against Baltimore during Sunday night’s 34-26 victory over the Cowboys, exiting in the fourth quarter after the Vikings stopped Dallas on fourth down.

He appeared to wear a sling under his shirt as he exited the locker room after the game.

“I just want to say as a captain and a leader on our team, [Greenard’s] had a huge impact‚" O’Connell said during his news conference Monday. “I thought he played one of his best games yesterday before re-aggravating that shoulder. ... JG and his leadership and his commitment to being kind of a foundational player for us as a football team has been on full display.”

Greenard played 44 snaps against the Cowboys, his most since suffering his injury. He had four tackles and three quarterback hurries in the win and logged his third sack of the season.

Greenard, whom the Vikings acquired in March 2024 during free agency, has 97 tackles, 15 sacks and 34 quarterback hurries through two seasons in Minnesota.

With Greenard down, the Vikings will turn to second-year outside linebacker Dallas Turner, who has already seen a big leap in his usage because of Greenard’s injury and one to Andrew Van Ginkel earlier in the season. Turner is tied with linebacker Eric Wilson for the team lead in sacks with 5½.

O’Connell did not yet have additional updates on other injuries from Sunday night’s game but said he believes the team “avoided anything serious longer-term” with right tackle Brian O’Neill (ankle), defensive tackle Javon Hargrave (thigh) and center Ryan Kelly.

Kelly had not been among the players addressed as injured in O’Connell’s postgame news conference, though he has been working through a hip flexor issue.

Left tackle Christian Darrisaw missed his fourth full game of the season Sunday as he and the team navigate the recovery and management of his 2024 knee injury.

O’Connell said Darrisaw had swelling in his knee last week and his situation remains “week to week,” but the team hopes “to get him back in there at some point.”

Strib

Just think, your team had what was supposed to be a REALLY good draft by the punditry,  almost everyone gave them an A- to an A+.   Coming off an 11-6 playoff season.  Another year of experience under Jordan Love's belt.  The Packers start off by throttling the Lions and Commanders, 2 of the best teams in the NFC a year ago,   Stumble against the Browns but nonetheless start off 5-1-1 leading the division as the rest of the division stumbles around.   The front office goes ALL in trading away 2 first round picks and Kenny Clark for Micah Parsons.  Parsons has now suffered a torn ACL and is out for the season.   The Packers stand at 9-4-1 with a realistic chance of losing their next three games.   They are at Minny, a hungry Raven team in to Lambeau and at Chicago.  I don't think 9-7-1 is going to get them in the playoffs.   Both Dobbs and Watson are constantly injured.   I know some pretty rabid Packer fans and they are openly admitting Green Bay needs to blow it up as well.    We are certainly NOT alone.   Lions fans are also feeling the same thing we are.   To go from 15-2 to currently 8-6 is quite a let down.   

Going to be an interesting next month and a half and boy the offseason is going to be crazy if you ask me.   In the AFC the Chiefs are a mess, Kelce is washed, how long is Reid going to keep coaching?  The Bengals SHOULD be blown up, that roster is too far gone on Defense and way too Cap top heavy on offense.   Ravens?   I did not see them being as average as they are, the Steelers are aging fast too.  I see some massive changes coming for a lot of teams.

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/jayde...ommanders/

Same for Michael Penix Jr. as well, actually.

Is Will Reichard the best kicker in football? 

Well, it’s worth thinking about, Associated Press All-Pro voters (including this writer), after the quiet kid did what few have ever done — outkick the Cowboys’ Brandon Aubrey. 

Aubrey went into the game having made 33 of 38 career field-goal tries from 50-plus. He was 9-for-11 on the season, and those were his only two misses from any distance. He then missed a 51-yarder with the score tied at 14 and a 59-yarder with the Vikings leading 24-23 early in the fourth quarter. 

On the season, Aubrey has made 88.6% of his field-goal attempts. 

Reichard, who went 2-for-2 with a long of 53 on Sunday, is 24-for-26 for 92.3% this season. 

He’s 9-for-11 from 50-plus. Jacksonville’s Cam Little hit a record 68-yarder this season, but he is making 85.2% of his field-goal attempts and has four misses. 

He also has a missed PAT. Reichard is 65-for-65 in career PATs.

Strib

• Who would have thought we would go into Dallas, play without Darrisaw and not give up a sack?  And run the ball to close out the game?
  
• That touch pass, back shoulder to Nailor on 4th down was a beautiful throw.  Gives me much hope for JJ and the future of QB room.  Second time he has hit Nailor on that throw in a critical situation.
  
• Love the handoff to Ham for a TD.  Great call.  
  
• WRs and TEs seem to have gotten over their dropsies now that the QB issues have settled.  Hock had a great catch of a fireball up the seam.  Oliver also caught a rocket on a critical play.
  
• Defense played quite well.  Gave up some plays, but to get that 1st 3 and out after the initial tipped INT.  Special teams let down on that fake FG, but the initial stop was huge. 
  
• Rodgers impressed me with his willingness to tackle.  Couple of big tackles on the RB.
  
• Tackling is still an issue.  Lots of grabbing, drag down rather than wrap up.
  
• Having Will the Thrill is a huge relief.  Glad to have a solid kicker.
  
• Punting has been a big positive this year as well.  Pinned them deep multiple times.
  

Mahomes
Parsons
Adams

BIG names...

For me? I'm rooting for the Rams the rest of the way 

I hope the road to the SB has to go through SoFi this year. 

Parsons' exact recovery timetable will depend on several factors, including the severity of the injury and how quickly he can progress through each stage. But it's fair to assume he'll need at least nine months, which would put the earliest return date at around mid-September. Again, though, that's likely on the optimistic side.

It will take some time before we get a clearer picture, but there's a chance Parsons will miss at least the start of the 2026 season.

https://lombardiave.com/heres-how-much-t...earing-acl

What you REALLY have to hope for if you're a Pack fan is that Parsons comes back 100%...His superpower is his quickness and explosiveness. 

This guy has probably gutted it out a bunch to play this season. 

Clearly not 100%

I hope he's not going to need more surgery this off-seaSon and I hope his head/heart are still in it.

Alec Lewis
@alec_lewis

"J.J. McCarthy is ascending. If this were the midway point of the season, the Vikings would probably be the talk of the NFL.

Their playoff chances may be nil, but the growth is undeniable and important"

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6890590...n-cowboys/

Souhan: J.J. McCarthy’s prime-time performance for Vikings worthy of a dance

The quarterback’s improved play in his first back-to-back NFL victories is giving reason for optimism amid a frustrating season.

https://www.startribune.com/minnesota-vi.../601546094

Rob Reiner and wife were found murdered yesterday,  reportedly by their son.  
While I didnt agree with him at all politically,   he was a hollywood legend and his contributions to entertainment will be missed.