Vikings’ Jonathan Greenard exits with a shoulder injury, then the Ravens pile up rushing yards

Nobody on the Vikings’ defensive front had played more than edge rusher Jonathan Greenard’s 435 snaps — or roughly 87% of the season — entering Sunday’s 27-19 loss to the Baltimore Ravens.

So replacing Greenard, who exited the game in the third quarter with a left shoulder injury and did not return, was no easy task against Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson and running back Derrick Henry. Greenard landed on his shoulder while chasing Jackson to the sideline.

“The guys that stepped in there did a very good job for the most part,” coach Kevin O’Connell said. “They had us a couple plays there where it looked like we got our edge taken away from us.”

Defensive coordinator Brian Flores “made some adjustments,” O’Connell said. “That’s what helped us on that final stop that they made to force them to throw it on third down and we at least got an opportunity.”

Linebacker Eric Wilson and edge rusher Dallas Turner replaced Greenard on the side opposite of edge rusher Andrew Van Ginkel, who had four tackles, two pass deflections and a hit on Jackson.

Greenard declined to comment after the game. O’Connell also didn’t provide details about Greenard’s injury, saying it would be further assessed Monday.

The Ravens finished with 152 rushing yards that included 11 first downs and one rushing touchdown by running back Justice Hill.

The Vikings held back Henry, a 31-year-old, 252-pound bulldozer, until he erupted for 47 yards during a second-half touchdown drive. He finished with 23 touches for 84 yards from scrimmage.

“It’s difficult when one of your captains and team leaders goes down, especially in a time like this,” Van Ginkel said. “He’s someone we get behind and will always have his back. ... I pray for him and hope it’s nothing serious.”

Greenard started the game nearly intercepting Jackson on a screen pass that would have resembled the pick-sixes popularized by Van Ginkel, who said Greenard is “doing a lot better being able to see those situations.”

“I’ve always told him he’s going to get one, and I’m going to go crazy,” Van Ginkel said. “So for him to be that close, the opportunity is going to come and I can’t wait.”

Through four home games, the Vikings have played with both Greenard and Van Ginkel for just four quarters. Van Ginkel previously missed five games (and three quarters of the Week 3 win over Cincinnati) because of a neck injury and a concussion.

Thielen was enraged on the field, pleading his case to referee Shawn Hochuli that his block on Hamilton wasn’t illegal. Thielen said he was told that he was “too aggressive” and needed to “shield rather than hit him.” NFL rules prohibit forcible contact to the head or neck area of a defenseless player.

“I didn’t hit him in the head or neck,” Thielen said. “I didn’t initiate the contact. I waited for him. It looked worse than it does. I’m protecting myself. I can’t just sit there and get destroyed.”

Thielen said officials acknowledged after the game that they will further discuss the play.

“The refs said after the game that they have to go get clarification on that,” Thielen said.

The 13 accepted penalties tied the mark for the most flags against an O’Connell-coached Vikings team in his 3½ seasons; it tied the Vikings’ penalty total from the win over the Bengals on Sept. 21.

Price lost the fumble that set up a short Ravens touchdown drive. Price felt the whiplash of the NFL after his heroics in Detroit, which included a 61-yard kickoff return and a 99-yard touchdown called back by penalty, were quickly turned into two fumbles (one lost) on Sunday’s returns.

“Crazy the dude who did it was my boy,” said Price, who trained with Jackson in Florida this offseason. “Great play by him. Hate that it happened. But what we do, in this profession, you got to take the highs with the lows.”