PHILADELPHIA – In addition to the 34-28 loss, the Vikings were dealt a handful of injuries on Thursday night against the Eagles.
For Vikings, another batch of injuries increases pain of loss to Eagles
The Vikings medical staff was busy after the 34-28 loss to the Eagles. There were new injuries, and some ailing starters were unsuccessful in trying to play through previous ones.
September 15, 2023 at 5:27AM
At least three players were evaluated by the team's medical staff for injuries: tackle Oli Udoh (knee), linebacker Jordan Hicks (lower leg) and safety Josh Metellus (shoulder). The Vikings were already without two starting offensive linemen, center Garrett Bradbury and left tackle Christian Darrisaw. Darrisaw was active, but did not play after aggravating his left ankle injury in warmups, head coach Kevin O'Connell said.
Metellus underwent X rays after the game that were negative, he said. Cornerback Akayleb Evans had cramping when he briefly left the game. Hicks and Metellus returned to the game.
Udoh, who started at left tackle, appeared to suffer a serious left knee injury in the fourth quarter. Teammates gathered around him before he was carted off the field.
"We're still evaluating him," O'Connell said. "But it does not look good."
Tackle David Quessenberry replaced Udoh. The 33-year-old Quessenberry, cut by the Bills last month, was active for his first game with the Vikings after signing on Aug. 31.
"I've been around, I've played a lot of ball," said Quessenberry, who has been active for 52 games for four different teams. "I take pride in being able to step up."
Quarterback Kirk Cousins took three hits in the first five pass plays behind a patchwork line. Austin Schlottmann replaced Bradbury at center. Darrisaw said he "tried to give it a go" before aggravating his ankle. He said he's aiming to play Sept. 24 against the Chargers.
"We got a long weekend ahead," Darrisaw said. "Hopefully I'll be good and ready to go."
The Vikings are down to just six healthy offensive linemen on the active roster. O'Connell opted not to elevate any of the practice squad's three blockers — all Aug. 31 signings.
Cousins went down again on the first pass play after halftime. Eagles defensive end Josh Sweat beat Udoh around the edge and knocked the ball out of Cousins' hands. Jalen Hurts ran for a second touchdown just two plays later.
Edge rusher Marcus Davenport started the game despite being listed questionable due to an ankle injury. He appeared hobbled by the issue during the first drive and didn't play much afterward. Davenport declined comment after the game.
Davenport primarily aligned as an interior rusher. Danielle Hunter and D.J. Wonnum started as edge rushers against the mobile Hurts. Wonnum helped corral Hurts on a third-and-goal run that forced an Eagles field goal in the first quarter.
Jefferson passes 5,000 yards, then fumbles
With a 3-yard catch to convert third down, Vikings receiver Justin Jefferson surpassed 5,000 receiving yards in his 52nd regular-season game, tying Hall of Fame receiver Lance Alworth for the quickest in NFL history.
Jefferson finished with 11 catches for 159 yards and nearly scored on the drive, but his 30-yard catch resulted in a fumble "over the pylon," according to referee Clay Martin, which by NFL rule is a touchback. It was the Vikings' third turnover of the first half.
"I'm putting it a lot on myself," Jefferson said. "Fumbling in the end zone like that when we need points and we're driving and having that momentum. ... I was telling my teammates that's on me and it won't happen again."
"It's a tough situation," he added. "Me just trying to score and get points for the team. But I just have to take what I can get and score the next play. It's a learning stage."
Via the NFL's rulebook: "If a ball is fumbled in the field of play, and goes forward into the opponent's end zone and over the end line or sideline, a touchback is awarded to the defensive team."
Theo Jackson's revenge
Defensive coordinator Brian Flores, committed to his three-safety packages, put second-year safety Theo Jackson into Metellus' large role in the first quarter.
Two plays later, Hurts threw a 54-yard pass over Jackson to receiver DeVonta Smith. Later in the first quarter, Jackson, a 2022 sixth-round pick by the Titans, took advantage of Hurts' confidence in Smith and intercepted an ill-advised throw into double coverage.
Metellus returned at the end of the first quarter.
Losing the ground game
The Vikings couldn't run and couldn't stop the run — consistently, at least — in Philadelphia. Running back Alexander Mattison had nine rushing yards and a fumble on four carries by halftime. The Vikings had no rushing first downs — a week after having just two rushing first downs in a loss to the Buccaneers. Mattison finished with just 28 yards.
The Eagles had three players — Hurts, running backs D'Andre Swift and Boston Scott — with at least 35 rushing yards. Swift had 175.
Etc.
* There was little purple in the Eagles' home crowd, and the noise got to the Vikings offense early in the game. O'Connell had to burn a timeout in the second quarter amid communication and alignment issues in a hurry-up drive.
* Receiver Jordan Addison, with a 62-yard score in the third quarter, joined Percy Harvin (2009) and Sammy White (1976) as the only rookies in team history to start the season with touchdown catches in two straight games.
* Undrafted rookie linebacker Ivan Pace Jr. started and again took most of the work alongside Hicks. Second-year linebacker Brian Asamoah II entered the game in three-linebacker packages.
* Eagles cornerback Avonte Maddox (shoulder), who recovered a fumble by Mattison, and receiver Quez Watkins (hamstring) left the game due to injuries.
* NFL commissioner Roger Goodell was in attendance and boxing announcer Michael Buffer addressed the crowd before kickoff.
Mike Conley was in Minneapolis, where he sounded the Gjallarhorn at the Vikings game, on Sunday during the robbery.
