With a chance to clinch the NFC North with a win or tie Sunday afternoon in Detroit, the Minnesota Vikings may have to do it without left tackle Christian Darrisaw and safety Harrison Smith. .
Darrison (concussion) and Smith (neck) are both listed as questionable, but Ben Goessling of the Star Tribune reported late Saturday night that neither will start the game. Instead, Goessling says Ben Brandel will make his third straight start at left tackle while Josh Mettellus will start for Smith.
The #Vikings are expected to be cautious at safety, as well, with Josh Metellus starting as Harrison Smith continues to work back from a lingering neck injury. Smith was listed as questionable for the game.
— Ben Goessling (@BenGoessling) December 11, 2022
According to Pro Football Focus, Brandel struggled against the Patriots with a 46.8 run-blocking grade and a 62.9 score when pass blocking. He was much better against the Jets, scoring a 88.4 when run blocking and a 72.6 pass-blocking score. He also had a strong performance when he replaced Darrisaw in Minnesota’s Week 10 win over Buffalo.
Darrisaw suffered a concussion against Buffalo and then suffered another one the next week against the Cowboys. He hasn’t played since but he did clear the concussion protocol this week.
“Christian Darrisaw has cleared the concussion protocol. He’ll go into the game with a questionable tag and we’re just going to keep working through what we think is best for Christian and communicating with him for the weekend,” said head coach Kevin O’Connell on Friday.
Smith missed practice on Wednesday with an illness before a neck injury that he suffered against the Jets flared up.
“We’re just working through kind of a neck thing that he had lingering from the game that just kind of acted up throughout the week, but he’ll be questionable and we’ll see how he feels coming off a good work day today, which he was limited,” O’Connell said Friday.
The Vikings and Lions start at noon Sunday.
