In their big win over the Chicago Bears to start the 2025 season, the Minnesota Vikings entered the game without Christian Darrisaw and Harrison Smith, cornerstone players in pivotal roles. They lost another, Blake Cashman, to a hamstring injury in the second half.
Minnesota won a hard-fought game. Still, I couldn’t help but wonder how this team would have looked had they been 100% going into and subsequently throughout the matchup?
While Darrisaw, Smith, and Cashman are cornerstone pieces for this team, their backups showcased how deep the Vikings were at key positions and can hold their own when the team needs them the most.
Justin Skule
Coming into the week, some people thought that Darrisaw would be ready to go after suffering a knee injury in Week 8 of last season against the Los Angeles Rams. As the week moved along, the team thought it would be in Darrisaw’s best interest to sit out at least one more week after he practiced leading up to the Monday night contest.
In his place, they used Justin Skule, who, along with rookie guard Donovan Jackson, had the critical role of protecting J.J. McCarthy’s blind side in this divisional contest.
Just like the rest of the offense in the first half, Skule seemed to struggle against Chicago’s defensive front. McCarthy often had very little time in the pocket, and Skule had his hands full. He allowed four pressures and two sacks throughout the game.
As the game went on, the entire team seemed to find their groove, including Skule, who helped in pass protection on both of McCarthy’s TDs.
Skule was partially to blame for the slow start. Still, he did what he could to keep J.J. upright in some key moments, even if fans will still be eager for Darrisaw’s return.
Theo Jackson
On the defensive side of the ball, Harrison Smith is battling an illness and didn’t travel with the team, leaving an already questionable defensive backfield meaningfully thinner. Theo Jackson, who is entering his fourth season in the league, played in his place.
Although his name wasn’t mentioned much, if at all, Jackson helped contain Chicago’s passing offense and made three tackles.
D.J. Moore burned him earlier in the game, but Jackson came up big in the fourth quarter. He shoved a scrambling Caleb Williams out of bounds at the one-yard line, saving a touchdown before the Bears scored on the next play. However, by forcing Williams to run one more play, Jackson helped take precious time off the clock when the Vikings were up late, 27-17.
Jackson was a valuable asset to the Vikings’ defense and the right choice to back up an ailing Smith.
Eric Wilson
Late in the third quarter, Cashman left to nurse a hamstring injury he suffered after pursuing Williams in the backfield. Veteran linebacker Eric Wilson filled in, and he was crucial on defense and special teams in Minnesota’s 21-point fourth-quarter comeback. Wilson also had to relay calls from Brian Flores to the rest of the defense after Cashman’s injury. He wore the green dot while the Vikings only allowed 78 total yards in the fourth quarter.
Once in permanently for that fourth quarter, Wilson had his fingerprints all over the game, sometimes quite literally. Along with his three tackles, one of which was for a loss, Wilson also partially blocked Tory Taylor’s punt in the fourth, all but clinching the game for the Vikings.
His ability to fill in for Cashman garnered high praise from head coach Kevin O’Connell.
The Vikings made a crucial comeback in the fourth quarter of Monday night’s game. When teammates go down with injuries, the next-man-up mentality helps the backups stay dialed in and ready to play.
Minnesota missed Darrisaw, Smith, and Cashman throughout the contest. Still, Skule, Jackson, and Wilson provided hope that Minnesota was in good hands if any of the starters needed extra time. If this is how powerful and dynamic the team is short-handed, fans should be enthusiastic about what will happen when the Vikings are back to full strength.
