Alongside the defending two-time Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs, the Minnesota Vikings are one of the last two unbeaten teams, surprising many who expected them to struggle this season.
Their 5-0 start, only the ninth in franchise history, challenges those expectations, although a shaky performance against the New York Jets two weeks ago raised questions about their legitimacy.
Starting quarterback Sam Darnold struggled for the first time this season, nearly allowing a 17-0 lead to slip away, and star offensive player Aaron Jones exited early due to a hamstring injury.
Fortunately, the Week 6 bye provided Jones with additional recovery time without missing a game. This week, he informed reporters that he intended to practice on Thursday and Friday, expressing optimism about playing in the critical NFC North matchup against the Detroit Lions.
While the news regarding Jones is promising, the outlook for tight end T.J. Hockenson is less certain. After signing a four-year contract extension with the Vikings before the 2023 season, his first full year was interrupted by ACL and MCL tears in Week 16 against the Lions. He started the season on the PUP list but returned to practice in early October with hopes of playing against his former team.
On Saturday morning, ESPN’s NFL insider Jeremy Fowler provided insights on the expectations for both players heading into Sunday’s game. “Aaron Jones is seen as having a good chance to return after a minor hamstring issue, though he’s listed as questionable. The team is optimistic about his condition. In contrast, T.J. Hockenson has been dealing with an injury from last season, and it may be challenging for him to play this week,” Fowler reported.
