With a winning record of 9-8 this season, the Minnesota Vikings finished just one-half game out of the playoffs this season. (The Green Bay Packers made it ahead of them thanks to their tie in Dallas.) But you would hardly know it given the wailing and gnashing of teeth regarding how the 2025 season went for the Purple. Injuries derailed them and spotty quarterback play cemented an early end to their season. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com

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Vikings need to get a more veteran QB in house to compete with J.J. McCarthy for the starting job next season. So, who could it possibly be? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com

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The good news: The Minnesota Vikings beat the Green Bay Packers 16-3 in the season finale; they finish the season on a five-game winning streak and outside the basement of the NFC North Division; and quarterback J.J. McCarthy returns from injury to get the win and help finish off a 9-8 season. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com

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Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell said before the game against that Detroit Lions that he wanted his team to be the Grim Reapers and wield a death knell to the visiting Lions’ playoffs hopes. And while they did that with a 23-10 victory, a more appropriate guise would have been The Grinch (in the first act of that famous holiday program), as the Vikings defense took away all the Lions’ holiday cheer by creating six turnovers—and giving none of them back. Quarterback Max Brosmer, filling in for the injured J.J. McCarthy, suffered seven sacks in the game but did not turnover the ball on his way to his first victory as an NFL signal caller. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com

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The low-scoring, injury-riddled slugfest aside, the Vikings find themselves at another inflection point of their season, awaiting (on Monday) news on the severity of McCarthy’s injury. It’s important he finishes the season on the field for both his own development and the organization’s ability to evaluate him. Thus far, complete evaluation of the second-year QB has proved difficult, as he missed his rookie campaign with a knee injury and missed 6.5 games in 2025 (due to ankle, concussion and hand injuries) compiling just 8.5 games in his career.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com

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J.J. gets the headlines, but there should be plenty conversation about the Vikings defense, which had another great performance (coming on the heels of a shutout last week against Washington). They balled out once again, this time stifling the league’s number one offense in Dallas. McCarthy also got some help from his place kicker, Will Reichard, who hit two field goals, including a 53-yarder late to give the Vikings a two-score lead and essentially put the game on ice.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com

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Turnabout is fair play. After going two games (23 possessions) without a touchdown, the Vikings took the ball down the field in the opening drive of the game against the Washington Commanders and scored on a bullet from J.J. McCarthy to tight end Josh Oliver (his first of two touchdown receptions on the day). And that was enough to defeat the hapless Commanders (eventually 31-0), who just took another step toward a high pick in next year’s draft. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com

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The difficult loss cannot all be laid at the feet (arm) of the former Golden Gopher quarterback: the offensive line did him no favors, giving up four sacks in protection and offering little in run blocking, needed to take pressure off the young signal caller. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com

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The Minnesota Vikings lost 23-6 to the Green Bay Packers in Lambeau Field on Sunday, dropping to 4-7 on the season and safely mired in the NFC North cellar. It was their second game without scoring a touchdown this year, putting their season on life support—and the EMT’s aren’t coming. (EMT, in this case, stands for Easily Made Touchdowns.) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com

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The Minnesota Vikings suffered their third loss at U.S. Bank Stadium this season (by a score of 27-19 to the Baltimore Ravens) to go to 4-5 and remain in the basement of the NFC North. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com

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