NFL News: Vikings QB Sam Darnold may lose key player ahead of matchup against Atlanta Falcons

One of the most competitive divisions in the NFL is undoubtedly the NFC North, and among its contenders are none other than Sam Darnold‘s Minnesota Vikings. With the primary goal of reaching the playoffs and, potentially, making a Super Bowl run, Kevin O’Connell‘s squad will host Kirk Cousins’ Atlanta Falcons with the potential absence of a key defensive player.

With a current record of ten wins and only two losses so far this season, the Vikings will host the always tough Falcons at U.S. Bank Stadium. It was head coach O’Connell himself who has yet to confirm the availability of one of the most experienced players on the roster.

The player in question is none other than the talented cornerback Stephon Gilmore, who, in his last outing against the Cardinals, left the game in the first half with a hamstring injury and did not return.

“Gilly did get a low-grade hamstring (strain),” O’Connell said. “Still getting some evaluations on what that looks like. I do not believe it is a longer-term injury and I’m not quite ready to rule him out for this week. Want to see how he feels as we work through it.”

Minnesota Vikings cornerback Stephon Gilmore (2) walks the field during warm ups before an NFL, American Football Herren, USA game between the Minnesota Vikings and the Jacksonville Jaguars on November 10th, 2024 at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, FL.

Sam Darnold‘s Vikings are battling neck and neck for the division title against the Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers, who just so happen to face off in the upcoming Thursday Night Football.

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Aaron Jones made his situation clear in the game against the Cardinals

The Vikings secured a crucial victory against the Arizona Cardinals, despite a subpar performance from RB Aaron Jones. The talented player suffered two fumbles and did not have his best outing of the season. Regarding this situation, the former Packers player was clear.

“Just gotta go back and look at the film,” he said. “I can’t make any excuses, that’s not me. I gotta be better. I talked with (RBs coach Curtis Modkins), he said ‘we’ll figure out what’s going on, we’ll correct it.’ It’s even more frustrating because it’s not me and it’s happened more than I like recently. But I’ll get that fixed.”

In addition, he emphasized the trust shown by his coach: “Even when I ran off then, KO’s like ‘hey, I’m coming right back to you,'” Jones said. “That just means a lot. When things aren’t going your way — this wasn’t my best day — but when you’ve got a group of guys around you who believe in you, they’re gonna stick with you.”

Minnesota Vikings running back Aaron Jones (33) breaks a tackle from Arizona Cardinals defensive tackle Dante Stills (55) during the NFL, American Football Herren, USA game between the Arizona Cardinals and the Minnesota Vikings on December 1st, 2024, at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, MN.

Minnesota Vikings’ upcoming games:

• vs Atlanta Falcons, December 8th
• vs Chicago Bears, December 16th
• vs Seattle Seahawks, December 22nd
• vs Green Bay Packers, December 29th
• vs Detroit Lions, January 5th