The Minnesota Vikings hit the road for a big Wild Card playoff matchup on Monday against the Los Angeles Rams where the loser goes home and the winner advances to the Divisional round of the postseason.
The Rams got the better of the Vikings in their regular season meeting. However, Minnesota has a chance to avenge that loss. However, that will be no simple task when playing a team as explosive, capable, and well-coached as the Rams.
For the purple and gold, being healthy entering the playoffs is huge. Even though most of their key contributors are ready to go, the final injury report shows they will be without a pass rusher who is having a good season.
Vikings rule pass rusher out for Wild Card playoff game vs. Rams
The final injury report shared on X shows that linebacker Pat Jones II has been ruled out for Monday night's contest. A backup/rotational pass rusher, Jones has been a big asset to Minnesota's defense this season but will be held out of the Wild Card round because of a knee injury.
Despite the Vikings getting great seasons out of Andrew Van Ginkel and Jonathan Greenard as well as drafting Dallas Turner in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft, Jones has made the most of his limited time by racking up career highs with seven sacks, 12 quarterback hits, and 39 combined tackles.
The Vikings will still have a strong group of pass rushers to try to complicate things for Matthew Stafford. Hopefully, they can put more pressure on him than in their first meeting to make him uncomfortable in the pocket.
To round out the injury report for Minnesota, backup running back Cam Akers and defensive lineman Taki Taimani are questionable to play. Neither is a starter, but both could help the Vikings if they can suit up.
The final injury report with designations has not been released by the Rams, but they only have tight end Hunter Long and offensive tackle Rob Havenstein listed during the week. Both practiced throughout the week, with Havenstein being a limited participant.
Rob Havenstein is the starting right tackle for Los Angeles, meaning keeping an eye on his status for Monday night is a good idea. Although he may not even receive a designation for the game, his shoulder injury is worth noting heading into the game.