Coming off a competitive loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 7, Minnesota Vikings fans hoped the team would bounce back on a short week against the Los Angeles Chargers on Thursday Night Football.
Sadly, the Vikings might as well have not shown up for the game. Justin Herbert and Kimani Vidal
had their way with the Minnesota defense and absolutely demolished the purple and gold by a final score of 10-37.
This is one of those games where it is challenging to find a silver lining. The offense was pathetic. The defense struggled to get a stop. And even the special teams unit had a costly miscue where kicker Will Reichard's toe hit the turf on a long field goal attempt that ended up short.
However, let's take a look at the players who made an impact in this game and how their performance affected the team on Thursday night.
Who were the winners and losers of the Minnesota Vikings during their depressing loss to the Los Angeles Chargers on Thursday Night Football in Week 8?
Vikings loser No. 1: Carson Wentz, quarterback
Let's be honest. Carson Wentz came into this game with a banged-up shoulder, and then he hurt his hand during the game by smashing it on a couple of Chargers' players' helmets. However, Wentz struggled mightily, completing 15 of his 27 pass attempts for 144 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. In addition, he took five sacks for a 27-yard loss and had a fumble that he was able to recover.
Vikings winner No. 1: J.J. McCarthy, quarterback
Carson Wentz struggling again opens the door wide for J.J. McCarthy to return to the starting lineup next week against the Detroit Lions. The former University of Michigan quarterback should get a somewhat warm reception at Ford Field, and Minnesota Vikings fans have to be tired of seeing the team's quarterback play the last couple of weeks. The bar is low for the young quarterback when he comes back, and hopefully the return comes soon.
Vikings loser No. 2: Jeff Okudah, cornerback
All the preseason hype about Jeff Okudah looking great and making strides in training camp was definitely not on display in Week 8. The 26-year-old cornerback had a lot of trouble keeping up with the Chargers' receivers. He also left the game and was evaluated for a concussion. It was definitely not a good day for the former Lions first-round draft pick.
Vikings winner No. 2: Justin Jefferson, wide receiver
Minnesota's star pass catcher continues to reach milestones even when the team. That is a testament to his exceptional talent. In this game, he led the Vikings with 74 yards on seven catches, which is more than half of quarterback Carson Wentz's total passing yards on the night.
Vikings loser No. 3: Jordan Mason, running back
Aaron Jones returned to the starting lineup at running back against the Chargers, and that likely meant a decreased role for Jordan Mason. However, his new role saw him only carry the ball four times, gaining three yards. Plus, he caught one pass for three yards. That's five touches with a gain of six yards. Minnesota will need more from him in the future.