The Vikings’ offense has taken a significant leap this season, largely due to the impact of Aaron Jones, who unfortunately left Sunday’s game with a hip injury.
Prior to his exit, Jones was ranked sixth among qualifying running backs with a 60.9% success rate, as defined by Pro Football Reference, which measures a back’s ability to gain 40% of yards on first down, 60% on second down, and 100% on third and fourth down.
Additionally, Pro Football Focus ranked him second among qualifying backs with 8.23 yards per route run on screen passes. Jones’s absence was felt when Ty Chandler stepped in, managing just 30 yards on 14 carries and fumbling a pitch in the first half. Jones’s overall contributions had helped the Vikings boast a top-five offense with 116 points going into Sunday, but the offense stalled when he left the game.
The upcoming bye week may give Jones time to recover for their game against the Detroit Lions, but if he’s sidelined for an extended period, the Vikings may need to explore options for a stronger backup before the trade deadline.
Meanwhile, Sam Darnold, who had been considered an MVP candidate earlier in the season, had his worst performance in a Vikings uniform on Sunday. He completed just 14 of 31 passes for 179 yards and an interception.
Darnold struggled under pressure, holding the ball for an average of 3.86 seconds and posting a 39.6 passer rating when the Jets’ defense applied pressure. His difficulties were most evident in the second half, where the Vikings were forced to punt four consecutive times before Will Reichard’s 53-yard field goal essentially sealed the game for the Jets.
Darnold also threw a crucial interception that led to a Jets touchdown, narrowing the Vikings’ lead to 20-17 after Aaron Rodgers connected with Garrett Wilson. While Darnold’s performance raised concerns, fans are hoping it was just an off day, and that he can reset during the bye week.
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