I think that Vikings/Washington game..

[purplefaithful]

Was the 1st game all season where the originally envisioned starting 5 started AND finished???

[purplefaithful]

Left tackle Christian Darrisaw has been in and out with knee and foot injuries. Center Ryan Kelly has missed time because of concussions. Right tackle Brian O’Neill has played through a knee injury.

O’Connell commended a starting offensive line that finally played an entire game together, but it was rookie left guard Donovan Jackson who got the biggest tip of the cap for returning from an ankle injury after a one-week absence. Jackson, the 24th overall pick out of Ohio State, also played through a wrist injury earlier this year that eventually required surgery.

“For having worked through an injury that might hold guys out for a couple weeks, two, three weeks maybe,” O’Connell said, “he would not be denied playing in the football game. Did everything he possibly could and then played well.”

Running backs Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason combined to average over 5 yards per carry, while quarterback J.J. McCarthy often had ample time to throw against a forgiving Commanders defense.

“We were consistently getting some knock-back into the defensive front,” O’Connell said. “There were some really great examples of protection. Those guys working together even though a lot of their time on task together has come on the practice field and not necessarily in any one of our games up until this point.”

Strib