Minnesota Vikings: What happens if the offensive line can’t protect Sam Bradford?

The Vikings offensive line has shown to be inconsistent. If they don't improve, the lack of a power runner or mobile quarterback is going to make a playoff run awfully tough.

Well, we sort of saw the answer to this question on display in Philadelphia and ... it’s not good. The Eagles unraveled the Vikings off the edge in Week 7, leading a skittish Bradford into three costly turnovers. The carnage continued in Week 8 as Bradford was sacked five times by Chicago. For a Minnesota team that shows little semblance of a grind-it-out run game, unless Jerick McKinnon suddenly takes off, that volume of mistakes won’t fly. It has to win the turnover battle if it wants to stay on track.

So the play of OTs Jake Long, T.J. Clemmings and Jeremiah Sirles is cause for major concern. Bradford was sharp during his first four Vikings games, averaging 247.5 yards through the air with six total TDs. Most importantly, he didn’t turn the ball over. But injuries to Matt Kalil and Andre Smith have forced Minnesota to remake its O-line on the fly. The early returns have not been comforting.