5 ugly takeaways from the Vikings' embarrassing loss to the Chargers

Literally nothing went well for the Vikings, leaving a sour taste that will linger for the next 10 days.

Oct 23, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Carson Wentz (11) throws the ball against the Los Angeles Chargers during the first half at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

After Carson Wentz and the Vikings were bludgeoned by the Chargers Thursday night, the last thing anyone wants to do is sit around for 10 days with a bad taste in their mouth. But that's the only option Minnesota (3-4) has after the 37-10 loss. So, without further ado, chew on these five ugly takeaways from the game.

1. Carson Wentz was bad and in pain

You can blame an injured offensive line all you want, but Wentz just didn't have it. Much like he was brutal early last Sunday against the Eagles (two picks and a ton of misfires) with a mostly healthy O-line protecting him, Wentz was inaccurate and indecisive against the Chargers.

Wentz's night, which was marred by numerous hard hits that left him holding his banged-up left shoulder and grimacing in pain, was highlighted by an airmailed pass over Justin Jefferson's head for an easy L.A. interception in the fourth quarter, with the game already out of reach.

rj mickens is all over it

📺 | @nflonprime pic.twitter.com/RNPzFdAmzN

— Los Angeles Chargers (@chargers) October 24, 2025

As ugly as the interception was, it wasn't the hardest thing to watch. That honor went to the half-dozen times Wentz held the ball too long and took a sack. He was sacked five times officially, while a sixth sack was wiped off the board by an illegal contact penalty.

Wentz wound up throwing his helmet in frustration — and likely pain — after the Vikings turned the ball over on downs while trailing 34-10 in the fourth quarter.

With J.J. McCarthy possibly healthy enough to return Nov. 2 at Detroit, Thursday night might've been the last we've seen of Wentz for a while.

2. Can't get out of their own way

How many times did the Vikings shoot themselves in the foot? Well, we kept track...

• Holding on Tyler Batty erases 46-yard return on opening kickoff
• 3rd-and-1 on the opening drive and they throw incomplete instead of running
• Dallas Turner roughing the passer penalty for 15 yards
• Illegal formation penalty on Ivan Pace Jr. on the second kickoff by the Chargers
• Jonathan Greenard offsides on the first play of L.A.'s second drive
• Holding on Donovan Jackson on first play of drive while trailing 14-3
• Will Reichard leaves a 53-yard field goal short to end the first half
• Holding on Batty again on a kickoff return in the third quarter
• 12 men on the field after an injury timeout in the fourth quarter
• Facemask penalty on Josh Metellus wipes out a tackle for loss
• Awful Wentz interception in the fourth quarter

And that's not even necessarily an exhaustive list.

3. Terrible third-down defense again

The Chargers were 9 of 13 on third downs, continuing the ugly trend that started in the second half of last week's game against the Eagles. Elusive quarterbacks like Jalen Hurts and Justin Herbert have exposed a weakness in Minnesota's defense. Here's how the Chargers did on each third down.

• 3rd-and-13: 17-yard completion to Keenan Allen
• 3rd-and-1: 15-yard completion to Ladd McConkey
• 3rd-and-goal: 8-yard touchdown pass to Oronde Gadsden II
• 3rd-and-17: Incomplete pass
• 3rd-and-5: 6-yard completion to Allen
• 3rd-and-1: 10-yard completion to Kimani Vidal
• 3rd-and-2: Incomplete pass
• 3rd-and-8: 9-yard completion to Allen
• 3rd-and-4: 8-yard scramble by Justin Herbert
• 3rd-and-14: 9-yard run (Chargers field goal)
• 3rd-and-1: 3-yard run
• 3rd-and-12: Run for 1-yard loss

4. Why run a draw on 2nd-and-goal from the 15?

Trailing 24-3 late in the third quarter, Wentz took a sack on 1st-and-goal from the 6-yard line. On 2nd-and-goal from the 16, the Vikings ran a slow-to-develop draw to Aaron Jones for a 1-yard gain. That set up 3rd-and-goal from the 15, and the result was an incomplete pass.

In what world was running the ball in any capacity on that second down a good decision? If Kevin O'Connell thought he was going to catch the Chargers in a "got ya" moment, he was wrong. Not only that, but the Vikings had eight carries for 17 yards to that point.

Minnesota wound up kicking a field goal, only to have a delayed 12 men on the field penalty against the Chargers lead the Vikings to go for it on 4th-and-goal from the 9. After an illegal contact penalty bailed out the Vikings, Wentz found Addison for the visitors' lone touchdown of the night.

5. Horrible run defense

Kimani Vidal. Ever heard of him? We can't blame you if you hadn't until he started gutting the Vikings like he was prime Adrian Peterson. Vidal finished the night with 23 carries for 117 yards and a touchdown.

Vidal is behind Omarion Hampton and Najee Harris on the depth chart, but he's playing because Hampton and Harris are on injured reserve. This is also the same Chargers team that averaged 3.4 yards per rush last week against the Colts.

Herbert also scrambled for 62 yards as the Chargers racked up 207 rush yards as a team. It was a night where absolutely nothing went right for Minnesota.

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