Inside The Vikings

Vikings rolling with undrafted QB, O-line loaded with backups on Christmas

It'll take quite the showing from an undermanned offense for Minnesota to pull off a fourth straight win.
Will Ragatz|
Dec 25, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Max Brosmer (12) warms up before the game against the Detroit Lions at U.S. Bank Stadium.
Dec 25, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Max Brosmer (12) warms up before the game against the Detroit Lions at U.S. Bank Stadium. | Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

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Max Brosmer is about to get his moment in the national NFL spotlight on Christmas afternoon. And if he's going to have success against the Lions' defense, he'll likely have to get rid of the ball quickly behind an offensive line playing without three starters.

QB J.J. McCarthy (right hand), TE T.J. Hockenson (shoulder), and RB Jordan Mason (ankle) are all inactive for the Vikings after being ruled out on Wednesday. Also inactive is right tackle Brian O'Neill (heel), who came into Thursday with a questionable designation. With left tackle Christian Darrisaw and center Ryan Kelly on season-ending injured reserve, the Vikings' offensive line in front of Brosmer will be as follows:

  • LT: Justin Skule (backup)
  • LG: Donovan Jackson
  • C: Michael Jurgens (backup)
  • RG: Will Fries
  • RT: Blake Brandel (backup)

That could be a problem against a Lions defense that is tied for sixth in the NFL with 41 sacks. Superstar Aidan Hutchinson is tied for the league lead with 87 pressures this season, while Al-Quadin Muhammad is a strong option on the other side of the pass rush.

The game plan for Brosmer figures to be centered around running the ball with Aaron Jones — who is playing despite having an ankle at less than 100 percent — and getting the ball out on time and in rhythm to his pass-catchers.

John Wolford is the Vikings' backup QB. Brett Rypien, who was brought back to the practice squad this week, is the emergency No. 3 option.

With no Mason, Zavier Scott should see some snaps at running back, and fullback C.J. Ham could also be involved. With no Hockenson, look for Ben Sims and Ben Yurosek to see the field alongside blocking TE Josh Oliver.

After McCarthy got hurt in Sunday's win over the Giants, Brosmer went 7 for 9 for 52 yards, highlighted by a 21-yard sideline strike to Justin Jefferson. It was a solid showing for Brosmer, who had a disastrous first career start earlier this season against a great defense in Seattle. He's still searching for his first NFL touchdown pass.

Jefferson, the Vikings' superstar receiver, needs 83 yards over the final two weeks of the season to reach 1,000 for the sixth straight season to begin his career.

Here are the Lions' inactives:

Vikings-Lions kicks off at around 3:30 p.m. central time at U.S. Bank Stadium. The special holiday game will be televised on Netflix.

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Will Ragatz
WILL RAGATZ

Will Ragatz is a senior writer for Vikings On SI, who also covers the Twins, Timberwolves, Gophers, and other Minnesota teams. He is a credentialed Minnesota Vikings beat reporter, covering the team extensively at practices, games and throughout the NFL draft and free agency period. Ragatz attended Northwestern University, where he studied at the prestigious Medill School of Journalism. During his time as a student, he covered Northwestern Wildcats football and basketball for SB Nation’s Inside NU, eventually serving as co-editor-in-chief in his junior year. In the fall of 2018, Will interned in Sports Illustrated’s newsroom in New York City, where he wrote articles on Major League Baseball, college football, and college basketball for SI.com.

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