Vikings Snap Counts vs. Packers: O-Line Injuries, Garbage Time Affect Picture

The Vikings' offensive line is a borderline crisis situation heading into the final week of the regular season.

At center, starter Garrett Bradbury remains injured and backup Austin Schlottmann is out for the season after suffering a fibula fracture in Sunday's loss to the Packers. That means, unless Bradbury is able to return soon, the Vikings' options are guard Chris Reed or recently-acquired veteran Greg Mancz, who has a lot of catching up to do.

At right tackle tackle, the Vikings lost one of their best players and leaders. Brian O'Neill, who made the Pro Bowl last season and has been ultra-consistent this year, suffered a partially torn Achilles in Sunday's game and is out for the season. Minnesota will turn to Oli Udoh at that position for the moment, although Blake Brandel could return from IR before the playoffs begin.

Those injuries up front will make the task of a deep run in the postseason even more difficult for a Vikings team that has existed on one-score wins and blowout losses all season.

Because the game got away from the Vikings to the extent that it did at Lambeau Field, some young players got additional experience in garbage time. Let's run through the snap counts from that game to see what we can learn.

Vikings offensive snap counts vs. the Packers (out of 58)

RG Ed Ingram: 58
LG Ezra Cleveland: 58
LT Christian Darrisaw: 58
C Chris Reed: 53
QB Kirk Cousins: 50
WR Adam Thielen: 49
TE T.J. Hockenson: 47
WR Justin Jefferson: 46
WR K.J. Osborn: 46
RT Oli Udoh: 45
RB Dalvin Cook: 34
RB Alexander Mattison: 23
TE Johnny Mundt: 18
RT Brian O'Neill: 13
WR Jalen Reagor: 12
WR Jalen Nailor: 9
QB Nick Mullens: 8
C Austin Schlottmann: 5
FB C.J. Ham: 5
RB Kene Nwangwu: 1

Reed being thrust into action at center couldn't have gone much worse. Playing the position in a regular season game for the first time, his struggles with snap timing led to two delays of game and two false start penalties. It'll be interesting to see if he starts Sunday's game in Chicago or if the Vikings go with Mancz instead.

Udoh, meanwhile, put together an encouraging performance after O'Neill went down. Udoh had a rough season in 2021 as the Vikings' starting left guard, but he's better suited to play tackle. There's a chance he'll be able to hold up at that spot if Brandel remains out for a bit longer (or even after Brandel is healthy).

It was a bit surprising that the Vikings didn't pull their offensive starters earlier than they did. The game was already well in hand at 34-3 when Cousins trotted back out to throw his third interception of the game early in the fourth quarter. He then came back out when it was 41-3, finally getting the Vikings in the end zone with Nailor's first career touchdown reception.

After that, it was Mullens time. He connected with Nailor on another big gain — the rookie finished with three catches for 89 yards — and hit Osborn for a touchdown to make the score a bit more respectable. It was Mullens' first touchdown pass as a Viking.

Vikings defensive snap counts vs. the Packers (out of 63)

S Camryn Bynum: 63
CB Duke Shelley: 61
LB Eric Kendricks: 56
CB Patrick Peterson: 54
S Harrison Smith: 47
SCB Chandon Sullivan: 42
DT Khyiris Tonga: 38
OLB D.J. Wonnum: 38
LB Jordan Hicks: 38
OLB Danielle Hunter: 36
DT Dalvin Tomlinson: 34
OLB Za'Darius Smith: 33
DT Harrison Phillips: 31
OLB Patrick Jones II: 27
LB Brian Asamoah: 26
DT T.J. Smith: 22
DT Esezi Otomewo: 16
S Josh Metellus: 14
S Theo Jackson: 7
CB Cameron Dantzler: 7
LB William Kwenkeu: 1
LB Troy Dye: 1

There are lot of names here, including some unusual ones.

The Vikings eased off of things for some veteran defensive players early in the second half, with Hunter playing a season-low 36 snaps and the other starting defensive linemen falling even below that. Tonga and Wonnum were the two players who saw the most action up front, continuing to play even after the game was functionally over.

We've seen Asamoah and Metellus rotate in for Hicks and Harrison Smith in recent weeks, and that continued in Green Bay. Metellus was on the field and had a miscommunication with Hicks when Robert Tonyan got wide open for a touchdown that made it 24-3 in the second quarter.

Interestingly, practice squad veteran T.J. Smith is ahead of Ross Blacklock on the depth chart at defensive tackle. He was elevated with James Lynch injured and played more than Otomewo, too.

And if it wasn't already clear, Shelley has taken Dantzler's starting spot at cornerback. Dantzler only came into the game in garbage time.

Jackson and Kwenkeu saw their first career defensive snap(s).

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