The Minnesota Vikings are throwing a rookie quarterback into a prime-time debut at Soldier Field without their Pro Bowl-caliber left tackle and their defensive compass on the back end. That’s the reality for Monday Night Football, where JJ McCarthy will make his first NFL start as Christian Darrisaw and Harrison Smith have been ruled out.
The timing is rough. Darrisaw, the blindside protector McCarthy would most want in front of him, is 10.5 months removed from a torn ACL and MCL suffered in Week 8 of 2024. He practiced fully on Saturday and was listed as questionable, which raised hopes in the building. By Sunday, the team shut that door. Kevin O’Connell had said they’d weigh readiness right up to the wire, and they did—then opted for caution.
Why wait another week? The Vikings aren’t saying, but the decision aligns with a conservative approach on major knee recoveries, especially for a cornerstone lineman. Soldier Field’s surface has a reputation that coaches quietly factor into risk calculations, and while no one is pinning the choice on turf alone, the context isn’t lost on anyone.
With Darrisaw out, veteran Justin Skule steps in at left tackle. Skule, a 2019 sixth-rounder who logged early-career starts in San Francisco, is experienced but hasn’t faced a Week 1 assignment this big in a while. Across from him is Chicago’s Montez Sweat, the Bears’ premier pass rusher and a handful off the edge. Expect chips from backs, tight ends aligned to Skule’s side, and plenty of quick-game concepts to keep hits off the rookie quarterback.
What Darrisaw’s absence means for the offense
O’Connell’s system is built to help quarterbacks—motion, play-action, formation variety—and that will be the cushion for McCarthy. Look for three staples early: fast rhythm throws, moving pockets, and a steady dose of under-center play-action to slow down the rush. That’s how you make a debut feel manageable, even in a loud road stadium in prime time.
Personnel helps. Justin Jefferson tilts coverages on his own, and Jordan Addison can win quickly from the slot or outside. That gives McCarthy safe answers pre-snap—find the leverage, throw on time, live to the next play. Expect designed throws to the perimeter, choice routes, and double moves only when protection looks clean. If Minnesota can nudge the sticks with early-down efficiency, the playbook opens.
On the line, expect Brian O’Neill to carry more of the one-on-one load at right tackle while help slides to the left. Center Garrett Bradbury’s calls become even more important. Protection will likely favor half-slide schemes, hot reads built in against pressure, and tempo wrinkles to keep the Bears from cycling into their best pass-rush looks.
The run game matters more without Darrisaw. Even modest success on the ground can settle a rookie quarterback and keep Sweat from pinning his ears back. If Minnesota gets 2nd-and-6 instead of 2nd-and-10, the night looks very different. Don’t be surprised by toss looks, jet motion, and gap runs aimed away from Sweat to stretch and cut, rather than asking the line to hold up in long-developing zone plays snap after snap.
There’s also the hidden game: penalties and negative plays. With a backup at left tackle, sacks and holds can flip drives. The Vikings will try to keep McCarthy out of obvious passing downs, where Soldier Field noise and Chicago’s rush plan can take over. A steady screen game—running back and receiver screens—can punish aggression and buy the line some breathers.
How the secondary adjusts without Harrison Smith
On defense, the Vikings lose more than a name with Smith out. They lose an organizer. Under Brian Flores, Minnesota has leaned on disguise, post-snap movement, and pressure looks that require perfect communication from the safeties. Smith is the veteran voice who settles all of that.
He’s been dealing with a “personal health matter,” listed as an illness on the injury report, and after returning to practice late in the week for the first time since Aug. 11, he was still doubtful and ultimately ruled out. He didn’t travel. In his place, Josh Metellus and Theo Jackson are expected to start at safety, with help from depth pieces like Jay Ward and defensive back Tavierre Thomas in sub packages. Metellus, who broke out as an all-purpose defender in recent seasons, becomes the de facto traffic cop.
What changes without Smith? You may see fewer late rotations that risk coverage busts, and a slightly more conservative approach when Flores dials up pressure. The Vikings will still blitz, but they’ll likely prioritize clean landmarks and tackled catches over gambling for takeaways in tough field position. If the pass rush wins its share, the back end can play on schedule.
Special teams and field position become even more critical. Short fields for Chicago test a Smith-less secondary. Longer fields give Minnesota room to disguise and force mistakes. A couple of early third-down stops could let the defense play downhill and keep the game out of shootout territory—which is exactly what you want when your rookie quarterback is finding his footing.
The ripple effects touch the offense too. Without Smith, the margin for error shrinks. A turnover or a three-and-out that feeds Chicago extra possessions raises the stress on a defense missing its most experienced voice. That’s where complementary football comes in: controlled drives, decent field position, and making the Bears earn everything underneath.
Zooming back to Darrisaw, the long view matters. The Vikings invested in a franchise left tackle for games that come after Week 1 as much as for the opener itself. ACL/MCL returns often target the 9–12 month window, and setbacks come from overdoing it too soon. Holding him out one more week is frustrating for fans and nerve-wracking for a debuting QB, but it’s also how you protect a season—not just a game.
The immediate question is whether Minnesota can manufacture enough stability around McCarthy to weather the first quarter. If the ball is out on time, the protection plan holds, and Jefferson forces the Bears to declare coverages early, the Vikings can run their script. If not, Chicago’s pass rush—and that stadium—will start dictating things.
As for timeline updates, the Vikings believe both absences are short-term. Smith could be back as soon as next Sunday night against the Falcons if his recovery continues as expected. Darrisaw is effectively week-to-week as he clears each rehab hurdle and stacks practices. The organization has every incentive to make sure his return is permanent, not rushed.
It’s a lot for a rookie to juggle on Day 1: prime time, a division rival, a loud road crowd, and two cornerstone veterans in street clothes. But the blueprint is straightforward—lean on the system, play on time, avoid the big mistake, and make Chicago defend every blade of grass. If Minnesota can do that, the debut becomes less about who isn’t playing and more about what the rookie can do.