After the 2024 season ended with the offensive line being overwhelmed by Jared Verse and his Rams teammates for nine sacks, the Vikings decided to overhaul the all-important interior of their five-man wall. (In today's NFL, every position is as important as left tackle, because any weakness will be exploited.)

The tackles aren't the problem, per se. They decided to keep Christian Darrisaw (who was lost to a torn ACL in second-quarter garbage time during the 2024 regular-season game against the Rams) and Brian O'Neill.

At center, former Vikings first-rounder Garrett Bradbury (who's doing well in New England) was jettisoned for former Colts first-rounder Ryan Kelly. Former Colts guard Will Fries came with Kelly, and former Ohio State standout Donovan Jackson was picked in the first round to play the other guard position.

So that was the plan. Darrisaw and O'Neill on the outside; Kelly, Fries, and Jackson on the inside.

Then came the games that count. Darrisaw wasn't ready. Kelly suffered multiple concussions, before landing on injured reserve.

During a Sunday morning interview during NFL Network's GameDay Morning, Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell made a point that was both surprising and deflating: The Week 12 game at Green Bay will be the first time all year that the Vikings will have all five of them on the field at the same time.

Will it matter? We'll find out at 1:00 p.m. ET. The up-and-down Vikings tend to do well when they're not expected to. And they're expected to lose to the Packers in Green Bay.

It could be a close one. The Packers' offense has struggled at home lately, averaging 10 points per game in a pair of losses. If the intended five-man front can help the Vikings get something/anything from their offense, maybe they'll be heading to Seattle at 5-6 and hoping to become a contender.

The alternative is 4-7 and, as a practical matter, continuing their recent pattern of playoffs, no playoffs, playoffs, no playoffs.