A Vikings insider revealed the team has worries that Max Brosmer could outshine J.J. McCarthy in the short term.

The Los Angeles Chargers and Minnesota Vikings kick off NFL Week 8 on "Thursday Night Football." Here's everything you need to know for tonight's game

The NFL is handing out a punishment to one Minnesota Vikings player right after the brutal Los Angeles Chargers matchup.

Jalen Hurts threw four touchdown passes, while Saquon Barkley (150 yards) and Tank Bigsby (104) fueled a 276-yard rushing performance in a 38-20 vengeance win against the Giants. The Eagles benefited from a pair of controversial calls going their way, including one to negate a would-be Hurts fumble on the Tush Push. The defense tallied five sacks.

The Chargers led wire-to-wire, outgaining the Vikings by a massive disparity of 419 yards to 164. Justin Herbert was the standout performer, throwing for 227 yards and three touchdowns, and adding 62 yards on the ground.

The Vikings aren’t nearly as good as they were in 2024. While a playoff berth isn’t out of the question, this isn’t a Super Bowl team. They need to have enough data to make a decision about McCarthy, so that they can explore their options in 2026.

There was a point in this NFL offseason, after the initial wave of free agency had settled down, where the Vikings were projected to receive two premium compensatory picks in the 2026 draft, and even had a chance at landing a third. Now, midway through the 2025 season, their comp pick outlook has worsened by a good bit.

Maybe the most jarring is how disappointing the Vikings have been in this area since coach Kevin O’Connell arrived in 2022. They have passed on 68.1 percent of these downs and distances, the most of any team in the NFL over that span. They’ve had a 20 percent higher conversion rate when running than when throwing.