Vikings lose star LT Christian Darrisaw for a season due to a torn ACL and MCL

The Minnesota Vikings lost significantly more than the game on “Thursday Night Football” against the Los Angeles Rams.

Vikings left tackle Christian Darrisaw, one of the best players at his position in the NFL, will miss the remainder of the season after suffering a “significant” left knee injury on Thursday, Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell announced Friday known. According to ESPN, the injury is a torn ACL and ACL.

“I was hoping last night that perhaps the imaging would reveal a less serious injury, but unfortunately that is not the case,” O'Connell said. “We will determine the best course of action regarding the procedure to resolve the breach. I know CD will be back where he was this year, which is one of the best left tackles in football.”

The injury occurred in the third quarter of a 30-20 Vikings loss when Rams safety Jaylen McCollough fell on his lower leg while tackling Vikings running back Aaron Jones from behind. Darrisaw's leg was bent awkwardly and he had to be helped off the field by trainers.

The loss of Darrisaw is brutal for the Vikings, who have now lost two games in a row after starting the season 0-5. Darrisaw's play was one of the main reasons for this hot start.

The former first-rounder signed a four-year, $113 million contract extension with $77 million guaranteed last offseason and played like the best pass blocker the Vikings paid him for. Pro Football Focus ranks his play ninth-best among 76 tackles in the NFL this season, helping Jones and quarterback Sam Darnold both rekindle their seasons.

Other than Justin Jefferson, there may not have been a more important player to the Vikings' offense, and now Minnesota must find a way to replace him if they want to stay afloat in the highly competitive NFC North.

Veteran backup David Quessenberry replaced Darrisaw for the remainder of Thursday's game, but O'Connell said the Vikings would discuss several options for a solution for the rest of the season. According to ESPN, that could include replacing left guard Blake Brandel, who has experience at left tackle, and sixth-round rookie Walter Rouse.

From ESPN:

The Vikings will have a long week after Thursday's game to figure out Darrisaw's replacement. Their next game is scheduled for November 3rd against the Indianapolis Colts.