After starting the season at 2-0, the Vikings were hoping for some positive news heading into this week's game against the Chicago Bears for control of the NFC North. Instead, they learned that defensive end Erasmus James will have to have season-ending surgery on a torn ACL in his left knee.

James suffered his injury during the fourth quarter of the Vikings' 16-13 overtime victory over the Carolina Panthers this past week. James was the team's second first-round draft pick last year. He is already the third Vikings' defensive player to suffer a season-ending injury, with the others being safety Tank Williams and linebacker Chad Greenway.