As the Minnesota Vikings prepare for their Thanksgiving Day matchup with the New England Patriots, they know this week’s matchup will be tough. Going up against Bill Belichick is never an easy task and the Vikings will need all hands on deck. One concern heading into this week’s game will be the health status of star pass-rusher Za’Darius Smith.

Following a brutal beatdown at the hands of the Dallas Cowboys, the Vikings need to get back on track. Even though they are firmly in the lead in the NFC North, the Vikings cannot allow themselves to lose momentum at this point in the season.

According to a report from Pro Football Talk, Smith was limited in practice due to a knee injury. It doesn’t seem like the injury is too serious, but it’s something to keep a very close eye on.

Smith has become a massive piece of the Vikings’ defense. Without him on the field, Minnesota would have a much more difficult task defending against New England.

So far this season, Smith has played in all 10 games and has put together a big year. He has racked up 30 total tackles to go along with 9.5 sacks and four defended passes. Once again, Smith is one of the most feared pass-rushers in the entire NFL.

Last season with the Packers, Smith dealt with nagging injury issues and missed most of the season. This doesn’t seem to be that serious, but as always with a knee injury, it’s something to monitor. Hopefully, he can get back to full health and play a big role this week against the Patriots.

Expect to hear more about Za’Darius Smith’s status for the Vikings this week in the very near future. He seems likely to play, but only time will tell.