Vikings’ Aaron Jones is week to week with hip injury, avoiding long-term absence

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Vikings are treating running back Aaron Jones’ right hip injury as a week-to-week condition, coach Kevin O’Connell said Tuesday.

Jones was hurt in the first quarter of the game Sunday in London against the New York Jets and did not return. The Vikings (5-0), who are the only undefeated team remaining in the NFC, have begun their bye week and don’t play again until Oct. 20 against Detroit.

“All the early information that we’ve got so far, it looks like we’ve avoided a long-term injury,” said O’Connell, who was hoping Jones could begin to work his way back into practice next week after receiving treatment during the bye week, but his status for the Lions game in Week 7 was unclear.

After that, the Vikings have a short turnaround for an Oct. 24 road game against the Los Angeles Rams. Jones has 350 rushing yards and 167 receiving yards over his first five games with Minnesota. He’s eighth in the NFL in combined yards from scrimmage.

Ty Chandler became the lead ball carrier with Jones sidelined.

“I’ve got a lot of confidence in Ty, really going back to last year when he really emerged for us like he did in the second half of last season,” O’Connell said.