Vikings WR Adam Thielen leaves Week 13 game with ankle injury

The Minnesota Vikings fell behind early against the Detroit Lions and suffered a big blow when two-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Adam Thielen went down with an ankle injury.

Thielen, 31, was able to walk off the field under his own power and had his ankle taped in the medical tent. But after originally being ruled as questionable to return, Thielen never did and was declared out for the remainder of the game early in the third quarter.

Detroit went to halftime up 20-6 as the Vikings offense struggled to find any rhythm in the first half. A loss to the winless Lions would drop Minnesota to 5-7 and be devastating for the team's postseason hopes. While a wild card berth is still up for grabs in the NFC, it would all but end any hope of tracking down the 9-3 Green Bay Packers for the NFC North title.

Thielen is one of Minnesota's best offensive weapons and is tied for the league lead with 10 receiving touchdowns on the year.