Don’t Count Out These Vikings Players Just Yet
The last few weeks have been the ultimate roller coaster for Kevin O’Connell and the Minnesota Vikings. The last quarter turnaround in Chicago. The absolute meltdown versus the Falcons.
The absolute domination of the Bengals. Fans are riding high after yesterday, but they can always seem to find something to be negative about, and they are not always wrong. I just love it when folks suddenly give up on players or coaches after a small sample size with some adversity mixed in.
Several Minnesota Vikings players stepped up after early struggles, proving they still have plenty to contribute as the season unfolds and roles evolve.
What have I seen from fans on social media and even from some of my coworkers here?
Who Should Be The Quarterback?
Death, taxes, construction on major highways in the Twin Cities, and Vikings fans clamoring for the backup quarterback to play are lifelong constants. Since the 1980s, we have seen quarterback controversy the moment one guy struggles, and the backup has a shining game or two.
Like the sands of the hourglass, so are the days of our fandom’s lives. J.J. McCarthy struggled for seven quarters in the first two games, with a glimmer of what can be at the end of the Bears game. It caused Vikings fans to start puckering up tighter than a seal on the hatch of a submarine.
Add in the injury – regardless of how serious it is, and they’re throwing their hands up and crying, “Why us?” So now the team has to inject Carson Wentz for a few weeks to either get by or right the offensive side of the longboat. Wentz, playing for his childhood favorite team, came into yesterday’s game with more question marks than answers.
We didn’t get to see him in the preseason anywhere because he was not on a team at the time. Luckily for the team, he was just fine jumping into the starter’s role. Wentz’s stats weren’t earth-shattering, but they were consistent and steady enough to get the win, going 14/20 with 2 touchdowns and 0 turnovers.
He was helped by a productive ground game that took a ton of pressure off him and an inept Bengals team that looks bad all around. Not to mention that the defense scored twice and caused five turnovers.
What does this mean for McCarthy? It does put some pressure on him for sure. You can’t argue that. I’ve already seen people suggesting they should hand the reins over to Wentz and leave it at that, and that McCarthy should sit another year or until Wentz struggles.
As I said before, Wentz had a great game and was a part of the win for sure. He exploited the middle of the field better and kept drives alive by getting rid of the ball a bit faster. He looked good, and his veteran presence was noticeable.
However, he didn’t do anything phenomenal to make it look like he could take over the game on a moment’s notice. He did what McCarthy needs to do, which is be a game manager for the most part and be great when called on.
Wentz may be able to do the same in the next few weeks against some strong defensive teams, in the Steelers and surprising Browns, with the addition of Jordan Addison making his return this week and taking McCarthy’s healing through the bye week. If he doesn’t stay consistent and secure wins, the Vikings will be no better off.
Sometimes teams get some tape on a player, and there can be a regression. I don’t think he’ll stay in the role for the rest of the season, even if they win those games, simply because the Vikings need to assess what they have in McCarthy and determine if he is truly the franchise quarterback going forward. McCarthy has to stay healthy, though, to be available to be on the field.
Running Back Carousel
Aaron Jones came to the Vikings knowing he would be the undisputed starter last year. He was a solid runner and had some of the best numbers of his career. Short yardage isn’t his strength, though, and the offensive line couldn’t get any decent push for him to get many rushing touchdowns.
In the offseason, Kwesi Adofo-Mensah traded for Jordan Mason, who can effectively take on opposing players, even if the line doesn’t provide him much push. Jones is on IR due to a hamstring injury and won’t be back until after the bye week.
On Sunday, Mason took full advantage of his starting opportunity and had 116 yards on only 16 carries. That averages to an impressive 7.2 yards per carry with two of those being touchdowns. Zavier Scott was his backup, and he looked good on runs and a few receptions out of the backfield.
Social media and even the morning shows on KFAN, The Fan 100.3, questioned who the number one back should be going forward. I still think Jones will be the choice out of respect for his contributions to the receiving game and pass protection, but it could change at any time if he gets nicked up again. The guy most likely to be on the outs is the other running back on IR, Ty Chandler.
Scott had impressed in preseason games, and this week the Vikings brought back Cam Akers, which means Chandler is most likely going to be released or traded by the time he’s healthy enough to return.
T.J. Hockenson Is Not Missing
I started to see some scuttlebutt on Hockenson being a bust of a trade, and that the team should get rid of him in some cases. Last year, he had a total of 46 catches between the regular season and the lone playoff game with zero touchdowns on a truncated season due to still recovering from a knee injury.
In the first two games of 2025, he was not heavily involved in the passing game, catching 3 passes for 15 yards against the Bears and 1 for 12 yards against the Falcons. Those numbers are not worth what the team is currently paying him. Against the Bengals on Sunday, he not only caught 5 passes for 49 yards but also scored his first touchdown since 2023.
Hockenson hasn’t been missing, but may have been “missed” due to McCarthy not seeing the middle of the field clearly and getting him the ball in a timely fashion. Wentz got it to him. In defense of McCarthy, here more than Hockenson, the line played much better in this game, and the Bengals just aren’t very good, as the Vikings dominated them on both sides of the ball. I think fans also forget that tight ends are more than pass catchers; they have to block well, too.
Ben Leber said last week, with Paul Allen on his Nine to Noon show, that he was impressed with how well Hockenson has been blocking this year. A skill that is often underappreciated. Those of you putting him on the back of milk cartons may want to hold off a bit.
The Adam Project
The wide receiver corps was not impressive at the end of training camp, so the Vikings went out and got a guy they knew and needed. Adam Thielen was brought home to bolster the numbers until Jordan Addison returned from his suspension and as insurance for Jalen Nailor, who had a hand injury.
The trade was lauded not just from a team standpoint but also from a public affairs angle. Theilen was a great veteran receiver in Carolina and was very productive despite his age and the Panthers’ overall struggles. So far, the prodigal son hasn’t done much after his return home, with only a catch for a 2-point conversion in the Bears game as his lone highlight.
He had 3 catches last week against the Falcons and none this week. One notable instance was a glaring drop in the 4th quarter, when Max Brosmer came in to get some playing time in the blowout. One could think that Father Time was vacationing in Minnesota, just waiting for Theilen to get back. The problem is that I haven’t seen any film on him to show if he’s not able to get separation, or if McCarthy’s or Wentz’s timing and vision have led to him being almost nonexistent.
You could also add that in Carolina, he was arguably the top wide receiver, whereas here, he is second or third, with Justin Jefferson being the main man. His other target yesterday was an overthrow by Wentz in the endzone that Theilen still managed to stretch out for and attempt a one-handed grab that most guys his age wouldn’t risk their bodies for. Effort definitely isn’t in question.
Maybe when Addison gets back, he will get better opportunities and openings, so the jury is still out on him. If the offense and quarterback play regress to the form of the first two games, then it won’t matter much anyway.
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