4 Tantalizing Questions for the Next 4 Vikings Matchups
The Minnesota Vikings have spent the past week resting up on their bye, and now, the team is preparing to get back to work.
This next stretch of games is one that many fans circled before the season as the hardest stretch of the 2025 schedule, but now that it has arrived, a number of questions have arisen for the Vikings themselves and their opponents.
Philadelphia Eagles: Who Starts at Quarterback?
There are a couple of factors at play for the Minnesota Vikings this week as they prepare for a home matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles. J.J. McCarthy has sat out the past three games because of a high ankle sprain suffered in Week 2 against the Atlanta Falcons.
From the time his recovery started, McCarthy’s timeline has been set at four to six weeks, which means we are now firmly within that timeline for the second-year QB to return to the field. Of course, we need to see what McCarthy’s availability for practice is before it can be determined whether or not he should start, and the Vikings have gone 2-1 over the past three weeks with Carson Wentz at quarterback.
The question of whether McCarthy should be thrown to the wolves against the defending Super Bowl champs, but if that is the fear in the organization, there is another question to ask: when should McCarthy return to the field then? If a home game is too much of an ask, a road game on a short week against the Chargers and McCarthy’s college coach, Jim Harbaugh, doesn’t seem like a great option, nor does a road game against the Detroit Lions.
Los Angeles Chargers: Does LA Have a Running Game?
The Los Angeles Chargers snuck out a win against the Miami Dolphins this weekend, but they had notable absences from their backfield.
Omarion Hampton missed the game because of an ankle injury, and the most recent reporting suggests he could be on the sideline for even longer as NFL Network’s Mike Garofolo reported Sunday that he could be out for 4+ weeks.
Najee Harris is also out for the year with a torn Achilles, and the Chargers have lost both starting tackles Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt. If Alt and Hampton are not able to return to the field by Week 8, the Chargers likely will be forced to rely on Justin Herbert to carry their offense against the Vikings.
Detroit Lions: Which Team Is Healthier?
The Vikings have been trying to work through an injury bug essentially since the season began, and now, the Detroit Lions seem to be falling victim to it as well.
Detroit played Kansas City on Sunday night, and they were without names like Terrion Arnold and D.J. Reed in their secondary while neither Brian Branch or Kerby Joseph were at 100%. They’ve also been without starting left tackle Taylor Decker for two weeks, and backup Giovanni Manu is on injured reserve.
As a result, the Chiefs scored 30 points to topple the Lions this weekend.
The Vikings are hoping to get a few of their key players back in Week 7 after resting up on their bye week, including names like Blake Cashman, Aaron Jones, and Donovan Jackson. Health could be a key part of this matchup on both sides, and the healthier team may be the one to end up on top.
Baltimore Ravens: Does Baltimore Start Tanking?
Lamar Jackson has been sidelined for multiple weeks, and the Baltimore Ravens have freefallen to 1-5 on the season. They are 3.5 games out of the AFC North division race and three games out of the No. 7 seed currently held by the red-hot New England Patriots.
Jackson is expected to return in Week 8 after Baltimore’s Week 7 bye, but will their defense be able to stop the Chicago Bears and then the Miami Dolphins on a short week? Even if the Ravens win one of those games and are 2-6, at what point do they just consider this season a loss?
The Ravens would have to win out just to get to 12 wins this season, and they have to go at least 8-3 to ensure they get to nine wins and even have a puncher’s chance at the playoffs. It’s possible if Jackson is back to 100%, but a road game against Minnesota won’t be easy.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference helped with this article.
You must be logged in to post a comment.