The Vikings QB Battle Just Got a Plot Twist
In a week or slightly after, the Minnesota Vikings will announce their Week 7 starting quarterback for a showdown against the Philadelphia Eagles at U.S. Bank Stadium. And to thicken the plot on that situation, Carson Wentz is evidently injured.
Carson Wentz and J.J. McCarthy are in the mix to start at quarterback after the Week 6 bye, and a small plot twist arrived on Monday for the Vikings.
The veteran passer has been knocked around in the last three games, so much so that a shoulder injury has reared its ugly head during the bye week.
An Injury Has Beset Vikings QB Carson Wentz
The news merely adds to bye week intrigue.
Carson Wentz Wrestles with Shoulder Injury
The man who has led Minnesota to a 2-1 record on his watch is navigating a shoulder ailment.
NBC Sports‘ Josh Alper wrote Monday, “Vikings quarterback Carson Wentz only missed one play in Sunday’s win over the Browns in London, but he’s still getting a little extra medical attention now that the team is back in Minnesota.”
“Wentz injured his left shoulder before halftime and went to the locker room a little early to get it checked out. He returned for the second half and led a game-winning touchdown drive in the fourth quarter, but head coach Kevin O’Connell said at his press conference that Wentz is going for further consultations about the injury.”
Severity Unknown
Head coach Kevin O’Connell told reporters that Wentz’s left shoulder is “pretty sore” and “that will be something that we’ll be taking a look at throughout this week.”
Wentz gutted out the pain in London, leading to a 4th Quarter comeback over the Browns and solidifying a 2-1 record as the team’s starter. And for O’Connell to say “pretty sore,” well, that’s O’Connellian phrasing for really sore.
If Wentz’s objective was to remain the team’s starter — and there was no such thing as J.J. McCarthy — this injury would absolutely take center stage for all things Vikings during the two-week-long break. But with McCarthy healing from a high ankle sprain, the Wentz shoulder injury has been met with a shrug from fans.
A Natural Pivot to J.J. McCarthy
In addition to Wentz’s ailing shoulder, O’Connell announced on Monday that McCarthy would ramp up this week during the bye and practice leading up to Week 7, a clear indicator that McCarthy will be ready as the QB1 against the Eagles in 12 days or on Thursday Night Football against the Los Angeles Chargers four days later.
McCarthy sprained his ankle in Week 2 and has been missing since. Without him, Minnesota has enforced a patchwork offense, and it’s not as if McCarthy totally set the world on fire in the first place.
Still, he is the team’s great Round 1 hope at quarterback, and with Wentz’s shoulder in jeopardy, along with McCarthy’s return to practice, it just feels like an organic time to hand McCarthy his job back.
It’s all aligning.
Wentz’s Old Team up Next
Not for nothing, if the signals are totally wrong, and Wentz indeed starts a fourth consecutive game, he’d do so against a familiar opponent: the team that brought him into this world nine years ago.
Wentz played for the Eagles until Philadelphia drafted Jalen Hurts, and truth be told, Wentz played wonderfully for a few years. He felt like the next big thing — until he wasn’t.
While McCarthy is tentatively expected to start in Week 7, Wentz would have a “revenge game” angle awaiting him at U.S. Bank Stadium.
PFN on Wentz
Pro Football Network‘s Priyanshu Choudhary weighed in on Wentz’s injury: “Unfortunately, the situation only seems to get worse as the weeks pile on. As a result, the bye week is arriving at the perfect time for Minnesota, especially with the latest addition to the injury report, which could leave them without any serviceable play at the most important position in the sport.”
“The injury Carson Wentz suffered in the game against the Cleveland Browns, unfortunately, is looking like it could be a spot of bother for the Vikings. With McCarthy out, the team turned to their veteran backup to take the starting job in his stead. Going 1-1 the previous two weeks, Wentz had a chance to improve his record when he took the field against the Cleveland Browns.”
Minnesota is an early three-point underdog for Week 7 against Philadelphia.
“Leading a game-winning drive, he was able to heroically pull off the victory after injuring his shoulder earlier in the game. After going into the locker room before halftime, he managed to battle through the pain and deliver a victory for Minnesota. Behind the two, the options for the Vikings are understandably limited, with undrafted free agent Max Brosmer the designated QB3 on the roster,” Choudhary continued.
“After hoping to build an immediate playoff contender around McCarthy, Minnesota has struggled out of the gate. Sitting at 3-2, they are far from safe in an NFC North that remains as competitive as ever. However, the expectation around the team is that their potential franchise quarterback could be on his way back this week.”
“McCarthy or Wentz” will totally dominate the Vikings’ bye week discourse. This is your warning.
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