Kevin O’Connell Clarifies the QB Plan
It was not a fun ride at all for Skol Nation. Enduring the Minnesota Vikings for over three hours on Thursday night was quite the pain in the you-know-what. Seven of the 17 games are in the rearview mirror, and the 3-4 record lands the squad last in the NFC North.
Kevin O’Connell Clarifies the QB Plan
There are many things broken beyond the quarterback position at this point. Even Tom Brady in an all-time performance couldn’t have saved Thursday’s Vikings.
Yet, J.J. McCarthy is at least a reason to tune in. Unfortunately, he has been sidelined for over a month, with Carson Wentz taking over due to the high ankle sprain suffered in Week 2.
After the latest defeat, reporters questioned Kevin O’Connell about McCarthy’s status going forward, and he gave a pretty straightforward answer: “If J.J. is healthy, J.J. will play. That’s been the case since the injury. That’s always been kind of my mindset, and I believe we’re right—hopefully—around the corner from seeing him be healthy, have a week of preparation and go compete.”
He reemphasized that McCarthy was close to returning this week, but not quite there yet.
The Vikings will have an extra three days between games due to the Chargers bout taking place on Thursday. Expectations were high for McCarthy entering the season, but he’s only played in two games, and even those were erratic.
The hope now is that he can provide a spark and show growth from his opening performances, looking more like the guy he was in the fourth quarter of his debut, when he scored three touchdowns, rather than the player he was in the other seven quarters of game action.
McCarthy completed 24 of 41 passes for 301 yards, throwing a pair of touchdowns and three interceptions. He added 50 yards and a touchdown on the ground. In his five games, Wentz completed 110 of 169 passes for 1,216 yards, six touchdowns, and five interceptions, with 57 rushing yards.
The veteran has provided the usual inconsistent backup quarterback experience. The 2-3 record is about as good as could’ve been expected from a reserve. He’s done some nice things, including a game-winning drive in London, but overall, he’s just leaving plays on the field that one expects a starter to make.
Next on the docket are the Detroit Lions, who once again appear to be part of the elite NFC competition. If he’s indeed healthy, it’ll be McCarthy’s return to Michigan, where he had some considerable success in college. His first homecoming of the season, in the opener against his hometown Bears, he celebrated a win.
At that point, the Vikings will have a hopefully reasonably healthy football team. Brian O’Neill missed Thursday’s game due to his MCL injury suffered in Week 4. After playing through it in Week 7, he skipped the short week. Left tackle Christian Darrisaw tried to play through his knee issues, but only logged nine snaps. The “mini-bye” could help get both back, and if that’s the case, only center Ryan Kelly remains out on the front.
The skill players are a full go with Aaron Jones returning in Los Angeles. Tight end Josh Oliver might miss some time, though. He was carted off. O’Connell stated that the X-rays were negative, but further evaluation will take place on Friday.
From now on, McCarthy’s growth will be the big storyline. To have a realistic shot at a playoff berth, various other elements will have to improve, however.
Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over The Cap, and Sports Reference helped with this article.