Signs Point to the Vikings Starting 1 QB
The quarterback position has been a problem for the Minnesota Vikings, as neither J.J. McCarthy nor backup Carson Wentz has played at a high level, and both have been dealing with injuries in recent weeks. The identity of the QB1 in Sunday’s clash against the Philadelphia Eagles is in question.
Signs Point to the Vikings Starting 1 QB
On Wednesday, both passers spoke to the media. Usually, only the starter has that duty, but with that being a mystery, both had to answer some questions. That reality didn’t help designate the starter.
Well, of course, head coach Kevin O’Connell didn’t reveal anything either. He’s a pro at speaking for 15 minutes without saying much.
Yet, there are some clues.
ESPN’s Kevin Seifert reemphasized on Wednesday, “O’Connell has said he wants McCarthy to be 100% recovered when he returns to the lineup, in part to ensure he can carry his lower-body mechanics and footwork into a game.”
McCarthy is not at 100%, the quarterback revealed Wednesday: “Ankle is, you know, it’s getting there. I wouldn’t say it’s 100 percent right now, but we’re striving every day to get there as fast as possible.”
The young signal-caller suffered a high ankle sprain in Week 2’s performance against the Atlanta Falcons. He has played in two games, and of the eight quarters, seven have been pretty poor, with the lone exception being the spectacular fourth quarter against the Chicago Bears in his NFL debut.
Wentz had to step in and has gone 2-1 in his absence. Those games have been a mixed bag. The veteran wasn’t asked to make any big-time throws in the blowout in Week 3; he struggled in Week 4, and he was solid in Week 5, including a flawless game-winning drive.
In that Week 5 game, the second-overall pick from nearly a decade ago suffered a shoulder injury. On the bright side, it’s the non-throwing shoulder, and he returned to practice on Wednesday. The official injury report lists Wentz as a full participant while McCarthy was limited.
Asked if he would like to play on Sunday, McCarthy expressed jokingly, “Me, selfishly, I’m gonna play … but we gotta be smart here and understand there’s a lot of things that go into place. At the end of the day, I’m just gonna do what I’m told and try to get better as fast as possible.”
High ankle sprains usually take some time, and McCarthy disclosed that he received timelines ranging from two to six weeks. Sunday will mark five weeks.
About the ankle sprain, McCarthy said, “I’ve never felt a high ankle before. I’ve had low ankles. But just based off of what a lot of well-respected second opinions have said, they said it’s four to six, two to six [weeks]. I feel like it was gonna be in that range, and we’re still in that range. It’s unfortunate and they’re really annoying injuries, but we’re just continuing to work to get to 100 percent as quick as possible.”
Perhaps McCarthy could play on Sunday, but if he can’t fully practice, the Vikings won’t throw him out there. O’Connell keeps stating that the missed practice due to his child’s birth ahead of the Falcons game in Week 2, especially in a short week, played a role in the poor performance.
Another note: the Week 8 game will take place in Los Angeles on Thursday. There’s a decent chance McCarthy’s ankle would be a little sore after playing on Sunday, and that would be an issue in a short week.
For Wentz, nothing changes in terms of preparation, whether he’s starting or not.
“Even the first couple weeks here when J.J. was playing, I approached it the same,” Wentz proclaimed. “I prepare, go through my routine, go through my program of how I watch film, how I study the plays, how I get ready, what I do later in the week, how I take care of my body. That doesn’t really change. That’s the beauty of it, quite frankly. Having done both roles in my career so far, I have what works for me and what gets me ready to play, and that’s what I’ll be doing.”
That’s why you should always have a veteran passer in the building. Wentz knows the drill.
Things can change within the next few days leading up to the game, but it looks like McCarthy needs another week. A Wentz revenge game against the Philadelphia Eagles seems to be the more likely scenario.
Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over The Cap, and Sports Reference helped with this article.