The Seattle Seahawks could be catching a huge break at quarterback in Week 13. With J.J. McCarthy in concussion protocol, the Minnesota Vikings are preparing to turn to undrafted rookie Max Brosmer instead of their struggling starter.
Itâs a stunning twist after an offseason in which, as Dianna Russini reported, Minnesota walked away from Sam Darnold, passed on Daniel Jones and Aaron Rodgers, and pushed all their chips in on McCarthy as the long-term answer. Inside that building, there were voices that wanted to keep Darnold, but the Vikings ultimately bet on a 22-year-old coming off a major knee injury â and so far, the returns have been ugly.
McCarthy has missed time with a high ankle sprain, now a concussion, and ranks near the bottom of the league in completion rate and efficiency, with six touchdowns and 10 interceptions for a Vikings offense that has sputtered most weeks.
Now, with McCarthy not expected to play and veteran Carson Wentz already out for the season, the Vikings are preparing to hand the ball to Brosmer for his first NFL start against Mike Macdonaldâs defense at Lumen Field.
Brosmer, a rookie UDFA who made the roster after the draft, has drawn praise as calm and organized, but heâs thrown only a handful of NFL passes so far.
For a Vikings team that believed it was built to win now around Kevin OâConnell, Justin Jefferson and a big offseason spending spree, itâs a full-blown quarterback crisis arriving just as the 8-3 Seahawks are climbing into the NFCâs top tier.
What the Vikingsâ QB Mess Means for the Seahawks
From Seattleâs perspective, this is about as favorable a setup as you can ask for in late November.
Macdonaldâs defense now likely gets an undrafted rookie making his first start, on the road, with a hostile crowd and a pass rush thatâs been steadily heating up. Brosmer has just eight NFL pass attempts, and the Vikingsâ offensive line just allowed five sacks in Green Bay.
That should allow the Seahawks to lean into their disguised coverages and simulated pressures, forcing Brosmer to diagnose post-snap movement he hasnât seen at game speed. If he holds the ball, Seattleâs front can get home. If he plays fast, the risk is throwing into the teeth of a secondary thatâs been opportunistic.
On the other side, itâs a clean ârevengeâ narrative for Sam Darnold.
Minnesota let Darnold walk after a 14-win season under OâConnell, then watched him land in Seattle and pilot an 8-3 start with 19 touchdown passes against 10 interceptions in a top-five power-ranked team.
Now the Vikings arrive in Seattle with their quarterback plan in shambles, while Darnold gets a chance to underline the decision they made at his expense.
For the Seahawks, this is the kind of game a contender has to choke out early. A noisy building, a chaotic Vikings QB situation and a rookie making his first start are all there to be leveraged â but letting Minnesota hang around with Jefferson on the field is how an âeasyâ spot turns into a crisis.
Stats, Schedule & Context for SeahawksâVikings
- The Seahawks are 8-3 and sitting second in the NFC West, climbing into the national top five in multiple power rankings after their Week 12 win.
- The Vikings are 4-7, on a three-game losing streak and last in the NFC North.
- McCarthy has six touchdown passes, 10 interceptions and a completion rate just over 54% in six starts this season.
- Brosmer went undrafted after a productive college career and has completed 5-of-8 passes for 42 yards in limited NFL action.
- Darnold has thrown 19 touchdown passes and gone over 2,700 yards passing for Seattle heading into Week 13
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