The Minnesota Vikings finally appear ready to transition back to J.J. McCarthy as the starting quarterback.
McCarthy has watched from the sidelines for the last six weeks (five games and the bye) as backup Carson Wentz has led a shaky offense to a 2-3 record. An ankle sprain knocked McCarthy out of the lineup just two weeks into his second NFL season, and some analysts have speculated that his struggles early on led head coach Kevin O’Connell to hold him out longer than necessary in favor of a veteran presence in Wentz.
But Wentz struggled mightily for the second game in a row against the Los Angeles Chargers on “Thursday Night Football,” completing 15-of-27 passes for 144 yards, one TD and one INT while taking five sacks. The defense was also bad, allowing 37 points in a 27-point road loss.
“There’s really not much, if anything, to really take positive out of the game,” O’Connell said during a press conference on Friday, October 24.
The one thing that O’Connell was positive about was the health of a handful of his injured players, including McCarthy. O’Connell spoke optimistically about McCarthy’s status, offering a strong indication, though not a definitive declaration, that the 22-year-old QB will be ready to go against the Detroit Lons on November 2.
“I do feel positive about where both Brian O’Neill and Christian Darrisaw are today,” O’Connell said. “The same can be said for J.J. McCarthy at the quarterback position. He will get some work in. Got some work today and will hopefully get some work throughout the early part of the week, which will lead him into a full week of preparation. And [I] feel positive about where he’s at as well.”
JJ McCarthy Hasn’t Played Particularly Well in 2 NFL Starts, but Could Provide Spark Vikings Currently Missing
GettyQuarterback J.J. McCarthy of the Minnesota Vikings.
What McCarthy will be able to give the Vikings on the field is a matter of legitimate debate. However, after three losses in four games and an average of 18.5 points per contest over that stretch, a couple things the 22-year-old QB might be able to offer are a spark of energy and a bit of hope that the team can turn around its season.
Kirk Herbstreit asserted on the TNF broadcast that McCarthy has the “it” factor, adding that he’s the type of personality for whom teammates can gear up to play at the highest level. That proved true when McCarthy accounted for three touchdowns in the fourth quarter against the Chicago Bears in Week 1, erasing an 11-point deficit and earning a win in his first-ever NFL start.
But McCarthy struggled up until that point in the game, then had a tough second outing in a blowout home loss to the Atlanta Falcons. He has tallied 301 yards, two TDs and three INTs on 58.5% passing in two games this season.
Vikings Have Minimal Options at QB Outside of JJ McCarthy
GettyAtlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins.
Minnesota doesn’t really have anywhere else to turn under center, save for undrafted rookie Max Brosmer.
The Vikings could look to add a quarterback, though free agency is a pretty empty cupboard at this point in the year. The other option is to consider the trade market.
Kirk Cousins‘ name has popped back up as a potential option for the Vikings, though the team has just one game remaining against Detroit 10 days from now before the league’s trade deadline passes on November 4.
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