The Minnesota Vikings are returning to action after enjoying their bye week in Week 6, and they will be welcomed back to the field with a difficult contest against the Philadelphia Eagles. The biggest storyline for the Vikings heading into this game is whether J.J. McCarthy or Carson Wentz will be starting under center for them.
After McCarthy suffered an ankle injury in Week 2, Wentz has filled in under center for him over the past three games, leading Minnesota to a pair of wins. With McCarthy potentially set to return, and Wentz now dealing with a shoulder injury, the Vikings have to spend the next few days figuring out who will start under center. If Wentz ends up playing, though, he’ll be facing off against the team that initially selected him back in the 2016 NFL Draft.
Carson Wentz Opens Up on Upcoming Matchup vs. Eagles
Wentz was selected with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2016 Draft by the Eagles, and early in his career, it seemed like he was set to become the team’s quarterback of the future. Wentz was on track to win the MVP Award in 2017 before he suffered a torn ACL that altered the trajectory of his career. Nick Foles filled in for him and promptly led Philly to a Super Bowl victory, and while Wentz eventually returned to be the team’s starter, but he never hit the heights he hit in 2017.
After the 2020 season, Wentz was traded to the Indianapolis Colts, and since then, he’s bounced around the league quite a bit. Wentz has since spent time with the Washington Commanders, Los Angeles Rams, and Kansas City Chiefs before landing with the Vikings right before the start of the season to become McCarthy’s backup.
Sure enough, Wentz was thrown into action early, and he’s generally held up quite well, throwing for 759 yards and five touchdowns through three games. With McCarthy’s status still up in the air, Wentz could be called upon again to fill in under center, and yet, he doesn’t seem phased by the prospect of potentially squaring off against his former team.
“Not really,” Wentz bluntly admitted when asked if this matchup had any added significance to him. “Maybe earlier in my career, it maybe had a different feeling, but at the same time, you look over there, and I’m not even sure there’s anybody on the defensive side that I played with, it just looks different. It’s just another opponent.”
Vikings, Carson Wentz Looking to Hand Eagles a Loss in Week 7
GettyCarson Wentz #11 of the Minnesota Vikings looks on after facing the Cincinnati Bengals.
McCarthy didn’t exactly look great in his first two outings with the Vikings this season, and with Wentz holding his own, it remains to be seen what the team is going to do at quarterback moving forward. Minnesota is widely believed to have a roster that is capable of competing for a playoff spot: it’s just a matter of whether or not they can get the sort of production they need from the quarterback position.
Regardless of who ends up under center, the Vikings are going to have their work cut out for them in this one, as the Eagles are believed to be one of the top championship contenders in the league, even though they have lost their past two games. Kickoff for this game is scheduled for 1 p.m. ET on Sunday afternoon.
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