The Minnesota Vikings literally rode quarterback Carson Wentz into the ground. The 32-year-old was placed on injured reserve and will undergo season-ending surgery on his left shoulder, per reports.
Wentz lasted five games for the Vikings after season-starter J.J. McCarthy went down with an ankle injury after Week 2. He tossed for 1,216 yards, six touchdowns and five interceptions across that stretch and put up a 2-3 record.
Now in Week 9, Minnesota will be forced to start McCarthy and watch to see what exactly they've got in the 2024 first-round selection. The 22-year-old logged just 301 yards, two touchdowns and three picks across the two games he started, earning a win and a loss each.
Vikings have no choice but to start the JJ McCarthy era
Despite losing a solid backup (said generously) in Wentz, this injury could be a blessing in disguise for the Vikings. Now, head coach Kevin O'Connell will have to see what his young stud QB is really made of as we enter the second half of the season.
McCarthy displayed flashes of brilliance in a comeback victory over the Chicago Bears on Monday Night Football in Week 1 but left much to be desired the following game against the Atlanta Falcons. He'll need to prove he can be more consistent under center if he's going to give the coaching staff and front office confidence he's their QB of the future.
Minnesota's schedule isn't too daunting but it's manageable enough that McCarthy, if he really is what the team thinks he is, should be able to string a few wins together.
Week 9 @ Detroit (5-2)
Week 10 vs. Baltimore (2-5)
Week 11 vs. Chicago (4-3)
Week 12 @ Green Bay (5-1-1)
Week 13 @ Seattle (5-2)
Week 14 vs. Washington (3-4)
Week 15 @ Dallas (3-4-1)
Week 16 @ New York Giants (2-6)
Week 17 vs. Detroit (5-2)
Week 18 vs. Green Bay (5-1-1)
With a fully healthy offense, Minnesota should be able to accrue at least three to four wins from this stretch. By no means have the Vikings shown they are playoff caliber so far but if there was ever going to be a time for them to turn the corner and hit their stride, five key matchups with NFC North rivals over the next ten weeks is exactly where you'd want to do it.
Realistic expectations for the rest of J.J. McCarthy's pseudo-rookie season
So, what would a successful season look like for McCarthy and Minnesota? Well, staying healthy, for one, is the top priority. If McCarthy goes down again, O'Connell would have to turn to Max Brosmer and likely start planning for 2026 a little early.
If McCarthy can lead the team to a .500 stretch and accrue at least 2,000 passing yards over the next 10 games, then O'Connell can rest easy knowing there is still promise in his young star passer. Similarly, anywhere from 12-15 touchdowns and less than 10 interceptions in that span should inspire confidence for the Vikings faithful.
Sam Darnold posted 4,319 passing yards, 35 touchdowns and 12 picks in 17 games last season for Minnesota. It would be unrealistic to ask McCarthy to replicate one of the best performances in the league, but getting a little over half of that in 12 games is still a solid start.
The Vikings and their fans may need to temper any division championship and playoff expectations they entered the season with considering they're 2.5 games back on the NFC North-leading Packers. But it's not out of the question for Minnesota to create some chaos if McCarthy gets his footing.
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