Kevin O'Connell could end up weighing future versus the present in QB decision
The Vikings coach doesn't have to answer the question now, but he will have to make a call on whether to continue starting Carson Wentz or go back to J.J. McCarthy once he's cleared to play.
Anyone who thought the Vikings’ transition to J.J. McCarthy as their starting quarterback was going to be seamless hadn’t familiarized themselves with the franchise’s turbulent history at the position.
McCarthy, who missed all of his rookie season because of a knee injury, lasted two games before sitting out Sunday because of a high ankle sprain suffered against Atlanta. That opened the door for veteran Carson Wentz to get the start in the Vikings’ 48-10 victory over Cincinnati on Sunday.
Wentz wasn’t spectacular — 14 of 20 for 173 yards with two touchdowns — but he did receive positive reviews from coach Kevin O’Connell for playing “point guard.” That’s a nice way of saying Wentz did a good job of playing game manager.
The question now is one O’Connell has no interest in answering: When does McCarthy get his job back? McCarthy avoided going on injured reserve — a move that would have required him to miss four weeks — and an initial report said he would miss two to four weeks.
The Vikings will play their next two games in Europe, facing the Steelers on Sunday in Dublin and the Browns on Oct. 5 in London. That will be followed by a bye week. Although McCarthy will go on the trip to Europe, the assumption has been that he will return for the Oct. 19 game against Philadelphia at U.S. Bank Stadium.
O’Connell said that isn’t necessarily accurate.
“No matter how much I believe J.J. would go out there and tough it out, today, tomorrow, if we asked him to,” O’Connell said, “at this point, in a very young career, his mobility is one of his weapons that he’s clearly already shown to be something that’s a positive for him. So we want to make sure he’s healthy, and allow this to be something that we can put in the rearview mirror.”
O’Connell is right in that if McCarthy is to be effective he needs to be able to scramble. He had run for 16 yards in the third quarter against the Falcons before linebacker Kaden Elliss rolled up on his right ankle. Turning the 22-year-old McCarthy into a pocket passer would strip him of an important part of his game.
McCarthy appears to be making excellent progress in his recovery. He is no longer wearing a walking boot and was on the Vikings sideline for Sunday’s game. The Vikings are 2-1 after beating the Bengals, and the sense of urgency felt around TCO Performance Center last week has been dialed down.
The defense was the primary reason the Vikings won so easily — cornerback Isaiah Rodgers returned an interception and fumble for touchdowns and the Vikings forced five turnovers — but Wentz provided a steadying influence in his first start after signing in late August.
Returning McCarthy to the starting role won’t be difficult if Wentz struggles in Europe, but that would be bad news for a team that’s built to win now. If Wentz continues to be solid, or if his play improves, O’Connell is going to have a decision to make and it likely won’t be an easy one.