Making the case for Max Brosmer: Starting rookie QB could make most sense against the Chargers
Carson Wentz's struggles and J.J. McCarthy's health, could combine to present the former University of Minnesota QB with an opportunity to be under center on Thursday night.
Carson Wentz spent much of Sunday afternoon at U.S. Bank Stadium showing why he is playing for his sixth team in six seasons. Wentz’s biggest gaffes were throwing interceptions on consecutive drives in the second quarter — the first of which was returned for a 42-yard touchdown by Philadelphia edge rusher Jalyx Hunt in a 28-22 loss to the Eagles.
But those weren’t Wentz’s only blunders in his fourth start in place of the injured J.J. McCarthy.
There was Wentz’s 34-yard completion to Jordan Addison down the right sideline in the first quarter that would have been a touchdown if he had hit the wide receiver in stride. Instead, Addison had to make an adjustment just to catch the ball.
Wentz’s second interception — which came on a deep pass for Addison that was picked by safety Andrew Mukuba — was preceded by an 8-yard loss on a fumble by Wentz. On second-and-27 at the Vikings 9, Wentz heaved the ball into double coverage.
The Vikings had moved to the Eagles 9-yard line on their opening drive of the third quarter only to have Wentz be penalized for intentional grounding on second-and-8. Wentz had fullback C.J. Ham open on the play, and his decision made little sense. The Vikings were backed up to the Eagles 19, Wentz completed a 9-yard pass to tight end T.J. Hockenson on third-and-18 and Will Reichard booted the third of his five field goals on the day.
Wentz finished 26-of-42 for 313 yards with two interceptions and a 64.9 passer rating, making the Vikings’ 0-2 in games in which he has passed for more than 300 yards. “I thought he competed and clearly he was able to allow our offense to be explosive,” said Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell, whose team is 3-3 and in last place in the NFC North. “The turnover plays, the first one obviously, even if we end up having to take a sack right there, interceptions for points the other way are massive plays in a game.”
O’Connell has become known as a quarterback whisperer because of his work with guys like Kirk Cousins and Sam Darnold, but the 32-year-old Wentz isn’t going to end up on O’Connell’s QB Wall of Fame.
He’s simply a placeholder until O’Connell is confident that J.J. McCarthy’s mechanics are where they need to be and that he has fully recovered from a high right ankle sprain suffered in Week 2 against Atlanta.
Is that going to be on Thursday night against the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium? That remains uncertain. McCarthy was the third quarterback on Sunday, meaning he could have played in an emergency. He looked comfortable moving around and throwing passes in pregame warmups, and O’Connell said McCarthy did get extensive work in practice last week.
That doesn’t mean O’Connell will feel comfortable bringing McCarthy back with only one day of practice for the Chargers.
So what if McCarthy isn’t ready?