Carson Wentz didn’t need to set the field afire in his Vikings debut — he just needed to play smart, mistake-free football.
He did that and more Week 3, steering Minnesota to a 48–10 rout of the Cincinnati Bengals. Wentz was efficient, going 14-of-20 for 173 yards, two touchdowns and most importantly, zero turnovers. He hit Josh Oliver and T.J. Hockenson for scores, spread the ball around and never once looked rattled.
Jordan Mason also added 116 yards and two TDs, and Wentz kept the offense humming simply by avoiding the mistakes that had plagued the unit over the first two games. That’s why the conversation about sticking with Wentz over starter J.J. McCarthy, at least for now, is beginning to get more traction.
“Unfortunately for J.J. McCarthy, it wasn’t going to take much for Wentz to play better than him as the starting quarterback,” Jeff Kerr of CBS Sports wrote on September 22. “Wentz will get another shot to start next Sunday (in London against the Steelers), but he’s better than McCarthy right now and allows the Vikings to win games. The Vikings should ride Wentz as long as they can at this point, even though they’ll likely go back to McCarthy once he’s healthy.”
Should Minnesota Vikings Continue With Carson Wentz as Starting QB Over J.J. McCarthy?
J.J. McCarthy’s first two weeks were memorable for all the wrong reasons save for one quarter. The rookie gave fans a taste of his potential with a late fourth-quarter rally Week 1 in a win over the Chicago Bears. He went 13-for-20 for 143 yards, two touchdowns and an interception in that game.
A week later in Atlanta, he went 11-of-21 for 158 yards, no touchdowns and two picks. Through two starts, McCarthy has three touchdowns, three turnovers and a QBR (20.5) that ranks dead last among starters. It’s what you’d expect from a young signal-caller still adjusting to NFL speed.
But should McCarthy’s struggles mean Wentz should start? If the veteran has another solid game and doesn’t make any errors that hurt the team, it will absolutely be a conversation — if it isn’t already.
Week 4 Will Be Huge for Wentz
McCarthy’s high-ankle sprain suffered in Week 2 will keep him out at least another game or two, and the Vikings are about to head overseas to face the Steelers in Dublin. Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell has already announced Wentz will start Week 4, and how the team performs, particularly on offense, could significantly sway what the team decides to do next.
This isn’t a knock on McCarthy’s long-term outlook. He was drafted to be the team’s future, and he still is. But right now, with the defense forcing turnovers, the run game finding traction and the team sitting at 2–1, the offense has to have stability. If Wentz shows he can offer that, it’s going to force O’Connell and company into making a difficult decision.
At some point, the baton will pass back to McCarthy. For now, though, the Vikings may have stumbled into another Sam Darnold-esque formula: a balanced offense aided immensely by a swarming defense.
Wentz has earned another week, and maybe more. That’s not a slight on McCarthy—it’s just reality for the Vikes right now.