Kevin O’Connell’s non-answer Monday to the question about whether quarterback J.J. McCarthy will regain his starting job once he’s healthy was noncommittal, not what either side of the brewing debate wants to hear and also perfect for where the 2-1 Vikings are this week with 32-year-old Carson Wentz having played with poise in his 100th NFL game and where the 1-1 Vikings were last week with McCarthy looking like what he is: 10 years younger and 98 games greener than Wentz.
O’Connell danced around the question for a little while, mentioning the “10,000 reps and 10,000 hours it takes to play the position at a high level,” before adding …
“It also doesn’t require an answer on that question today. I think our goal was to win a football game [Sunday]. We’re in the day after that. We’re preparing for another top-tier opponent,” Pittsburgh on Sunday in Ireland.
O’Connell gave himself time to make a longer-term decision, saying McCarthy has to get healthy first. Then, he built in a little extra time, saying McCarthy needs to be as mobile as he was before the injury because that’s one of his greatest strengths at this point in his very young career.
McCarthy is responding to treatment well and out of his walking boot, O’Connell said. Though McCarthy will travel to Europe for games against the Steelers in Dublin and the Browns in London, he isn’t expected to be even a consideration to start until after the bye week when the Vikings play host to the Eagles on Oct. 19.
A lot can happen, and almost always does, with an NFL team between now and two games and a bye from now. But going by what’s in front of us right now, the situation seems clear to these eyeballs:
This is Wentz’s job to lose over the next two games. The Vikings beat the Bengals 48-10 at a time when everything about them was down in the dumps. Wentz played well, and that’s all that matters, not the career development of a player who’s injured once again.
According to NextGen Stats, Wentz got rid of the ball in fewer than 2.5 seconds on 60% of his throws. In Weeks 1-2, McCarthy did that 17% of the time. That sure seems like a wow stat.
“[Wentz] was very sharp fundamentally,” O’Connell said. “There were quite a few reps where the ground is the quarterback’s friend from a standpoint of keeping your foundation and your base, balance and body position in the ground so you can make quick decisions.”
Wentz completed 14 of 20 passes (70%) for 173 yards, two touchdowns, no turnovers and a 129.8 passer rating. McCarthy was completing 58.8% of his passes with two touchdowns, three interceptions and a 67.2 passer rating.
On third downs, McCarthy was 5-of-11 (45.5%) for 65 yards, two first downs, a pick-six, a touchdown and four sacks. Wentz was 3-of-5 (60%) with a first down and two touchdowns to three targets, two of them tight ends McCarthy wasn’t leaning on.
Things could change. Wentz could have two gigantic stinkers, especially against the Cleveland defense in London. But at least on this day, things seem pretty clear.
Carson Wentz will get at least one more start for the Vikings. What if he plays well and they keep winning? Michael Rand looks at that in today’s 10 things to know.