As Warren Ludford noted for the Daily Norseman website, the Minnesota Vikings were without four offensive linemen and starting quarterback J.J. McCarthy because of injury setbacks for Sunday’s game against a Cleveland Browns team responsible for one of the league’s top defenses.
Fill-in signal-caller Carson Wentz ultimately guided the Vikings on a 10-play, 80-yard drive that ended with him finding Jordan Addison for what became a game-winning touchdown pass with 25 seconds remaining in regulation of Sunday’s matchup. Following the 21-17 victory that improved the Vikings to 3-2, Wentz spoke with Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated about how Minnesota’s altered offensive line performed better than expected against a Cleveland pass rush that features superstar Myles Garrett.
Carson Wentz credits blockers for stellar showing vs. Browns
“We knew coming in that we were down a few guys,” Wentz explained. “I’m so proud of the guys. To move from right tackle to left tackle against the best defensive end in the world, the way [Justin Skule] did that, unbelievable. [Walter Rouse] coming in late in the game playing right [tackle]. [Guard Blake Brandel] playing a new position, in center. The way the guys stepped up and gave me chances to find these open dudes down the field was sweet.”
Sunday’s showdown wasn’t completely clean for Wentz, as he played through a left shoulder injury that he picked up after he took a hit on a scramble late in the second quarter. That said, NFL Next Gen Stats show that the Vikings held the previously mentioned Garrett to just two pressures on 35 pass rushes. That 5.7 percent pressure rate was Garrett’s second-lowest for a game since 2021.
In total, Wentz completed 25-of-34 passes for 236 yards with a touchdown against Cleveland. Perhaps most impressively, he went 9-of-9 passing on his final drive of the contest held at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London.
Vikings coaches had offensive line ready for tough assignment
“They do a great job of having guys ready,” Wentz said about the Minnesota coaching staff. “Everyone coaches their tail off for each and every guy. There’s no denying the game plan changes because of it, and they do a tremendous job recognizing what we need to do, tweaking it, how to attack a defense every single week with the players we have on the field. I think they did a great job [Sunday].”