LOS ANGELES — The Minnesota Vikings look like clearing the best way for J.J. McCarthy to return as their beginning quarterback subsequent week after a six-week restoration from a excessive proper ankle sprain.
McCarthy has served because the Vikings’ emergency third quarterback for 2 consecutive video games, together with Thursday night time’s 37-10 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. Afterward, Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell reaffirmed his dedication to getting McCarthy again on the sector as quickly as attainable.
“If J.J. is wholesome, J.J. will play,” O’Connell stated. “That’s been the case for the reason that damage. That’s all the time been form of my mindset, and I imagine we’re proper — hopefully — across the nook from seeing him be wholesome, have every week of preparation and go compete.”
McCarthy began the Vikings’ first two video games of the season however reported vital soreness in his proper ankle the morning after a 22-6 loss to the Atlanta Falcons on Sept. 14. O’Connell initially labeled McCarthy’s standing as “week-to-week,” and McCarthy later stated he acquired a timetable of as much as six weeks for a full restoration. The Vikings put him by a exercise Tuesday at their apply facility to see if enjoying towards the Chargers was an possibility, however O’Connell stated: “J.J. and the medical employees didn’t fairly really feel like he was there but.”
With a “mini-bye” this weekend, after which an additional apply scheduled for Monday, the Vikings will give McCarthy a full runway to transition again to the beginning position in time for his or her Nov. 2 sport on the Detroit Lions.
Backup Carson Wentz has began 5 video games in McCarthy’s place, compiling a 2-3 file, however has been enjoying with a big left shoulder damage that had him in apparent misery Thursday night time. He stated it “fairly presumably” was essentially the most ache he has been in throughout a soccer sport, and attributed it largely to his shortened restoration time due to a Thursday night time sport.
The Vikings’ medical employees fitted him with a shoulder harness and a number of other different protecting wraps, which Wentz stated he had by no means worn “something remotely near” with the intention to play. He completed 15-of-27 for 144 yards with 1 landing and 1 interception. He took 5 sacks and was hit eight occasions. After taking successful on a fourth-down incompletion within the fourth quarter, Wentz threw his helmet on the bench — for which he later apologized to the staff’s tools employees — and coated his face with a towel.
“The ache is ache,” Wentz stated. “I felt like I may nonetheless assist this staff and discover a method to go down and rating and all that stuff. So we knew that coming into the sport, that it was going to be a part of it. And once more, that’s the powerful a part of Thursday night time video games. [You] simply don’t fairly get the possibility to get better, however that’s no excuse by any means.”
O’Connell stated he was in fixed dialog with Wentz and the staff’s medical employees however by no means thought he wanted to interchange him till the sport was out of attain. With McCarthy designated the emergency quarterback, the primary obtainable possibility by rule would have been undrafted rookie Max Brosmer.
Brosmer didn’t enter the sport till 1 minute, 56 seconds remained.
“Carson’s a veteran participant,” O’Connell stated, “and he understands a few of our circumstances tonight. I believe it’s very tough to ask a rookie to go in there for his first efficiency and need to be weathering it a bit bit for the group.”