The Minnesota Vikings will be without quarterback J.J. McCarthy for two to four weeks with an ankle injury, forcing them to turn to veteran Carson Wentz.
McCarthy, the Vikings’ first-round pick in 2024, has been diagnosed with a high ankle sprain, which he suffered in a disappointing performance in Minnesota’s 22-6 defeat to the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday.
After scoring three touchdowns in the fourth quarter to lead the Vikings to a comeback in Week 1 against the Chicago Bears, McCarthy endured a nightmare in primetime against the Falcons. He finished 11 of 21 for 158 yards with zero touchdowns and two interceptions. He was sacked six times and fumbled three times, one of which was recovered by Atlanta.
McCarthy missed his entire rookie season with a torn meniscus and, after a chastening home debut, head coach Kevin O’Connell expressed disappointment his quarterback will not get to learn from his first defeat.
“It is crushing,” O’Connell said on Monday. “Because you just want it to be a daily process of activating every aspect of the development and learning.”
Wentz will now take over, with the second overall pick in the 2016 draft set to start for a sixth team in as many seasons.
The Vikings only signed Wentz on August 24, but O’Connell was impressed with the veteran in practice last week when he had to step in for McCarthy, whose fiancee gave birth to their first child last Thursday.
“He [Wentz] was really impressive last week,” O’Connell said. “Kind of stepping in, you felt the better presence in the command.
“He’s really smart, a guy that’s played a lot of football and he’s been able to get himself to a place where he’s felt very comfortable these past two weeks had he needed to go in the football game. And now he’ll get a week of preparation to get ready to go play.”
The Vikings host the Cincinnati Bengals, whose starting quarterback Joe Burrow is out for three months with turf toe, on Sunday before games against the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns in Dublin and London respectively.
With a bye in Week 6, McCarthy could return to action in Week 7 against the defending champion Philadelphia Eagles if the injury does indeed keep him out four weeks.
