Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy expected to miss Week 3 with ankle injury, could be out multiple weeks

https://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/breaking-news/article/vikings-qb-jj-mccarthy-expected-to-miss-week-3-with-ankle-injury-could-be-out-multiple-weeks-184407974.html

The Minnesota Vikings are likely to be without starting quarterback J.J. McCarthy in Week 3 against the Cincinnati Bengals. Head coach Kevin O’Connell said Monday that McCarthy is dealing with an ankle sprain after the team’s 22-6 loss to the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday Night Football.

Assuming McCarthy is unable to go on Sunday, Carson Wentz would be Minnesota’s starter. With Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow out with a toe injury, Wentz would take on fellow backup Jake Browning in Week 3.

O’Connell said McCarthy came in “very, very sore” Monday, which prompted the team to further evaluate his ankle. While O’Connell doesn’t expect McCarthy to play in Week 3, the coach said he didn’t believe it was an injury that would result in McCarthy being placed on Injured Reserve.

McCarthy could bump up close to that timeline, however, as the quarterback is reportedly expected to miss between two and four weeks due to the injury, which was described as a high-ankle sprain, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

It’s unclear when McCarthy sustained the injury during the team’s Week 2 loss to the Falcons, though some have speculated it happened on a third-quarter scramble.

McCarthy was able to stay in the contest, though couldn’t get much offense going. In the fourth quarter, McCarthy turned the ball over on two of the Vikings’ three drives. He was sacked and fumbled to start the quarter, led the team to a three-and-out on the next drive and was intercepted with 2:41 left to play.

After missing all of last season with a knee injury, McCarthy has mostly struggled in his first two NFL starts. Through two games, he’s thrown for 301 yards, with two touchdowns against three interceptions.

Both those touchdowns came in the fourth quarter against the Chicago Bears in Week 1. After a slow start to that contest, McCarthy rallied to lead the Vikings to a late 27-24 win over Chicago. He couldn’t recapture that magic against the Falcons in Week 2.

If Wentz does get the call, it will mark his first start since Week 18 of 2024, when he started for the Kansas City Chiefs in a game where most starters sat out. Wentz served in that same role with the Los Angeles Rams in 2023, starting the final game of the season while the starters rested for the playoffs.

Should Wentz start in Week 3, it will mark the first time since 2022 that he’s appeared in a game with the rest of the offense at close to full strength. Wentz started seven games for the Washington Commanders that season, throwing 11 touchdowns against nine interceptions. He was benched in favor of Taylor Heinicke and Sam Howell down the stretch.

Thanks to McCarthy’s late heroics in Week 1, the Vikings are 1-1 entering Week 3. The team has lofty expectations this season after going 14-3 with Sam Darnold under center in 2024. The team allowed Darnold to leave in free agency, paving the way for McCarthy to take over the starting job in 2025.

https://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/breaking-news/article/vikings-qb-jj-mccarthy-expected-to-miss-week-3-with-ankle-injury-could-be-out-multiple-weeks-184407974.html