Vikings HC Kevin O’Connell finally names a starting quarterback vs. Eagles between J.J. McCarthy and Carson Wentz
The Minnesota Vikings have had a quarterback controversy brewing over the last month, with the majority of that coming from the fact that both players have been dealing with injuries, with J.J. McCarthy having a high ankle sprain and Carson Wentz with a non-throwing shoulder.
During Friday’s press conference, head coach Kevin O’Connell announced that McCarthy would be questionable for the game and be the emergency third quarterback with Wentz getting the start.
Carson Wentz will start Sunday vs. Eagles
This will be Wentz’s fourth consecutive start with McCarthy, dealing with the rehab of his ankle injury. Where things are interesting with this entire discussion is that McCarthy will be the emergency third quarterback, so he is getting closer to returning.
“Carson Wentz will start the football game,” said O’Connell. “I thought he’s had a good week of practice as well as J.J. McCarthy. I was really proud of the work he put in, as he continues to push through the later stages of this rehab, feel good about him being available, but he will be the emergency third quarterback. We went into the last game with two and didn’t quite feel like that was the smartest thing to do, and feel good about where he’d be at if he had to play in that third quarterback capacity. So, Max [Brosmer] will back up Carson Wentz cannot wait to get to US Bank Stadium.”
This is a big aspect of this entire discussion. McCarthy is getting very close, but O’Connell has been steadfast about not forcing him back into the game.
“I think first and foremost, he’s got to get healthy,” said O’Connell after the Cincinnati Bengals game. “And then, throughout that process, I don’t think it’s one of those things where it’s, ‘Hey, the day he’s healthy.’ And if he’s healthy the night before a game, we’re going to just throw him out there and say, ‘Hey, go figure it out’ type of thing. I think we saw as phenomenal as he was getting prepared for the Atlanta game, he did miss practice that week. And when you’re in the phase of building up the 10,000 reps and 10,000 hours of what it takes to play the position at a very high level, which we know J.J. McCarthy is going to do, you can’t cut corners on that.”
With the Vikings being willing to have McCarthy dress but not force him into playing, we are getting closer to a return.
Football Footnotes: The Shocking Truth Behind the Steelers' Devastating Loss to the Bengals — Blame the Defense, But Don't Let the Offense Escape Unscathed
Clearly, the Steelers’ defense was the biggest culprit in the club’s 33-31 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals Thursday night. It allowed 470 yards, including a ghastly 142 on the ground against the NFL’s worst rushing attack.
Not to mention 258 yards on 22 receptions and two scores to Tee Higgins and Ja’Marr Chase, two receivers the team had in mind when it revamped the entire secondary this offseason.
Gee, that worked out great on the first try, huh?
But, as the recently departed Ace Frehley once wrote for Kiss, there are “Two Sides of the Coin.”
Indeed, the Steelers’ offense did enough to win that game. But that side of the ball isn’t without fault for losing it.
In this week’s edition of “Friday Football Footnotes,” we look at the issues Arthur Smith’s unit ran into during Thursday’s Steelers’ defeat.
• In our “Airing of Grievances” this week, we ripped the Steelers defense for failing to create a turnover (and just two sacks) over the course of 72 Bengals snaps from scrimmage.
Meanwhile, the Steelers had two turnovers. Aaron Rodgers threw four touchdowns, but he also had a bad interception when he just chucked an overthrown deep ball to a covered DK Metcalf.
Then Metcalf — one of the most physical receivers in football — lost a reception when defensive back D.J. Turner wrangled the ball away from him.
Great play by Turner. But Metcalf has to secure that ball. It would have given the Steelers possession at the Cincinnati 44-yard line with 43 seconds left in the second quarter.
Instead, the Bengals turned the pick into a field goal of their own before halftime to make the score 17-10.
• That miscue aside, the Steelers didn’t get the ball to Metcalf enough. He only had three catches, five targets and 50 yards on the night. One reception accounted for 39 yards alone.
• The wide receivers, aside from Metcalf, were essentially non-existent again. Roman Wilson had a big third-down catch for 13 yards. It extended a touchdown drive. He also had a catch nullified by a Broderick Jones hold.
But aside from those moments, Wilson, Scotty Miller, Ben Skowronek and Ke’Shawn Williams combined for just two more catches for only 13 yards.
• A pair of first-half penalties on the offensive linemen were costly. Zach Frazier had a holding penalty that wiped out a Jaylen Warren touchdown, and Mason McCormick’s false start nullified a Tush Push first down on fourth-and-1.
Those moments happened on the same drive. The sequence ended in a Chris Boswell field goal.
And, please, stop complaining about that McCormick call. It was the right call. I know, I know. The Eagles never get flagged for doing that.
You’re right. You’re also looking at the wrong thing. Your point is valid. It’s also irrelevant.
Related
• Airing of Grievances: Lousy Steelers defense manifests Mike Tomlin's fears about Joe Flacco
• Steelers cornerbacks smarting after Bengals receivers have their way against them
• Joe Flacco, Bengals knock off Steelers with last-second field goal
• This isn’t a big complaint. It’s more a point of discussion. Should they have run Warren more? I think so.
I get it. Rodgers wasn’t sacked. He threw four touchdowns. He averaged 7.3 yards per attempt. But Warren was motoring. He had 127 yards and averaged 7.9 yards per carry.
Maybe Rodgers gunning the ball down the field on the first play of the series after Cincy scored its first touchdown was a time to establish a drive with Warren instead of looking for a deep shot.
• Don’t blame Pat Freiermuth for failing to take a knee going into the end zone with just over two minutes left. I’ve received that complaint a few times.
That made the score 31-30. The Steelers needed a TD there. Not a field goal. It’s not the same thing as what Higgins did to ice the game by setting up a field goal on the next possession.
If you want to blame the Steelers for something in terms of fourth-quarter management, blame them for that putrid three-and-out down 30-24 that gave the Bengals the ball back on a punt with 5:26 left to go.
To reiterate, this loss is 90% on the defense. I’m just giving you the other 10% for when your buddy at the bar tries to tell you how good the Steelers offense is, and how it’s going to be no problem to sweep Green Bay, Indianapolis and the Los Angeles Chargers over the next three weeks.
