The Philadelphia Eagles are getting ready to take on a well-rested Minnesota Vikings team coming off their bye week on Sunday. Despite the additional week of rest, however, the Vikings have a serious injury concern heading into the big clash against the Eagles. Franchise quarterback J.J. McCarthy had missed three straight games before the bye, putting his availability against Philly in jeopardy. He returned to practice on Wednesday, but the reports out of Minnesota suggest that he may not be ready to go by Sunday.
If that is the case, the Eagles will face old friend Carson Wentz on Sunday.
Eagles May Be Facing Carson Wentz on Sunday
After his return to practice, McCarthy said that his right ankle, which kept him out since Week 3, is still not 100 percent, per Vikings insider Ben Goessling. The 22-year-old signal-caller added that if it was up to him, he would play against the Eagles, but that they have to be smart, highlighting the four-to-six week timeline the doctors have given for his high ankle sprain. ESPN's Kevin Seifert interpreted these remarks as "not great signs for him playing this week."
This is obviously a big blow for the Vikings and a big advantage for the Eagles. Wentz has led Minnesota to a 2-1 record in three starts with McCarthy on the shelf. Even though the two wins came against the Bengals and the Browns, Wentz more than held his own in his starts, putting up over 250 passing yards per game, a 69% completion rate, and a 99.5 passer rating.
Wentz | McCarthy | |
|---|---|---|
Starts | 3 | 2 |
Record | 2-1 | 1-1 |
Completion % | 69.0% | 58.5% |
Passing Yards per Game | 253.0 | 150.5 |
TD / INT | 5 / 2 | 2 / 3 |
Passer Rating | 99.5 | 67.2 |
At this stage of his career, however, Wentz has serious limitations, and these may be amplified as he is currently nursing a shoulder injury after taking a hard hit in Week 5. Yet, the 32-year-old signal-caller was a full participant on Wednesday and should be ready to go on Sunday.
This will be the second time Wentz suits up against the Eagles. The first came in Week 3 of the 2022 season when he was in Washington, and the Eagles came away with an easy 24-8 win. Wentz continued to struggle for the rest of the season before getting benched and never being a full-time starter ever again.
The former Eagle is desperately trying to keep the Vikings afloat until McCarthy returns. With how much the Eagles' offense is struggling, he may not have to put up too many points on the board to have a chance. If he succeeds, the Eagles will have to come to a serious reckoning and make tough decisions before the season goes off the rails.