The Minnesota Vikings are next up on the Detroit Lions’ schedule, and they are currently fighting through some adversity. They’ve lost three of their last four games, have a laundry list of injuries—particularly on their offensive line, where they’ve been missing both starting tackles and their starting center for much of the season.
But there is no bigger question with the team right now than at quarterback. After starting both games to open the season, second-year quarterback J.J. McCarthy has been sidelined with an ankle sprain. That’s left Carson Wentz as the starter, and the veteran quarterback has struggled, throwing six touchdowns, five interceptions, and averaging just an 85.8 passer rating.
What’s been particularly distressing are the rumors surrounding McCarthy. The last two weeks, McCarthy has been practicing—albeit in a limited fashion—leading some to speculate that this has been a “soft benching,” especially when you consider that Wentz has been battling a shoulder injury of his own. McCarthy has also been the team’s emergency quarterback for the past two weeks.
Regardless, it looks like the Detroit Lions will be facing McCarthy in his third NFL start, according to a report from NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
“The Minnesota Vikings are expected to get J.J. McCarthy—their starting quarterback to begin the season—back for their next game,” Rapoport said. “That is against the Lions in Week 9. What the Vikings wanted to do is make sure when McCarthy was out there he was fully healthy and ready to go, had enough practices to prepare, and was healthy. This is now going to be seven weeks after a high-ankle sprain. It is time, assuming health-wise, he is all good.”
McCarthy struggled in his first two starts of the season, although he did help the team mount an 11-point, fourth-quarter comeback against the Bears in Week 1. In his two starts, McCarthy has completed just 24-of-41 passes (58.5%) for 301 yards (7.3 yards per attempt), two touchdowns, and three interceptions for a passer rating of 67.2. That said, McCarthy is a threat to scramble. He produced 50 rushing yards and a touchdown on seven rushing attempts.
Both teams will be coming into this game with some extra rest. The Lions are coming off their bye week, while the Vikings had the weekend off following their Thursday night loss to the Chargers.
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