The Minnesota Vikings are turning to Carson Wentz for a primetime test against the Buffalo Bills.
Coach Kevin O’Connell said Thursday that Kyler Murray is dealing with a “hamstring strain” and will be held out of Monday night’s Week 9 matchup. Wentz will start for the Vikings against the Bills, with Max Brosmer backing him up.
O’Connell said Murray is considered “week-to-week,” and the team didn’t want to risk making the injury worse.
“Obviously, there is a ton of confidence in Carson,” O’Connell said Thursday. “He’s already helped us.
Had a major, major role in two wins this year against two really good teams. He’s a steadying presence and a guy we know can go in and play good football.”
Wentz has already shown he can step in and keep the offense moving. After Murray suffered a concussion in Week 1 against the Green Bay Packers, the veteran quarterback played a big part in Minnesota’s first two wins.
He came off the bench in the opener and threw for 133 yards and three touchdowns on 12-of-19 passing in a 39-22 victory. Then he started in Week 2 at Chicago, going 11-for-20 for 143 yards in a 9-3 win at Soldier Field in the rain.
Murray’s fit in O’Connell’s system has been a different story. His -0.11 expected points added per dropback ranks fifth-worst in the NFL, ahead of only Cam Ward (-0.12), Tanner McKee (-0.13), Daniel Jones (-0.19) and Justin Herbert (-0.22). O’Connell’s offense has historically leaned on deep shots and middle-of-the-field throws, and Murray hasn’t matched that profile this season.
The numbers back that up. Murray entered 2026 ranked 40th out of 45 qualified quarterbacks in intermediate throws between the numbers in 2025. That was part of the reason his connection with Marvin Harrison Jr. never clicked in Arizona.
His downfield tendencies have also shifted. In 2025 with the Cardinals, just 10.7% of Murray’s throws traveled at least 10 air yards, third among 42 quarterbacks with at least 150 passes. This season with O’Connell, 34.4% of his throws have gone 10 or more air yards, which ranks 10th in the league.
That mismatch has shown up in the scoreboard. The Vikings have scored only 12 touchdowns in seven games, the fewest by a 6-1 team or better through seven games since Washington in 1982.
The only team with fewer touchdowns this season is the winless Los Angeles Chargers, who have nine. The tanking Miami Dolphins and the Deshaun Watson-led Cleveland Browns have each scored 13.
Now Wentz gets the nod in a game that could give Minnesota’s passing attack a better statistical setup. Buffalo enters Week 9 allowing 254.7 passing yards per game, third-most in the NFL in 2026.
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