Ahead of a pivotal Monday night matchup with the Bills and a Tuesday trade deadline that could reshape the Vikings’ season, Sunday delivered a strange little reminder: maybe Minnesota is better off not longing for the quarterbacks it used to have.
Kirk Cousins tossed three interceptions in a Raiders blowout. Daniel Jones’ total QBR in the Colts’ loss was so low that, if it were an age, it still wouldn’t have been old enough to vote in last Tuesday’s election.
And J.J. McCarthy started and won for the Giants, though he also exited for a stretch with the kind of injury that has become far too familiar.
All of that was just the prelude to the Vikings turning to Carson Wentz as the replacement for the injured - and, ahem, also ineffective - Kyler Murray in a matchup of two very different 6-1 teams.
McCarthy’s afternoon in New York was about as McCarthy as it gets.
He was making his second straight start for the Giants after being traded by the Vikings a little more than a month ago, following his loss in the training camp battle with Murray and his slide all the way to No. 3 on Minnesota’s depth chart.
The game itself fit the pattern. McCarthy was solid enough in the first half, but the Giants still trailed the struggling Eagles 8-6.
Then early in the third quarter, he absorbed a heavy hit and had to leave the game. When he tried to warm up afterward, he was visibly hurting.
In Other News...
Vikings Came Closer To Another Quarterback Move Than Fans Realized
The Vikings were closer to another quarterback swing before the trade deadline than most fans realized, checking in on San Francisco backup Mac Jones before deciding the cost was too rich. It was the kind of due diligence teams do when they are weighing depth, insurance and the possibility that a veteran passer could help stabilize a room, especially with the deadline always forcing front offices to make quick judgments about value.
Kyle Shanahan said multiple teams had interest in Jones, who has settled into his role with the 49ers and says he is happy to stay put while preparing to play if called upon. For Minnesota, the interest is another reminder that the search for quarterback help can surface in unexpected places, and Jones is still expected to reach unrestricted free agency after the season. [Read more 🡒]
Packers Could Bring A Very Different Backfield Into Vikings Week
Green Bay may be headed into Vikings week with a very different look in the backfield. Josh Jacobs is out for Week 10 after surgery on a broken finger, and his absence could stretch beyond the Packers bye in Week 11, forcing the team to reshuffle a rushing attack that has leaned on him heavily.
ESPNs Jeremy Fowler reported that Kaleb Johnson could be the next man up, with the former Steelers draft pick in line for a bigger role after his Week 9 showing against New England. Johnson ran 14 times for 68 yards and a touchdown in that game, and the Packers may use the matchup with Minnesota to see whether he can handle a longer stretch as the lead option. [Read more 🡒]
JJ McCarthy Weighed In On Kirk Cousins Vikings Return
Kirk Cousins return to Minnesota has already stirred up plenty of reaction, and JJ McCarthy was among the former Vikings figures asked to weigh in. Now the Giants quarterback, McCarthy was drafted by Minnesota before his path changed, so his perspective carries a little extra weight even as he settles into his own situation in New York. He kept the focus respectful, offering well wishes for Cousins and acknowledging the ties Cousins still has to former teammates in the Vikings locker room.
McCarthy also made clear where his attention needs to be now, pointing the conversation back to the Giants and their upcoming games. For Minnesota, Cousins return adds another layer to a familiar storyline, with a quarterback who knows the organization well stepping back into the picture and drawing interest from people who used to be part of it. McCarthys comments were brief, but they underscored how much the Vikings quarterback history still resonates even beyond the building. [Read more 🡒]