On Sunday, the Minnesota Vikings picked up a narrow win over the Cleveland Browns in a game that was played in London. It was another start for Carson Wentz at quarterback in place of the injured JJ McCarthy, who has not suited up since the team's loss against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 2.
Recently, Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell broke down what he thinks McCarthy has been picking up from watching Wentz over the last few weeks.
“I think watching Carson, watching the way Carson's kind of gone through progressions quickly, just the value of putting the ball in play, even when it's not your first progression, even when it's not the most exciting completion of all time… I think he's kind of taken a lot from that, of just watching it closely and my dialogue with him,” said O'Connell, per Will Ragatz of Bring Me The Sports on X, formerly Twitter.
The Vikings also got some good news on the injury front regarding McCarthy and multiple other players.
“Kevin O’Connell says QB J.J. McCarthy, LG Donovan Jackson, C Michael Jurgens and LB Blake Cashman are expected to practice next week heading into the Eagles game,” reported Emily Leiker of the Minnesota Star Tribute on X.
Can JJ McCarthy turn it around?
Seven of the first eight quarters of JJ McCarthy's NFL career were substandard. Granted, the one good frame, in the fourth quarter against the Chicago Bears on opening night, was pretty darn good.
However, it's safe to say that Vikings fans were hoping to a bit more out of their former first round pick quarterback, even at this early stage of his career.
Perhaps watching Wentz cook from the sidelines will be just what McCarthy needed to get himself centered and ready to perform better upon his return.
In any case, the Vikings will now have a week off before they hit the field at home to take on the Philadelphia Eagles at 1:00 PM ET.
