The Minnesota Vikings have reached a breaking point in their season, with 22-year-old quarterback J.J. McCarthy nearing his long-awaited return to action, and the team struggling with two losses in three games.
That their last game, a dismal 37-10 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers, was one of the franchise’s biggest no-shows of the Kevin O’Connell era has Vikings fans fearing the worst entering the second half of 2025.
The Vikings have been playing it safe with McCarthy and his recovery from a Week 2 high-ankle sprain, but it’s now or never. They’ll have to figure out how to win with their young quarterback on the field in short order to have any shot of salvaging their season.
As expected, following Thursday’s debacle in L.A., the Vikings are trending down in expert power rankings entering Week 9. One analyst may have even struck a nerve with Vikings fans regarding the expected switch from veteran Carson Wentz back to McCarthy.
Are the Minnesota Vikings downgrading at quarterback with J.J. McCarthy resuming as QB1?
It’s undeniable that the Vikings’ offense was more efficient during Wentz’s five starts. He made quicker decisions, completed passes at a higher clip, and netted close to 100 more net yards per game through the air.
He also could barely move behind a patchwork offensive line and was sacked 19 times.
Wentz’s toughness was admirable, but the Vikings should benefit from McCarthy’s mobility. He should certainly be a value-add over Wentz, who was signed off his couch on Aug. 24, but not every analyst is sold on that take.
NFLSpinZone.com's Lou Scataglia recently dropped Minnesota to No. 23 in his weekly power rankings, with the change at quarterback among his top reasons.
Second-year QB JJ McCarthy should be able to return in Week 9, but he’s barely played in the NFL and is likely not going to play at the level that Carson Wentz did. … And Carson Wentz was largely terrible for Minnesota.
As well as this organization has been run in recent years, it’s wild to see how far they’ve fallen. The Vikings lost four games all of 2024, including the playoffs, but already have four losses in their first seven games.
Simply put, they have to hope that McCarthy can show some growth in his second year and perhaps help lead the team to a modest seven, eight, or nine-win season, which could pave the way to success in 2026.”
The Vikings (3-4) are not where they expected to be entering Week 9, but in a way, not much has changed since the season kicked off in September.
Minnesota’s chips are all-in on McCarthy finding a groove and leading a star-studded roster back to the playoffs, and the 22-year-old will have to be great down the stretch for that to happen.
If we’re still seriously debating whether McCarthy is a better option than a washed-up Wentz, who’s literally changed teams every offseason since 2022, the Vikings’ worst-case scenario could suddenly become their reality.