The Minnesota Vikings are enjoying a much-needed bye week after a long two-week road trip overseas as they try to get back to 100% healthy.
One of the major injuries they have dealt with is to their young starting quarterback, J.J. McCarthy, as he recovers from a high ankle sprain that has kept him out for three games. Carson Wentz has been his replacement and has gone 2-1 as the starter.
In his two starts, McCarthy has thrown for 301 yards and two touchdowns to three interceptions, adding 50 rushing yards and one touchdown on the ground. Nothing glamorous, but was able to go 1-1 as a starter.
Most predictions for when McCarthy would return to the field as the starter have pointed to the Week 7 matchup with the Philadelphia Eagles. While it appears to remain the intended plan, it may not be as easy a decision as some might think.
The Minnesota Vikings are facing a tough decision on whether to stick with Carson Wentz or let J.J. McCarthy start again at quarterback.
The Star Tribune’s Andrew Krammer believes that Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell has what is being called “a lot to weigh” on the decision at quarterback. Krammer also mentions that the handoff to McCarthy returning as a starter is “not gonna look as clean.”
“If you are going to make this switch to McCarthy, it’s not gonna look as clean I wouldn’t think, because it didn’t in the first two games. I don’t think you can anticipate him picking up where Carson Wentz left off… Wentz is farther along as a QB, both maturity-wise, in terms of his fundamentals, being just more of a steady presence in that spot.”
Despite injuries at running back and on the offensive line, Wentz has actually performed well as the starter. He’s completed 69% of his passes for 759 yards and five touchdowns to two interceptions in three games.
McCarthy did have his struggles through those first two games as he threw a pick-six in Week 1 against the Chicago Bears. During his Week 2 game against the Atlanta Falcons, he was sacked six times, threw two interceptions, and completed only 52% of his passes.
Everyone has to remember that even though McCarthy is in his second year in the NFL, he’s operating more like a rookie after sitting out last year with a meniscus injury. It’s not going to be smooth with McCarthy, but he needs to go out there and learn to be successful in the future.
A high ankle sprain is nothing to mess with, but the Vikings have been way overly protective of McCarthy to the point that when it rained in London before the Cleveland Browns game, O’Connell didn’t allow McCarthy to practice. The worry is that Minnesota will be too cautious and hinder McCarthy’s development.
It may not be an easy decision, but the Vikings eventually need to take the bubble wrap off of McCarthy and let him do what he does best: sling the ball and lead his team to a win.
Eagles Get Good News on 1 Key Injury, While Questions Remain for 2 Others
The Philadelphia Eagles are set for a very important Week 7 matchup against the Minnesota Vikings. After winning their first four games this season, the Eagles have lost consecutive games to the Denver Broncos and New York Giants, and in the process, some real concerns about this team have begun to pop up.
The good news is that there’s still a lot of time for the team to be able to turn things around, but getting a victory against the Vikings feels like a must. Having their best players on the field will be key, and ahead of this game, the Eagles received several important injury updates that could end up having a major impact on the outcome of this contest.
Quinyon Mitchell Good to Go for Eagles: Jalen Carter, Landon Dickerson Questionable
On the other end, #Eagles CB Quinyon Mitchell (hamstring) is off the injury report and good to go. Jalen Carter (heel, limited today) and Landon Dickerson (ankle, full) are questionable. https://t.co/tQLfAxbWCW
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) October 17, 2025
While it can’t be solely to blame for Philadelphia’s struggles, injuries have played a role in their recent struggles. The front seven on defense has been shorthanded all season long, and Za’Darius Smith’s sudden retirement earlier this week certainly isn’t going to make things easier on this unit. Beyond that, the cornerback position looks a lot worse when Quinyon Mitchell isn’t on the field.
Mitchell was forced out of the Eagles’ Week 6 loss to the Giants on Thursday Night Football early with a hamstring injury, forcing the team to turn to Adoree’ Jackson and Kelee Ringo as its top two outside cornerbacks. Both guys have been awful this season, and it wasn’t a surprise to see Philly struggle to get stops without Mitchell. However, he was removed from the team’s injury report on Friday, clearing him to play in Week 7.
Elsewhere, though, Philadelphia could be without star defensive tackle Jalen Carter and starting left guard Landon Dickerson. Carter didn’t play in Week 6 due to a heel injury, while Dickerson missed the game with a lingering ankle injury. Both guys are listed as questionable for this game, but considering how they both practiced Friday, it seems like they are on track to play vs. the Vikings.
“Eagles CB Quinyon Mitchell (hamstring) is off the injury report and good to go. Jalen Carter (heel, limited today) and Landon Dickerson (ankle, full) are questionable,” Mike Garafolo of NFL Network shared in a post on X.
Will Jalen Carter, Landon Dickerson Play in Week 7?
Just having Mitchell back is a major win for the Eagles, as their secondary was horrific without him. However, getting Carter and Dickerson on the field could be a major win for Philadelphia, too. Dickerson was a full participant at practice on Friday, while Carter was limited, so while both seem to have a good shot at playing, it appears Dickerson is more likely to play than Carter at this point.
If Carter can’t go, that would force Byron Young to step into a starting role on the defensive line alongside Moro Ojomo and Jordan Davis. On offense, Brett Toth would be tasked with filling in for Dickerson if he can’t suit up. It will be worth checking in on both of these guys’ injury statuses before kickoff, which is scheduled for 1 p.m. ET on Sunday afternoon.
