The Minnesota Vikings are facing a crucial juncture this season, currently sitting at a 3-4 record, placing them at the bottom of the NFC North. The most pressing concern isn’t just their win-loss tally, but the unexpected hurdles at the quarterback position.

Recently, the team placed veteran Carson Wentz on injured reserve due to a significant shoulder injury. This announcement revealed that Wentz had been suffering “considerable pain” since getting hurt during a Week 5 game against the Cleveland Browns in London.

This raises an obvious question: why was Wentz still in the game to begin with? His injury led to J.J. McCarthy, who started in Week 1 but suffered a high-ankle sprain in the following game, being brought back into the fold. McCarthy, who was a limited participant in recent practices, has been deemed fit enough to take a role as the emergency third quarterback for the last two weeks following Minnesota’s bye week.

While Head Coach Kevin O’Connell may be hesitant to rush McCarthy back into action, he might have no alternative as the team gears up for their upcoming Week 9 match against the Detroit Lions. The pressure builds on McCarthy to showcase his development and potential following an impressive, albeit inconsistent start to the season.

McCarthy faced significant challenges in his previous outings, most notably completing 11 out of 21 passes for 158 yards and two interceptions in a disappointing Week 2 loss against the Atlanta Falcons. Nevertheless, he did orchestrate a remarkable comeback in Week 1 against Chicago, leading three touchdown drives in the fourth quarter.

With Wentz’s injury now sidelining him, McCarthy has an opportunity to step up and prove he can be the future of the franchise. However, the looming question remains whether he can live up to the expectations set when the team chose him over other notable quarterbacks like Sam Darnold and Daniel Jones. The stakes are high for McCarthy as the team’s future may depend on his performance in the coming weeks.