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MN Vikings Schedule Allows for Hope
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- MN Vikings Schedule Allows for Hope
Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
It seemed like a crushing blow on Monday when Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell stepped up to the podium. He delivered grim news . J.J. McCarthy has a sprained ankle and won't be playing. Not just Sunday, but the expectation is for multiple weeks now.
A young career already marred by a pair of injuries , things could be going better for McCarthy. His absence doesn't need to be a death sentence for the team though.
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After an ugly performance on Sunday Night Football , the Vikings are 1-1 on the season. The schedule provides a path forward though. Now it will be on O'Connell to guide them along it.
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Soft landing without McCarthy for Minnesota Vikings
Up first is a matchup with the Cincinnati Bengals . They were dealt their own quarterback blow . Joe Burrow has a toe injury requiring surgery, and he'll be out roughly three months. That means Jake Browning will get another revenge game against his former employer.
You can bet Kevin O'Connell remembers that overtime loss ( 27-24 Cincinnation December 16, 2023), and Browning running his mouth on the sideline . Although Minnesota won't have McCarthy, Carson Wentz has won plenty in this league and brings a higher bar than Nick Mullens . Minnesota enters as slight home favorites ( -2.5), but this is clearly a good get-right spot.
New #Vikings quarterback Carson Wentz: "You walk down the halls, and see [pictures of] all the guys you grew up cheering for. It's definitely cool to be back." pic.twitter.com/3HwtA6WBWp
— Ben Goessling (@BenGoessling) August 28, 2025
Wentz has been in the building for weeks now, and he will have had ample time to prepare for O'Connell's offense. He possesses similar athleticism to McCarthy and can move in the pocket. Ideally though, the offense line returns to a near-clean bill of health and is able to provide him significant protection.
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Related: Confusing JJ McCarthy Return Timeline Muddied Even More by Vikings' Flight Plans
If there's a situation the Vikings could have drawn up to traverse into their new reality, a backup quarterback coming in as the road team is probably high up on the list.
Europe remains kind to MN Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings have a substantial home field advantage at U.S. Bank Stadium. They also seemingly have a substantial home field advantage overseas. The franchise is a perfect 8-0 in international games, including a 4-0 regular season record, and a victory over New York in London last year.
Stephon Gilmore picks Rodgers, Vikings survive pic.twitter.com/gRVgHojG0Z
— Vikings Blogger (@firstandskol) October 6, 2024
After a home tilt against Cincinnati, Minnesota heads across the pond for two weeks. First they open the NFL's presence in Ireland with a game against Pittsburgh in Dublin. Then they travel a bit south to play the Cleveland Browns in London. Rather than either contest being a true road game, both are turned into neutral site affairs.
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Minnesota beat Aaron Rodgers with the Jets last season. Despite his Week 1 performance against his former employer ( 22-30, 244 yards, 4 TD ), he came crashing back down to earth (18-33, 203 yards, TD, 2 INT) last week against the Seahawks . The Vikings have seen Rodgers plenty, and Brian Flores will have the defense ready to attack him and a rather unassuming Steelers skill position group.
Related: Breaking: JJ McCarthy Out with Ankle Injury for MN Vikings
The Browns are the Browns and have been the Browns. Joe Flacco was benched last week in a 41-17 drubbing by the Baltimore Ravens . Rookie Dillon Gabriel came in and took over but only had a brief sample size. It's possible Cleveland sticks with the switch, or changes things up entirely against the Vikings. Either way, that contest is among the most winnable of the season.
Bye provides reprieve for Minnesota
After the impending three-game stretch, the Minnesota Vikings get to their bye. An early bye week certainly wasn't ideal when the schedule came out, but it may not hit at a better time for Kevin O'Connell's team.
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The additional week off would give the Vikings time to reset and regroup. It's an additional week for McCarthy to heal while not missing any game action. It gives Wentz and the offense time to continue working without having to expose anything on the field.
Related: Kevin O'Connell Wasted No Time Delivering Legendary Message
It's the middle portion of Minnesota's schedule, with games against Philadelphia , Los Angeles , Detroit , and Baltimore, where the gauntlet lies. Getting to that stretch in a good spot is imperative. With the injured state of the team , and what lies ahead, the schedule couldn't shape up more kindly.
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