So why would Minnesota be adverse to starting JJ McCarthy after the Bye against the Eagles? Thursday night Dart goes up against Philly. I don't think the Giants are that concerned, what they ARE concerned about is getting Dart reps. Game experience. Bright lights action. The opponent doesn't matter. Its at home, just like the Philly-Minnesota game will be.

If McCarthy is truly healthy and I HIGHLY expect he will be after the bye week barring a setback, he's going to start. And he should. No angst necessary. Let's f-ing go here with this kid and get him some much needed NFL playing time. Its not rocket science here, its simple. GAME REPS. KOC wants to sail the turbulent seas of a young QB this year so next year the water will be calmer.

Not sure if this is official or not...but we had not heard boo on this very important subject:

The League Broke Its Silence on the Controversial Vikings Field Goal, Admitting to a “Critical Anomaly” That Changes EVERYTHING.
Posted on October 6, 2025 - 3:18 pm by Huynh Mai

In a stunning development following the Minnesota Vikings’ nail-biting 21-17 victory over the Cleveland Browns in Week 5, the NFL has finally broken its silence on the controversial missed field goal by kicker Will Reichard. What initially appeared to be a routine wide-right shank from 51 yards out in the fourth quarter—trailing 17-14 with under 10 minutes remaining—has been revealed as something far more sinister: a “critical anomaly” caused by the ball striking an overhead camera cable. This admission not only vindicates Reichard but could reshape how the league handles in-game interference, potentially setting precedents for reviews, equipment protocols, and even international game logistics.NFL game ticketsBest video game consoles

In a stunning development following the Minnesota Vikings’ nail-biting 21-17 victory over the Cleveland Browns in Week 5, the NFL has finally broken its silence on the controversial missed field goal by kicker Will Reichard. What initially appeared to be a routine wide-right shank from 51 yards out in the fourth quarter—trailing 17-14 with under 10 minutes remaining—has been revealed as something far more sinister: a “critical anomaly” caused by the ball striking an overhead camera cable. This admission not only vindicates Reichard but could reshape how the league handles in-game interference, potentially setting precedents for reviews, equipment protocols, and even international game logistics.NFL game ticketsBest video game consoles

The play unfolded at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London during the Vikings’ international matchup. Reichard’s kick, his first miss of the season after going a perfect 8-for-8 on field goals entering the game, looked on line before veering sharply right, handing possession back to the Browns with prime field position and maintaining their three-point edge. Social media erupted almost immediately post-game, with fans and analysts sharing slow-motion clips clearly showing the football ricocheting off a Skycam support wire suspended above the field—a setup more prone to issues in overseas venues like this one. According to NFL Rule 7, Section 2, Article 7, if the ball contacts overhead equipment like a camera cable after being kicked, the play should be nullified, and the down replayed from the spot of the kick—meaning Reichard would have gotten a do-over, potentially tying the game right then and altering the entire final drive dynamic.Best video game consolesFootball kits

Officials and the replay booth shockingly missed it in real time, with no whistle or review triggered, leaving Vikings fans fuming and sparking widespread outrage online. Initial reports suggested the league’s stance was that they lacked a “clear view” of the contact, as noted by Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio, allowing the miss to stand and forcing Minnesota into a desperate comeback led by Carson Wentz’s 12-yard touchdown pass to Jordan Addison with just 25 seconds left. But now, in a rare post-game statement addressing the growing backlash, NFL officials have conceded the interference as a “critical anomaly”—a term insiders say acknowledges the equipment malfunction’s role in the deflection while highlighting systemic flaws in monitoring such hazards during live action. This isn’t just semantics; it shifts blame from Reichard (preserving his near-perfect season stats at 8-for-9) to league infrastructure, raising questions about why similar issues plagued other games that weekend, like a Skycam deflection in the Jets-Cowboys matchup.

The implications are massive and “change everything” for several reasons. First, had the Vikings lost—which seemed likely after the Browns capitalized on the field position—this could have ignited one of the season’s biggest officiating scandals, especially in a high-stakes international series game where quirks like exposed cables are more common. Second, the admission opens the door for potential retroactive reviews or compensatory actions, though unlikely post-win; it also pressures the NFL to mandate better camera rigging protocols, perhaps elevating them to reviewable plays under instant replay—something not currently standard. Fans and pundits are already calling for accountability, with some pointing to this as evidence of the league’s growing pains in global expansion, where stadium setups aren’t always optimized for American football.NFL game ticketsBest video game consoles

For the Vikings, now 3-2 and heading into a Week 6 bye after their European swing, the win softens the blow, but Reichard’s “miss” robbed him of a shot at NFL history—potentially extending his perfect season streak. As they prepare for a Week 7 clash with the Philadelphia Eagles, this saga serves as a wake-up call: in a league where milliseconds and inches decide fates, ignoring “critical anomalies” like this could cost teams dearly in tighter contests. The NFL’s silence is broken, but the conversation—and reforms—have only just begun

Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell, back stateside after 10 days abroad, said Monday that he anticipates four players returning to practice from injury next week ahead of the Oct. 19 game against the Super Bowl champion Eagles.

Chief among them is quarterback J.J. McCarthy, who’s been out since after the Vikings’ 22-6 loss to the Falcons in Week 2 because of a high ankle sprain.

Also expected to return are left guard Donovan Jackson (wrist), linebacker Blake Cashman (hamstring) and center Michael Jurgens (hamstring).

Cashman is returning from injured reserve.

“Getting some positives here at the bye,” O’Connell said. “Comes at a big-time moment for us where we’ve obviously had some adversity from an injury standpoint. We’ll continue to work through that, but I like the way guys have stepped up and the way our team has battled throughout this first five weeks.”

The Vikings opted to keep McCarthy off injured reserve, which would have required him to miss the Eagles game due to the four-game minimum absence for short-term IR and kept him out of practice that entire span, too.

O’Connell said McCarthy will get “extensive work” during the bye week to help prepare him for his return to team practices. Wide receiver Jordan Addison told reporters postgame Sunday in London that he plans to work out with McCarthy during the break.

“J.J. got some work today, and he’ll get some work the rest of the week,” O’Connell said. “We’ll pick it up officially next week, but I’m encouraged about where he’s at right now.”

Though O’Connell said Sept. 30 that the Vikings might return McCarthy to individual drills while the team was in London, the 22-year-old ultimately sat out all three days of practice in the English countryside with practice space more cramped than at TCO Performance Center.

O’Connell said staff will put together a plan for McCarthy’s ramp up these next two weeks with the goal of consistent increase while monitoring his soreness coming out of each day.

“He’s had some real moments of growth through this time,” O’Connell said. “Watching Carson [Wentz], 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.”

STRIB

Looks like it could be a 4th if Cleveland starts playing him, a 6th if they don't, and no compensatory pick if Cashman misses much more and Wilson plays more snaps.

Blake Cashman’s injury could prevent Vikings from getting a comp pick
As things stand right now, the injury to inside linebacker Blake Cashman will cost the Vikings and general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah a compensatory pick. Let me explain.

Compensatory picks are decided based on a formula. Appendix V of the Collective Bargaining Agreement explains how the process works.

All players shall be assigned additional points based on honors or participation, as follows:
Selected 1st Team ALL-NFL by PFWA or 1st Team ALL-PRO by AP: 20 points.
Selected All Conference by PFWA (except if selected ALL NFL or ALL PRO above): 5 points.
One point for each percent of the total offensive/defensive plays in which the player participated (excluding special teams), provided that the player participated in a minimum of 25% of the offensive/ defensive plays (excluding special teams). For example: 67% participation equals 67 points, 0% to 24.99% participation equals no points. Exception: in the case of punters and place-kickers, 1 point will be awarded for each punt attempted and 1 point for each punt inside the 20-yard line during the regular season for the punters, and 2 points for each field goal attempted and 1 point for each field goal made during the regular season for place-kickers.
The sum of the numerical values in (a) and (b) above shall represent each player’s Final Numerical Value.
Each CFA’s Final Numerical Value shall be measured in percentile terms against all players’ Final Numerical Values to determine the position of a Club’s Compensatory Draft Selection, if any.
In basic terms, it’s a formula that adds your ranking of your average annual value, adding in the percentage of snaps you play on offense or defense, with any eligible awards you win. The top 689 players qualify for the formula, and, after starting the last four games, inside linebacker Eric Wilson now qualifies for the formula, meaning that selection for Cam Robinson is cancelled out.

Wilson only has a contract worth $2.6 million, which is 1,254th in the NFL, but playing 76.4% of the snaps through five weeks is a significant portion of the snaps. That is mainly due to Cashman missing time. As long as Cashman returns relatively quickly, that pick will come back.

Right now, the pick for Robinson is projected as a sixth-round pick due to his barely playing in the last four games. However, that will shoot up once he takes over at left tackle. He could end up starting the rest of the season and shoot that pick up as high as a fourth-round pick.

With 13 weeks left in the NFL season, nothing is set in stone, but it’s noteworthy that this could change how many NFL Draft picks the Vikings have.

Soft benching?

Alec Lewis
@alec_lewis

Kevin O’Connell said QB Carson Wentz is being further evaluated with the shoulder injury suffered in yesterday’s game. Sounded like he came in pretty sore. One to watch.

Hall of Fame linebacker Jack Lambert once said QBs should wear skirts because of how ridiculous the rules had become about protecting them. He said this in the 70s. He wouldn't recognize the game today. 

A few juicy topics for our beloved Vikings as they return to US soil for some much-needed rest and healing.

State of the Offense

• Health issues aside, the offense came out of the gate looking discombobulated with JJ at QB.  I feel like most every NFL head coach is so frightened of being criticized for pre-season injuries that getting actual game reps for guys that need the work is going by the wayside.  Need a new plan for next year.
  
• Good discussion on here about the lack of a quick game.  Was definitely better versus the Browns.
  
• Jones should be back after the bye.  Will be interesting to see how the carries get split between Jones and Mason.  I don't expect to see much of Scott after his fumble -- Akers is a safer pair of hands.  Jones had fumbling issues last year and Mason just looks better.  I expect Jones to get limited carries and probably more receptions going forward.
  
• So much talent at the receiving positions with Jettas, Addison, Nailor, Thielen.  Will Hockenson return to his old form?  They called him "one of the best route-running tight ends in the league" yesterday, but I mostly see him running flairs and stop routes with his back to the end zone and limited to no YAC potential.  KOC mentioned him as a guy who is sacrificing individually for the team -- assume this refers to him doing more blocking and chipping.  He's one to keep an eye on as his production is not equaling his paycheck.
  
• OL needs health.  One has to wonder if we made a big mistake on Ryan Kelly.  On the "pitch count" for Darrisaw, two things.  He is not playing the 2nd and 4th Q because it is too stressful on the knee to warmup, exert, rest and come back to immediate exertion.  Secondly, the narrative KOC is using around CD is very interesting.  My own reading between the lines has me wondering how much CD is dictating what he will do vs. the doctors and coaches.
  

• Must clean up the run defense.  I think it will naturally improve with the return of Blake Cashman, but the penetration we hoped for to disrupt the run game in the middle from Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave has largely been absent.  Jalen Redmond has balled-out and LDR has looked great in small stretches.  Ivan Pace continues to disappoint me.  He's just too boom or bust.  He's a decent blitzer because he attacks like a torpedo.  He does the same in the run game, however, and more often than not picks the wrong gap; misses the tackle; or helps create giant cut-back and jump-cut lanes that are gashing us right now.
  
• Worried about Van Ginkel -- he's a playmaker we're missing and "neck" injury just sounds scary.
  
• Secondary has been a real pleasant surprise.  Isaiah Rodgers and Byron Murphy are playing upper-tier ball.  Theo Jackson looks solid.  Glad we re-signed Metellus.  We will see what Harry and Okudah can give us.  We are susceptible to injury here big time -- thankfully the bug has not hit this group (other than Harry's mysterious illness).
  

1. Should Wentz continue to start once JJ is fully healthy (and will JJ's ankle injury mysteriously linger...)?  No doubt Wentz has outplayed JJ.  And he appears to be getting better as he starts to get more comfortable with the offense.  Hard to dislike the guy, seeing him lay it on the line against Cleveland.  He has his obvious flaws -- slowish release and processing; not particularly agile in the pocket.  But he's been reasonably accurate, has the arm talent, experience and is improving in this offense.  (his double-clutches kill me, though!)  He seems to have that veteran calm about him that you have to love (handling the low snap on the first play of the late TD drive against the Browns may have saved the game).  All that said, I think the reigns rightly belong to JJ.  He's a captain on the team.  We need to see what we have in him.  It will just be frustrating when he plays poorly in stretches (and he will) for a team that looks like a fringe playoff contender.  The fact that Wentz has played reasonably well and seems to be improving will make this all the more dicey.  One hopes, of course, that JJ re-grabs the reigns, takes off and we never look back.  That hope at the beginning of the season seems more unrealistic now.
   
2. What do you do with Jordan Addison?  Lest we forget -- in July 2023 Addison plead guilty to a misdemeanor stemming from being caught speeding at 140 mph in his Lambo at 3 am; in July 2024, Addison was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence when he was found asleep at the wheel of his car blocking traffic lanes near LAX.  He plead no contest to a lesser charge of "wet reckless" and received a 3-game suspension from the NFL.  After both incidents, Addison played the part -- he apologized, talked about how he has matured, etc., etc.  Now, in October of 2025 he was "suspended" by the team for 1Q after missing a team walkthrough with the team in London.  Has he matured?  Is he a head case?  A walking time bomb?  No doubt he is a talented receiver who makes the team better when he is on the field.  With a strong locker room, and (supposed) mentoring from Jettas and "fathering" from KOC, he has continued to mess up.  JA will demand a contract extension following the 2025 season.  The obvious benchmarks are Jameson Williams with Detroit and Tee Higgins in Cinci.  Both "stud" #2 receivers behind elite #1s (Amon Ra and Chase).  Williams talent/production is more debatable.  Williams signed a 3-year extension with the Kitties in September for $83 million with $67 million guaranteed.  Higgins signed a 4-year extension worth $115 million with lesser guarantees -- $41 million.  Neither Higgins nor Williams has had a strong start to the 2025 season on the heels of their extensions.  Addison will no doubt expect to beat both of those extensions.
   

It'll be a talker for the next few weeks, like it or not...

I'm in the camp of JJM and dont see this as a real issue to decide. 

I say lets see what we got in JJ and hopefully he is 100% post bye...

==========================
LONDON – The Vikings enter the bye week with three fascinating quarterbacks and a fascinating quandary. At least, that’s what it looks like from the outside.

But there is a reason the Vikings’ decisionmaking in this instance is easy to predict and inherently logical, even if their likely decision won’t necessarily be immediately popular with their fan base.

First, let’s take a realistic look at their current three quarterbacks.

Carson Wentz
He orchestrated a remarkable game-winning drive on Sunday in London. He is 2-1 as a starter, and his loss occurred in a game that was lost as much because of poor offensive line play and an inability to stop the Steelers’ previously mediocre offense as it was because of Wentz’s play.
Give him high grades for being a quality backup, a tough human and an admirable competitor.

J.J. McCarthy
He’s played eight NFL quarters. He has played well in one of them. He remains an awkward match for a veteran roster trying to win big this season. He is also a top-10 draft pick with obvious talent and a championship pedigree.

Max Brosmer
Is he this year’s version of Gino Torretta? Remember Gino Torretta? The Vikings spent a seventh-round draft pick on him in 1993. He won two national titles at Miami and is a member of the college football Hall of Fame, and he looked like the Vikings’ best quarterback during the 1993 preseason. He would throw a total of five passes, completing one, in NFL regular-season games.

Give Brosmer this: He looks like an NFL quarterback when he’s standing on the sideline. He’s a big, strong guy with arm talent who has demonstrated composure when given a chance to play.

If fans were running the Vikings, they might be tempted to stick with Wentz, who is probably better equipped to play behind a mangled offensive line at this point in his career than either of the youngsters.

And there will be many who admired Brosmer’s play for the Gophers and in this preseason, and will want him to get a shot.

This is where a reminder is in order.

If all the Vikings wanted at their quarterback position was efficient passing (which Brosmer might provide), they would have kept Kirk Cousins. If all the Vikings wanted at their quarterback position was a veteran who could run their offense, they would have kept Sam Darnold.

They cut Cousins and Darnold loose because their goal is to win a Super Bowl, and they believe the best way to achieve that goal is to develop a talented youngster who will be around and affordable for years.


That’s McCarthy.

McCarthy has a high ankle sprain. He may not be fully ready to play coming out of the bye, and it would be foolish to play him until he is healthy and playing behind a relatively healthy offensive line.

But he is the Vikings’ quarterback.

You don’t draft someone with a top-10 pick, then give up on him because he looked overmatched in one game. He’s the Vikings most athletic quarterback, and he has already shown the ability to rally a team to victory on the road under difficult circumstances.

McCarthy should return when he’s ready, regardless of how Wentz plays or Brosmer looks when we get a glimpse of him.

Consider this: McCarthy played 40 games at Michigan and won a national title while playing for Jim Harbaugh, one of the world’s best quarterback coaches.

Then he spent a year studying Kevin O’Connell’s offense from the sideline while injured.

If he looked unready to take on the massive responsibilities of an NFL starting quarterback at the beginning of his second season, how could Brosmer, who played one year of major college football, at Minnesota, be ready?

Probably the best way to look at this “competition” is this: None of these three are going to win a Super Bowl this year.

So this year should be about developing McCarthy, while hoping he can also win games. Wentz has played admirably and Brosmer is intriguing, but McCarthy is the future, and nothing that has happened this season has changed that.

STRIB

"The Vikings’ salvaging of their two-week Euro trip is proof positive of what separates the NFL’s top programs from everyone else. The fantasy-football-obsessed public will see Minnesota’s win over the Browns in London, drill down on throws Carson Wentz made to Jordan Addison and Justin Jefferson, and believe this is only a story about the great environment that Kevin O’Connell has created to maximize quarterbacks in the Twin Cities.

That’s part of the story. But there’s more to it.

Yes, Wentz led a 10-play, 80-yard drive to beat Cleveland on Sunday. And yes, a beautifully placed 50-50 ball that Jefferson claimed for 21 yards was its catalyst, setting up a 12-yard dart to Addison to win the game. Having those guys would help any quarterback.

However, what made all this even more impressive was who was in front of Wentz. Justin Skule started the game at right tackle for Brian O’Neill, then flipped to left tackle for Christian Darrisaw, who was on restricted snaps since returning from a torn ACL and MCL last year. When Skule made that move, second-year man Walter Rouse came in at right tackle. Guard Blake Brandel was in at center for Ryan Kelly, who’s been out with a concussion. Undrafted rookie Joe Huber was in for first-rounder Donovan Jackson at guard, leaving Will Fries, at the other guard spot, as the only regular starter.

Yet, somehow, that group held up against Myles Garett and Mason Graham in a series of clear pass-first situations for the offense, and paved the way for that unit to drive 80 yards on 10 plays to win the game.

“We knew coming in that we were down a few guys,” Wentz told me from the locker room in London. “I’m so proud of the guys. To move from right tackle to left tackle against the best defensive end in the world, the way Justin [Skule] did that, unbelievable. Walt coming in late in the game playing right [tackle]. Blake playing a new position, in center. The way the guys stepped up and gave me chances to find these open dudes down the field was sweet.”

It's also a reflection of why the Vikings can do right by their players. Whether it’s giving J.J. McCarthy through the bye to heal his high ankle sprain, keeping Darrisaw on a strict pitch count or managing through safety Harrison Smith’s absence earlier in the year, there’s confidence that they’ll find a way. It’s allowed the staff to handle the roster in a way that’ll give the Vikings the best chance to have the best team at the end.

And it’s because they can acquire players such as Skule, Brandel, Rouse and Huber at a point where they can coach around any weaknesses they have, and still leverage the strengths that remain. That it happened Sunday in a position group where no team has great depth, and one that the Vikings spent a lot to improve this offseason, only punctuates the point.

“One, that goes to the coordinators upstairs and, two, the coaching,” Wentz said. “They do a great job of having guys ready. Everyone coaches their tail off for each and every guy. There’s no denying the game plan changes because of it, and they do a tremendous job recognizing what we need to do, tweaking it, how to attack a defense every single week with the players we have on the field. I think they did a great job today. It wasn’t perfect, it was tough, and we shot ourselves in the foot a couple times …”

However, it was damn impressive, and as such, the arrow is pointing up on the Vikings, as they return to the U.S. with a 3–2 record after a split of their international games." - Albert Breer, SI.com

The Purple Persuasion
@TPPSkol

The Vikings next 4 games (post-bye) seemed very daunting a couple weeks ago, but actually may be more winnable now. Not easy, but not impossible.

Week 7: Eagles
- Eagles 4-1 but just lost to the Broncos
- Drama starting to brew amongst their offense
- Eagles will have mini-bye before playing Vikings (TNF against Giants)

Week 8: at Chargers
- Tough game on a short week
- Chargers are 3-2 (after 2 straight loses, Giants and Commanders)
- Their OL is pretty injured right now too

Week 9: at Lions
- Probably the toughest game of the 4
- Lions are dominating teams and have ratteled off 4 straight wins after losing to Packers week 1

 Week 10: Ravens
- Wheels have really fallen off this squad now 1-4.
- They will likely be very desperate
- Lamar Jackson is injured but expected back before this game