JJM should get the start this week

My current feeling is a planned-for Wentz at 33 years old is a much more manageable proposition for the Bears. I just have a bad feeling about this outing for Carson. But the Vikings would never jump Wentz for JJM after that game so quickly.

Bullazin wrote:

If Kyler is out. It’s a risky decision but my opinion anyway. He’s probably not as good as Wentz right now but big picture thinking he may give us the best chance against a team that will likely score 30 points and it also gives a prized pick another chance to shine. Wentz really has high end backup vibes but I don’t see us reaching lofty places with him as the starter.

While I did think JJ should maybe be the QB2 over Wentz going into the year, you can't make that move now. Wentz is 1-0, threw 3 TDS, 0 INTs and did not turn the ball over. You don't tell that guy to grab a clipboard. It would signal indecision and chaos.

Imagine after starting 8 different QBs the last few years, to start 3 different QBs in our first two games of the season. Just get Kyler through protocol.

The coaches are looking at it from the perspective of who gives us the best chance to win? The Vikings had Kyler and JJ McCarthy competing for the starting job. Wentz never factored into the competition at all. I think the team views him as a good veteran backup and likely the top option right now if Kyler gets hurt, to come in and help the team win the game. But if Kyler is out next week, is Wentz the best starting option?Or do you give the start to the kid who you had competing to be your starter and keep Wentz as the backup in case JJ McCarthy gets hurt or isn't playing well?

If the coaches thought JJ was close, but Murray offers more veteran presence and was more consistent then I think JJ should start this week it Kyler can't. But if they thought he needed more development before seeing game action, then you go with Wentz regardless of what he did last week or may do this week against the Bears (good or bad).

As much as I would like to see it for the future of the Vikings...it just isn't going to happen. For many of the reasons posted above. The main reason is something you said though. KOC, Wilfs and others don't give 2 shits about the Vikings future right now. It's always about this season's competitive rebuild. The mantra is clear, just get in to the "dance" no matter the path. Building for the future seems to usually be 5th or 6th down the list.

Either way, I think Maroon did say it correctly. You can't just bench Wince after a 3TD comeback performance. Imagine if you were sitting in the locker room after that and KOC be-bops in to tell you JJM is starting for the "Future". I can imagine that would go over like a wet fart in church. You just beat the Packers, you are feeling pretty good about yourself, go get the win vs the Bears and solidify that you are #1 in the NFC North. If JJM wasn't good enough to be your backup, how can he be your starter now?

As much as it pains me to say, even though I advocated to start JJM in an earlier thread, the situation the Vikings are in, you have to start Wince. Otherwise, you might have a mutiny.

The realist in me knows it would be a tough if not head scratching sell in the locker room, the fan in me wants JJM to get another shot to make a splash. Like @MaroonBells said, you can’t sell that.

The only way to sell it is that it was truly a fluid decision as KOC said, and he is flowing, but again a huge risk after how well Wentz performed

MAD GAINZ wrote:

The coaches are looking at it from the perspective of who gives us the best chance to win? The Vikings had Kyler and JJ McCarthy competing for the starting job. Wentz never factored into the competition at all. I think the team views him as a good veteran backup and likely the top option right now if Kyler gets hurt, to come in and help the team win the game. But if Kyler is out next week, is Wentz the best starting option?Or do you give the start to the kid who you had competing to be your starter and keep Wentz as the backup in case JJ McCarthy gets hurt or isn't playing well?
If the coaches thought JJ was close, but Murray offers more veteran presence and was more consistent then I think JJ should start this week it Kyler can't. But if they thought he needed more development before seeing game action, then you go with Wentz regardless of what he did last week or may do this week against the Bears (good or bad).

But JJ simply didn't win the QB2 role. Presumably for reasons. He was QB3 and not even available to play yesterday unless Wentz was unavailable. That should be a MASSIVE hint that there is issues. This is a guy that was supposedly going to be QB1 a year ago who couldn't be named QB1 this year.

MAD GAINZ wrote:

The coaches are looking at it from the perspective of who gives us the best chance to win? The Vikings had Kyler and JJ McCarthy competing for the starting job. Wentz never factored into the competition at all. I think the team views him as a good veteran backup and likely the top option right now if Kyler gets hurt, to come in and help the team win the game. But if Kyler is out next week, is Wentz the best starting option?Or do you give the start to the kid who you had competing to be your starter and keep Wentz as the backup in case JJ McCarthy gets hurt or isn't playing well?
If the coaches thought JJ was close, but Murray offers more veteran presence and was more consistent then I think JJ should start this week it Kyler can't. But if they thought he needed more development before seeing game action, then you go with Wentz regardless of what he did last week or may do this week against the Bears (good or bad).

Such a key point

Mike Olson wrote:

But JJ simply didn't win the QB2 role. Presumably for reasons. He was QB3 and not even available to play yesterday unless Wentz was unavailable. That should be a MASSIVE hint that there is issues. This is a guy that was supposedly going to be QB1 a year ago who couldn't be named QB1 this year.

There are reasons for sure. So did KOC really mean what he said when he said the backup sitch was fluid? Maybe that is how you encourage a young developing player through the media

Someday we'll know if JJM needed more development or was just a bust of a #10 pick.

until then?

I guess it could happen, if Kevin O'Connell woke up Sunday and decided he wanted to commit career suicide. Anything's possible! 😀

Wentz should start this week and I’m probably the second biggest JJM fanboy on the board.

I’m surprised more of you aren’t on the “start Wentz over a recently concussed Kyler even if he’s cleared” bandwagon but I suspect many inside and outside the org are hoping that decision gets made for them.

Starting the QB who played the best for us last week doesn’t seem like some wild take. If Keenum and Darnold can do it, why not Wentz?

If Wentz lights up the Bears like the Fourth of July then we ride the hot hand. If he gets sacked 8 times and looks washed then we got a healthy Murray ready to roll Week 3. Murray’s a team first guy, he won’t mind!

In what world would a team start the number 3 quarterback instead of number 2? It seems the JJ grief is infinite.

You might be onto something here.. I think we double down even more and start Max Brosmer

pattersaur wrote:

Wentz should start this week and I’m probably the second biggest JJM fanboy on the board.
I’m surprised more of you aren’t on the “start Wentz over a recently concussed Kyler even if he’s cleared” bandwagon but I suspect many inside and outside the org are hoping that decision gets made for them.
Starting the QB who played the best for us last week doesn’t seem like some wild take. If Keenum and Darnold can do it, why not Wentz?
If Wentz lights up the Bears like the Fourth of July then we ride the hot hand. If he gets sacked 8 times and looks washed then we got a healthy Murray ready to roll Week 3. Murray’s a team first guy, he won’t mind!

I guess anything can happen technically, but Wentz having some kind of crazy good campaign as the Viking's starter isn't going to be a thing. In fact, lets revisit this thread after the Chicago game because I think fans are going to feel VERY differently about Carson come Sunday around 3:00 pm central time. He's a backup now. The Bears are going to bring the kitchen sink and Wentz is going to look old and slow....and all the fans jumping on his bandwagon will be breaking ankles getting off.

Get Murray out there ASAP so we can see what we have.

Switching to JJM now would be a chaos move. There’s a reason that Wentz was made QB2 instead of JJM. JJM needs to be working on things and developing his game. He’s been going through whatever funk he’s been in trying to deal with the emotional toll of being demoted and the muscle memory issues of half-way having your mechanics being adjusted. Whatever his issue has been, it’s very unlikely that it was resolved in one week. Furthermore, Murray is out for a short period of time. Maybe it’s a week. Maybe it’s a couple weeks. It’s not 6 weeks or anything. Ride Wentz for this brief period of time. If it turns out Murray is completely broken, revisit this in a couple weeks after JJM has had some time to sort his issues out.

Wentz should start over Murray even if he’s “cleared”.  I don’t say that from the perspective that I think Wentz is better than Murray, but more out of an abundance of caution.  Brains aren’t something to mess around with.

medaille wrote:

Switching to JJM now would be a chaos move. There’s a reason that Wentz was made QB2 instead of JJM. JJM needs to be working on things and developing his game. He’s been going through whatever funk he’s been in trying to deal with the emotional toll of being demoted and the muscle memory issues of half-way having your mechanics being adjusted. Whatever his issue has been, it’s very unlikely that it was resolved in one week. Furthermore, Murray is out for a short period of time. Maybe it’s a week. Maybe it’s a couple weeks. It’s not 6 weeks or anything. Ride Wentz for this brief period of time. If it turns out Murray is completely broken, revisit this in a couple weeks after JJM has had some time to sort his issues out.
Wentz should start over Murray even if he’s “cleared”.  I don’t say that from the perspective that I think Wentz is better than Murray, but more out of an abundance of caution.  Brains aren’t something to mess around with.

This...

Wentz isnt better, but u can't gamble with K1 and send him back this Sunday. I dont think he will be cleared, I will be gobsmacked if he is.

There will be plenty of time to evaluate what we got in Murray, its the #1 issue to sort.

But let's be safe/sane about it.

Wentz starts and JJ is backup. If wentz is hot garbage, JJ comes off the bench. About the only right way to handle it.

StickierBuns wrote:

My current feeling is a planned-for Wentz at 33 years old is a much more manageable proposition for the Bears. I just have a bad feeling about this outing for Carson. But the Vikings would never jump Wentz for JJM after that game so quickly.

Defenses can just pin their ears back and go right after Wentz. He is a statue with zero scrambling threat. He takes so much of our playbook away. He will always be a 150-200 yrd per game guy. 1 TD maybe 2 and an int. Will take 6 sacks a game because he cant move.

He does go through reads well but if our OL plays like they did on Sunday then Wentz is fucked and we can just take the loss now.

I'd rather give JJM the start and lets see if we throw him in the trash can next year or not. Murray will be back game 3 and we go from there.

Wentz is not the answer for the future, past or present.

pattersaur wrote:

Starting the QB who played the best for us last week doesn’t seem like some wild take. If Keenum and Darnold can do it, why not Wentz?

Both of those guys can scramble. Wentz is a statue