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The Minnesota Vikings will be without quarterback J.J. McCarthy for two to four weeks with an ankle injury, forcing them to turn to veteran Carson Wentz.
McCarthy, the Vikings’ first-round pick in 2024, has been diagnosed with a high ankle sprain, which he suffered in a disappointing performance in Minnesota’s 22-6 defeat to the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday.
After scoring three touchdowns in the fourth quarter to lead the Vikings to a comeback in Week 1 against the Chicago Bears, McCarthy endured a nightmare in primetime against the Falcons. He finished 11 of 21 for 158 yards with zero touchdowns and two interceptions. He was sacked six times and fumbled three times, one of which was recovered by Atlanta.
McCarthy missed his entire rookie season with a torn meniscus and, after a chastening home debut, head coach Kevin O’Connell expressed disappointment his quarterback will not get to learn from his first defeat.
“It is crushing,” O’Connell said on Monday. “Because you just want it to be a daily process of activating every aspect of the development and learning.”
Wentz will now take over, with the second overall pick in the 2016 draft set to start for a sixth team in as many seasons.
The Vikings only signed Wentz on August 24, but O’Connell was impressed with the veteran in practice last week when he had to step in for McCarthy, whose fiancee gave birth to their first child last Thursday.
