It was not easy for the Minnesota Vikings to secure a 39-22 victory against the Green Bay Packers. The game was filled with twists and turns, with the Vikings losing Kyler Murray to a concussion coming out of the first half. But it was also the moment when Carson Wentz came in off the bench. After winning the game, Wentz stressed how the sport is unpredictable.
Watch What’s Trending Now!
“Football is a funny game,” he said in the post-game presser. “Things can change fast from guys playing. Obviously, didn’t think I’d be out there, and the momentum swing fast at the end of the game from us scoring. I think we scored four straight, maybe to finish. And the defense had, I think, a couple of turnovers on down, a couple of turnovers. Yeah, football is a funny game, but it’s fun to be on this side of it.”
Wentz goes with the correct use of the word “funny” to describe Sunday’s game. Murray had so many things to prove after signing a one-year contract with the Vikings in March. But in his debut in Minnesota, he laid motionless on the field after absorbing a hit from Packers safety Javon Bullard, while defensive end Lukas Van Ness pulled off his helmet following the 1-yard scramble.
After he went to the locker room for evaluation for concussion, he was ruled out. Then Wentz stepped in to replace him, and he made the most of the opportunity to prove himself. After leading the Vikings to their first points on a 38-yard field goal (kicked by Will Reichard), Wentz went on to deliver a strong performance. He completed 13 of 19 attempts for 133 yards and three touchdowns, recording a 123.5 passer rating as Minnesota rallied for a 39-22 win.
After proving himself in college, leading North Dakota State to two FCS national titles, the Philadelphia Eagles selected him with the second overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft. He had a strong rookie season, throwing for a league-record 379 completions by a rookie. That season, he was particularly impressive over the first five games, throwing for 1,362 yards and 10 touchdowns against just three interceptions.
In 2017, everything was going well until Week 14, when he had a leg injury against the Los Angeles Rams, and he was later diagnosed with a torn ACL. It opened the door for Nick Foles, who replaced him. So, from an NFL MVP contender conversation to being sidelined with a long recovery process, the night changed drastically.
Foles guided Philadelphia to a 41-33 Super Bowl LII victory over the New England Patriots. Wentz might have been the established starter, but Foles got all the credit, being crowned as the Super Bowl MVP.
Wentz stayed in Philadelphia till 2020 and then made stops at multiple teams, including Indianapolis, Washington, Los Angeles, and Kansas City, and has been in Minnesota since last season. But the chance to soak in the Super Bowl limelight never really came.
This season, he won the QB2 battle, defeating J.J. McCarthy. Who knows? Maybe this time Wentz might be able to witness what Foles did in his absence nine years back.