Let's take a quick break from talking about the NFC-leading Green Bay Packers and rightfully placing Jordan Love in the same category as an Aaron Rodgers or a Brett Favre. After a Week 8 that saw the Chicago Bears and Minnesota Vikings lose while the Detroit Lions were on a bye, these Packers have to be feeling pretty good about themselves.
But, this isn't quite about the Packers. This is all about those aforementioned Vikings who have drawn a load of speculation over how they have handled their quarterback room after an early J.J. McCarthy injury this year.
Veteran Carson Wentz took over for McCarthy after his injury back in Week 2 and has since gone 2-3 as a starter. That's not bad, but Wentz himself has looked ... well ... bad. The curious part about McCarthy's injury, recently, is that he was apparently healthy enough to be the Vikings' emergency third quarterback each of the last two weeks.
That's not all, however.
Vikings' latest Carson Wentz update gives Packers fans every right to speculate
In one of the latest updates from NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, it was reported that Wentz's supposed-new injury was, indeed, not new.
"In the first half of the London game, Wentz suffered a dislocation that tore his labrum and fractured the socket, per The Insiders. He gutted out 2.5 more games for the with a big stabilizing brace, while JJ McCarthy (high-ankle) recovered."
For those just catching up, it was previously reported that Wentz had to undergo season-ending surgery following the team's Week 8 contest on Thursday Night Football. That was a tough way for Wentz's season to come to an end, but this latest update now has fans running wild with speculation.
Back to the most recent update, with Wentz apparently having suffered a torn labrum and fractured socket a couple of weeks ago. First off, let's give Wentz some kudos for fighting through that type of pain for another two and a half games. That's incredible.
But, at the same time, if McCarthy was healthy enough to be the Vikings' emergency third quarterback during those two games Wentz was writhing in pain, what does that say, exactly?
Again, this is speculation, but every Packers fan who is now caught up has to be coming to a similar conclusion and asking the questions: Do the Vikings really believe in McCarthy? Do they trust him? Does he need to sit longer while Kevin O'Connell continues to try to develop him?
Maybe, just maybe, McCarthy isn't ready. Maybe, he's not all that good. Maybe, he came into the NFL from a loaded, winning program with a nasty defense behind him and that's why he was drafted so high.
Vikings fans reading this will be up in arms defending their guy, and rightfully so.
But, please do explain how McCarthy was healthy enough to suit up as the team's emergency quarterback for two-straight games while Wentz suffered hit after hit with such significant injuries of his own.