INGLEWOOD, Calif. — With his left shoulder in a brace and his right arm seemingly out of magic, Minnesota Vikings quarterback Carson Wentz gave what he had Thursday night.
In what could be the veteran’s last start before J.J. McCarthy returns from a high ankle sprain, Wentz was unable to get the Vikings into the end zone until late in the third quarter of a 37-10 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers.
Wentz completed 15 of 27 passes for 144 yards, with a touchdown and an interception, all while aggravating his existing shoulder injury on multiple occasions, including on a tipped pass with 4 minutes, 12 seconds remaining in the second quarter.
It was far from a first half to remember, with Wentz completing 10 of 16 passes for 99 yards while getting sacked three times.
The Vikings didn’t gain more than 35 yards on any of their five first-half possessions and scored only when Will Reichard made a 54-yard field goal in the second quarter. Reichard missed a 53-yard attempt on the final play before halftime.
Wentz’s rough night only got worse when he overthrew Justin Jefferson early in the fourth quarter and the Chargers’ RJ Mickens came away with the interception. With 6:19 remaining, the Vikings turned the ball over on downs after Wentz was hit from behind by the Chargers’ Troy Dye, and the veteran QB sprinted off the field holding his left arm against his body.
Rookie Max Brosmer, making his third career appearance, replaced Wentz with 1:56 remaining and completed 3 of 4 passes for 13 yards.
In a span of five days, Wentz lost against his original team and fell at what was his home stadium during the 2023 season. The Vikings lost 28-22 to the visiting Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, then never were competitive Thursday in the venue Wentz called home when he was a backup for the Los Angeles Rams.
With his fifth team in five seasons, Wentz’s five starts are more than he had with the Rams and Kansas City Chiefs combined over the past two years.
He is 2-3 as the Vikings starter after taking over for McCarthy in Week 3. McCarthy, a La Grange Park native who played three years in high school at Nazareth, went 1-1 to open the season, including a 27-24 victory over the Chicago Bears in the opener.
Coach Kevin O’Connell had said that if this week’s game were on Sunday, McCarthy might have been able to play. The No. 10 pick in the 2024 draft could be ready to go when the Vikings visit the Detroit Lions on Nov. 2.
The Vikings long to see what they have in McCarthy after the Michigan product sat out last season with a knee injury as he was being lined up as Sam Darnold’s backup. Named the starter out of training camp this season, McCarthy’s next appearance will be just his third in two seasons.