Despite a stellar three-touchdown debut, analysts remain skeptical of Minnesota's new signal-caller. Discover why critics view the former starter as a mediocre backup ahead of Sunday's showdown.
The Minnesota Vikings will take on the Chicago Bears on Sunday. It's the biggest game of their NFL season because of what it could mean for their division title chances and because of the circumstances surrounding the game.
Consider the circumstances surrounding the game. Minnesota has a chance to start the year 2-0 against divisional opponents. The two divisional opponents are the Packers, who they Vikings dominated last Sunday, and the Chicago Bears. They have the chance to do so with their backup quarterback Carson Wentz.
Wentz proved his ability in a three-touchdown performance in last week's game, but some are still doubting what he brings to the table. One analyst appears to view him as an average NFL backup.
ESPN NFL analyst Seth Walder ranked quarterbacks for every team in the National Football League. His ranking for Wentz surprised. Walder has Wentz as the No. 15 backup among the 32 NFL teams.
Here was Walder's explanation for that ranking.
"Wentz mostly delivered in Minnesota's Week 1 comeback win over the Packers, including a 39-yard touchdown pass to Justin Jefferson. Wentz finished the game with a 58.9 QBR. As good as the vibes might be after that win, Wentz's recent history is still mixed. Since 2022, he has a 43.7 QBR and a minus-2% completion percentage over expected. But Minnesota is looking for someone who can chuck it up to Jefferson and let the All-Pro make a play. Wentz can do that."
Walder was unusually high on Green Bay Packers backup Tyrod Taylor's ability. He ranked Taylor as the No. 9 backup in the league with the following reasoning.
"We must bake in some aging downside for the 37-year-old Taylor, but if a team has to get away with playing a backup for a few games, it could do much worse. Over the past four seasons, Taylor's 49.9 QBR and plus-2% completion percentage over expected are pretty good. And his willingness to throw the ball downfield (13% of his attempts go 20-plus air yards, a high rate) and scramble frequently gives him some variance that is useful for backups."
Aug 28, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Carson Wentz (11) hand hits the helmet of Denver Broncos linebacker Jonathon Cooper (0) in the first quarter during a preseason game at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn ImagesThere seems still to be a pervasive bias by many in favor of the Packers over the Vikings. Some of that has been earned on the field over the course of several decades, but several players on the current Vikings squad do not seem to get much of their due credit. Wentz is at the top of that list.
The former North Dakota State college quarterback has faced plenty of adversity over the course of his career but has seemed to settle into his role in Minnesota. The Vikings can count on him to come in and win any game.
There's still more to see, but a win over the Bears Sunday could put the Vikings at a decided advantage over the NFC North for the rest of the season. We'll see if Wentz can give Minnesota the win.
