Vikings QB Carson Wentz achieved something so rare in win vs. Packers that hasn’t happened in over 65 years
The Minnesota Vikings are going into their 66th season in the NFL, and Carson Wentz did something that hasn’t happened since their debut.
The Minnesota Vikings completed an improbable 39-22 victory over the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, scoring 22 points in the final quarter to seal the comeback. After quarterback Kyler Murray suffered a concussion early in the game, Carson Wentz stepped in and stabilized the Vikings offense, throwing 3 touchdown passes in the season opener. What Wentz accomplished carries historical weight that stretches far beyond the Vikings.
Wentz is the first reserve quarterback to throw 3 touchdown passes with no interceptions in a season-opening win since Fran Tarkenton did it in 1961, 65 years ago.
That stat doesn’t just cover the entirety of Vikings history; it covers the entire NFL. Think about how much ground that spans and how many games have been played over that stretch.
Carson Wentz has a historic performance
It’s not a surprise that Wentz was able to find success in this role. He was a former MVP candidate during 2017 and has thrived in a multitude of different ways across multiple teams throughout his career. The experience and arm talent have always been there, and Sunday was a reminder of what Wentz can do when called upon.
Now, it does need to be mentioned that Wentz had an interception taken off the board because of a penalty. That would have blemished the historic nature of the performance. Even so, he did a great job stabilizing an offense that looked downtrodden after Murray’s departure.
Losing your starting quarterback in Week 1 against a division rival is the type of moment that can send a team spiraling. Wentz made sure it didn’t. He kept the Vikings at minimum afloat and helped prevent Green Bay from running away with the game.
Wentz was a big factor in getting the 22 unanswered points. Yes, he did get bailed out by a couple of penalties, but he fired a couple of nice passes, including a rocket for the two-point conversion to Justin Jefferson in the back of the end zone.
Where things go from here depends entirely on Murray’s health. If Wentz has to play long-term, there are some real questions we will have to get answered. This isn’t the most sustainable play, but it worked, and Wentz made history in the process.
