The Minnesota Vikings (6-1) are making a change at starting quarterback. Coach Kevin O'Connell announced Thursday that Kyler Murray has a "hamstring strain" and veteran backup Carson Wentz will start for the Vikings against the Buffalo Bills (6-1) on "Monday Night Football" in Week 9.
O'Connell said Murray is considered "week-to-week," but they didn't want to put "him at risk of possibly turning this into a more significant injury." Thus, Wentz will get his second start of the season with Max Brosmer serving as his backup.
"Obviously, there is a ton of confidence in Carson," O'Connell said Thursday. "He's already helped us. Had a major, major role in two wins this year against two really good teams. He's a steadying presence and a guy we know can go in and play good football."
To O'Connell's point, the 33-year-old journeyman performed well in the two games he played filling in for Murray after he suffered a concussion in Week 1 against the Green Bay Packers. Wentz came off the bench in the season opener to throw for 133 yards and three touchdowns on 12-of-19 passing in a 39-22 victory. In Week 2, he started the game at the Chicago Bears, and he completed 11 of his 20 throws for 143 yards in a 9-3 rain-soaked victory at Soldier Field.
Murray, however, hasn't fit well in O'Connell's scheme this season. Murray's -0.11 expected points added (EPA) per dropback is the fifth worst in the entire NFL, ahead of only Cam Ward (-0.12), Tanner McKee (-0.13), Daniel Jones (-0.19) and Justin Herbert (-0.22). O'Connell's offense thrived with Kirk Cousins and Sam Darnold heaving the ball deep down the field to Jefferson and others over the middle of the field. Murray entered 2026 ranking 40th out of 45 qualified quarterbacks in throws of 10-22 yards (intermediate throws) between the numbers (over the middle of the field) in 2025. That's why his connection with Marvin Harrison Jr. failed in Arizona.
Just 10.7% of his throws in 2025 with the Cardinals traveled 10 or more air yards downfield, which ranked third among 42 quarterbacks with at least 150 passes last season. This season playing for O'Connell, 34.4% of Murray's throws are traveling 10 or more air yards, which is the 10th-highest rate in the NFL.
The lack of scheme fit between O'Connell and Murray is why the Vikings offense has just 12 touchdowns in seven games this season, the fewest touchdowns by a team with a 6-1 record or better through seven games since Washington in 1982. The only team that has scored fewer touchdowns than the Vikings in 2026 is the winless Los Angeles Chargers with nine. Both the tanking Miami Dolphins (13 touchdowns) and the Deshaun Watson-led Cleveland Browns (13 touchdowns) have found the end zone more often than O'Connell's unit.
Wentz has a cushy matchup against the Bills in Week 9, with Buffalo entering the week allowing the third-most passing yards per game (254.7) in the entire NFL in 2026.
