It was no Kyler Murray, no problems for the Minnesota Vikings in Week 1 against the Green Bay Packers, which did not come as a surprise to wide receiver Justin Jefferson.
Jefferson finished the afternoon with eight catches on nine targets for 92 yards and two touchdowns. He also caught a two-point conversion as part of the Vikings’ 39-22 opening-week win.
On Wednesday, September 16, a reporter asked Jefferson what impressed him about Wentz’s performance. The superstar wideout said that nothing the QB did had impressed him, which was perhaps the highest compliment Jefferson could have given Wentz who may make his sixth career start for the Vikings next Sunday against the Chicago Bears.
“Yeah, I mean, I’m not really impressed. That’s kinda, ya know, what he’s been doing. Even coming in last year and filling in a big role,” Jefferson said. “So Sunday was expected for him to come in and do what he normally does.”
“Sunday was expected for him to come in and do what he normally does.”
Jefferson added that Wentz knew the entire game plan and executed it without missing a beat, just as Murray had done in practice.
“And, you know, it was like Kyler was still in there,” Jefferson continued.
Carson Wentz Has Played in 6 of Vikings’ Last 16 Games
Wentz joined the Vikings late during the 2025 preseason as a backup to JJ McCarthy.
After McCarthy went down with a high-ankle sprain, Wentz stepped into a starting role in Week 3 and held the job across five games over six weeks’ time (Minnesota also had its bye during that stretch).
All told, Wentz produced a record of 2-3 in McCarthy’s absence. In what is now six appearances for Wentz in a Vikings uniform, he has completed almost 65 percent of his passes for 1,349 yards, nine TDs and five INTs.
Wentz suffered an injury to his non-throwing shoulder during last season, which ended after surgery to repair the joint. He returned to Minnesota this offseason and eventually bested McCarthy for the QB2 job heading into Week 1.
Murray suffered a concussion on the Vikings’ third drive, after which Wentz stepped in and threw for 133 yards and three scores, with most of that production coming when he looked Jefferson’s way.
Kyler Murray Has Chance to Start Week 2 Against Bears
Murray was a limited practice participant on Wednesday, which led ESPN’s Kevin Seifert to speculate that the QB is probably about halfway through the NFL’s mandatory concussion protocol.
Head coach Kevin O’Connell said that Murray will likely need to clear the protocol by Friday to have any chance of playing. If he doesn’t do that, ESPN’s Dan Graziano said it will be Wentz who starts in Chicago on September 20.
Jeremy Fowler, Graziano’s colleague, added that the Bears’ struggling defense is vulnerable and because of that, Wentz has a golden opportunity for another strong showing.
“It’s tough to know Murray’s timeline at this point,” Fowler wrote. “Wentz is set up for success in Week 2. He got hot last week versus Green Bay, and Chicago just allowed 361 passing yards to Bryce Young.”
But if McCarthy does put up another big game in Week 2, just don’t expect Jefferson to be impressed by it. Apparently that’s business as usual.
Vikings Justin Jefferson ‘Not Impressed’ With Carson Wentz vs. Packers