Souhan: Embarrassing Vikings loss means it’s time to turn to J.J. McCarthy

INGLEWOOD, CALIF. – From inside SoFi Stadium on Thursday night, you could see a wall of clouds, but what happened inside, on the field, brought clarity.

The Vikings’ 37-10 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers provided a reminder that endings are tethered to beginnings.

This embarrassing night may have ended any realistic chance of the Vikings contending for something meaningful this season, like a division title or a playoff victory.

This embarrassing night also sparked questions about this team’s plans for the 2025 season.

Ultimately, though, what this embarrassing night meant was that Carson Wentz should go back to being a journeyman backup quarterback, and the rest of the season should be devoted to developing J.J. McCarthy.

Wentz proved his toughness by playing through pain he didn’t even try to mask. He also too often threw inaccurately or belatedly on a night when quick decisions and accuracy were required.

That Wentz was gutsy but overmatched wasn’t surprising.

What should frighten the Vikings from ownership down to the last player on the roster is that this team spent the offseason investing in offensive and defensive linemen who would make this roster bigger, stronger and more intimidating, yet the Vikings are getting overwhelmed physically.

The offensive line has been devastated by injuries, but the Vikings also signed a veteran center with a worrisome injury history.

The defensive front has fewer excuses. The only key member of the front seven who was missing on Thursday was outside linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel, but the Chargers ran at will.

Against the Colts on Sunday, the Chargers rushed 16 times for 54 yards.

Against the Vikings on Thursday, the Chargers rushed 43 times for 207 yards, while relying on their third-string back, Kimani Vidal, who rushed 23 times for 117 yards and a touchdown.

First-round pick Dallas Turner again was too easily blocked. His signature moment: Hitting Herbert late and with his helmet, earning a 15-yard penalty.

The “rebuilt” defensive line failed.

The new-look secondary, which misses Stephon Gilmore and Cam Bynum, got torched.

The offensive line proved it can’t survive without injured tackles Christian Darrisaw and Brian O’Neill.

The return of veteran back Aaron Jones meant nothing. The Vikings rushed 11 times for 34 yards — 28 yards fewer than Herbert.

The coaching staff has to take the blame for silly penalties and an inability to build game plans that give this team a chance to compete.

This is looking like a disaster of a season. The Vikings’ next game is at Detroit, and perennial MVP candidate Lamar Jackson might be back from injury in time to lead the Ravens into U.S. Bank Stadium the following week.

A year after winning 14 games, the Vikings might have to scrape to win a handful.

After the game, Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell took the blame for the loss and said, “My confidence level in this group is as high as it’s ever been.”

I don’t believe him.

Isn’t that what training camp was for?

Vikings linebacker Blake Cashman used a locker-room phrase that called on himself and his teammates to rise to toughen up and rise to the occasion.

But attitude isn’t this team’s problem.

This team’s problem is that the roster isn’t good enough to make these game plans work.

Intricate downfield routes don’t matter if the quarterback doesn’t have time, or can’t throw accurately.

And nothing else matters in the NFL if you can’t stop the run.