Rich Reacts to the Vikings Starting Carson Wentz Over the Injured Kyler Murray in Week 9

News broke during the show, and Rich knew right away it would be one of those NFL stories people have trouble believing. The 6-1 Minnesota Vikings, with a championship-level defense and an offense that "includes" Justin Jefferson, will start Carson Wentz on Monday Night Football against the Bills. Kyler Murray's hamstring injury has put him on the sideline.

Rich chose that word, "includes," carefully. The Vikings offense has been so pedestrian that he left Minnesota out of his power rankings entirely this week, dropping a 6-1 team from fifth to off the list.

He also isn't sure what to make of the injury itself. Murray looked "pretty spry" to Rich against the Lions, and Rich admitted he was "stirring it up by even letting it seem like there's a doubt." But the reporting says the hamstring would limit Murray's mobility and could get worse if he plays. So it is Wentz's gig for Monday night, "in front of the whole freaking country."

Rich revisited a conversation with Kurt Warner from the day before. Warner laid out both sides. Stick with Murray, who won the competition in the spring and summer over a quarterback who is now starting for the Giants. Or turn to Wentz, who offers a better deep threat but more chances of turning it over, which Murray has not done, and more stress on the defense.

His own lean is clear. "I'd rather stress out the defense and get extra points," Rich said. If Wentz gives the opponent a short field, let that defense hold them to three, and score seven on the other end.

Kevin O'Connell is calling it week to week. That brings Max Brosmer back into the backup picture, and Rich painted a nightmare scenario for Vikings fans. If JJ McCarthy balls out in Philadelphia and the Giants are 5-2-1 sitting at home on Monday night, and Wentz gets knocked out and Minnesota turns to Brosmer and loses to Buffalo, "it is going to get red hot, red hot in Vikings country for the fans."

Rich also noted that "weird stuff happens all the time with Kyler." He ran through the history: Murray going on shows at a Super Bowl, this one included, and refusing to say whether he would be the center fielder of the Athletics or the first overall pick, the Arizona contract dispute when he erased his Instagram account during Super Bowl week in Los Angeles, the contract clause about his iPad time that was later removed, and the playoff loss to the Rams. Then there was the play where a fumble went off his face mask and he hurt his foot trying to recover it, his last snap as a Cardinal. "It's always weird," Rich said. "Not stuttering here."

So the possibilities are wide open. Murray could disappear and it becomes Wentz's job. Or it is Murray's job all along, he comes back from a week-to-week injury he may have been dealing with for a while, and off they go. Or Wentz gets hurt, and McCarthy is not there because he is sitting at home in first place with the Giants. "Oh boy," Rich said. "The back door of a massive to-do is wide open."

Or Wentz balls out, the Vikings beat the Bills to go 7-1, and everyone wants to see what he can do next. Someone in the studio noted that Justin Jefferson had his best game of the season with Wentz at quarterback. Minnesota heads to Green Bay after that, then faces San Francisco.

Monday night was going to be big either way, coming off last week's Bears and Seahawks showdown. "Two six and one teams going against each other on Monday Night Football, and it's Carson Wentz getting the gig," Rich said.

The challenge from the studio was simple: "If the Bills are a true Super Bowl contender, they do not lose this game." That brought back the room's running script bit, with the answer promised during the break.