The Vikings were down their starting quarterback on Sunday against the Bengals, but they sure didn’t look like it.

Minnesota cruised to a dominant 48–10 victory, breaking open a 34–3 lead in the first half and never looking back. The final winning margin of 38 points made the game the biggest loss in the history of the Bengals as a franchise.

While Vikings cornerback Isaiah Rodgers was the true star of the day, becoming the first Minnesota defender to score two touchdowns in a single game, backup quarterback Carson Wentz also undoubtedly deserved a game ball after stepping in for J.J. McCarthy and keeping the offense humming.

Wentz completed 14 of 20 pass attempts for 173 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions. He also showed a solid rapport with superstar wide out Justin Jefferson, who caught five of his seven targets for a game-high 75 receiving yards.

Simply put, vibes were high in Minnesota.

The Vikings have started the season on rocky footing. After a stale start led to an epic comeback in Week 1 against the Bears, Minnesota looked completely lost in a Week 2 thrashing at the hands of the Falcons, and lost McCarthy for a few weeks in the process.

But coach Kevin O’Connell and his staff know how to help their offense build on the fly, having successfully guided Sam Darnold to a career year under center last season.

As things stand, it looks as though McCarthy will remain on the sidelines through the Vikings’ bye week and aim to be back on the field for their Week 7 game against the Eagles.

Until then, the Minnesota offense is in Wentz’s hands.

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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Carson Wentz, Vikings Deliver Historic Beat Down on Bengals With Blowout Win.

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