The Minnesota Vikings and Los Angeles Chargers will have a lot at stake on Sunday.
They’re both looking for their first win of the season, and while it’s safe to say that they entered the campaign in different positions and with different aspirations, starting 0-3 is a catastrophe for most teams.
That’s why sports analyst Craig Carton believes that matchup could have a massive ripple effect, going as far as to call it an elimination game, and stating that it could change the future of both franchises.
"This game is an elimination game. It changes the future of both franchises."
— @craigcartonlive on Chargers vs. Vikings pic.twitter.com/tXp5vRksUc
— The Carton Show (@TheCartonShow) September 21, 2023
Carton argues that a Chargers loss could cost HC Brandon Staley his job, and that’s a fair assessment.
The Chargers have acquired plenty of talent, and Staley’s decision-making and inability to win close games have been a major issue for years now.
They have Kellen Moore seemingly ready to take over the job, should that be necessary.
As for the Vikings, while Carton doesn’t foresee them firing Kevin O’Connell — or at least not after just three games — a loss should make them reconsider their entire plans for the season.
Carton states that there’s no upside in keeping an aging quarterback in the final year of his contract, and that they should be smart and just tank their way through the season, as opposed to finishing like 6-11 or similar.
He also claimed that the New York Jets could look to make a run at Cousins on a rental while Aaron Rodgers works his way back on the field, and it’s not the craziest idea we’ve heard.
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