J.J. McCarthy will be returning to the starting lineup when the Minnesota Vikings face the Detroit Lions on Sunday at Ford Field. The Vikings are going to not only be looking to get back to .500, but also to see if McCarthy has shown any growth while watching and learning from Carson Wentz from the sideline.

After a 27-13 loss in Week 1 to the Packers, the Lions seem to be back to their usual selves. They’ve won five of their past six games, losing only to the Chiefs. The Vikings are -8.5 point underdogs and haven’t beaten the Lions since Week 3 of 2022. But a strong showing from McCarthy and the rest of the team after a lifeless performance against the Chargers in Week 8 could show that the Vikings can at least compete in the second half of the season.

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Here are three bold predictions, McCarthy-inspired, for Sunday’s game.

3 Bold predictions for the Vikings vs. Lions in Week 9McCarthy will throw a touchdown on the Vikings’ opening drive

Kevin O’Connell will be determined to show that he still knows how to handle a quarterback after Wentz’s brutal performance against the Chargers. He will have had 10 days to diagnose what has ailed the Vikings’ offense through seven games.

With McCarthy set to start for the first time since Week 2, O’Connell will want to get his young quarterback off to a strong start to regain any lost confidence not only from the injury but also in the loss to the Falcons. The Vikings cap their opening drive with McCarthy firing a touchdown to show that this offense, and play caller, still has it.

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McCarthy will take less than two sacks

One of the fastest ways to throw off a young quarterback’s concentration and confidence is by hitting him. The Vikings have taken 28 sacks this season, while the Lions have sacked quarterbacks 23 times. So how do the Vikings counter that?

In Week 5, the Vikings countered the Browns‘ strong defensive front by using a quick passing game to get the ball out of Wentz’s hands. This was especially vital because Blake Brandel was making his first career start at center and Justin Skule was filling in for Brian O’Neill at right tackle. According to PFF, Wentz got rid of the ball in 2.50 seconds. He still got sacked three times, but the Vikings did a good job minimizing the Browns’ pass rush.

Look for a similar game plan to get the ball out of McCarthy’s hands to slow the Lions’ pass rush. The Vikings have taken at least two sacks in every game this season. O’Connell pulls out all the stops to protect McCarthy in this one.

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McCarthy to not turn the ball over

The Vikings have turned the ball over in all but one game this year. Their 12 turnovers rank 30th in the league, giving them a minus-4 turnover differential.

With a game plan revolving around protecting McCarthy, look for quick, easy passes to get him into rhythm that keep him from having to think too much and force passes. It may be a bit conservative, but keeping the Lions out of short fields can give the Vikings a fighting chance at the end of this game.

This article originally appeared on Vikings Wire: 3 Bold predictions for the Vikings vs. Lions in Week 9