Kyler Murray Out for Bills Game With Hamstring Injury, Carson Wentz Starts for Vikings

Kyler Murray is out for Monday night's game against the Buffalo Bills with a hamstring strain, and Carson Wentz will start at quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings. Head coach Kevin O'Connell told reporters on Thursday that Murray is considered week to week, NBC Sports reported. The New York Post reported the same decision.

O'Connell said the team would not risk making the injury worse. "For [Murray], his movement skills, and the way he plays the game, we do feel like we'd be putting him at risk of possibly turning this into a more significant injury than it is by trying to have him work through it here early on. So, Carson will start the football game and Max [Brosmer] will back him up," O'Connell said, according to NBC Sports.

Why the Vikings are waiting

O'Connell said further testing during the week revealed the extent of the problem, after he had sounded less concerned about the injury on Monday. Injured reserve is not a consideration for Murray with this injury, he said. "I'm not going to get into the details of the grade or the injury or the level medically speaking, but just knowing that Kyler needs his mobility, it's a big, huge part of what makes him an effective player. If that puts him at risk of potentially adding to the grade of the injury, we can't do that. It's a long season. We hope to get him back and get him going," O'Connell said.

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Murray is week to week and that Wentz will start against the Bills, and potentially longer, NBC Sports reported.

How Murray got hurt

Murray suffered hamstring soreness late in the Vikings 19 to 15 loss to Detroit on Sunday, November 1, the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle reported. He finished with 17 completions in 29 passes for 210 yards, two touchdowns and one interception, moving gingerly late in the fourth quarter.

Murray returned in Week 3 against Tampa Bay and started Minnesota's next five games. The Vikings signed Murray to a one year contract in March after he was released by the Arizona Cardinals, and he beat out J.J. McCarthy for the starting job in training camp.

Wentz steps in again

He came off the bench after Murray suffered a concussion in the first quarter of Minnesota's season opener against Green Bay, completing 12 of 19 passes for 133 yards and three touchdowns in a 39 to 22 win, the Democrat and Chronicle reported. He started the following week against Chicago, completing 11 of 20 passes for 143 yards in a 9 to 3 win. In two appearances this season he has completed 23 of 39 passes for 276 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions.

"Obviously, there's a ton of confidence in Carson. He's had a major, major role in two wins this year against two really good teams," he said.

A meeting of 6 and 1 teams on Monday night

Buffalo (6-1) and Minnesota (6-1) meet at 8:15 p.m. ET on Monday, November 9, at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. Minnesota's offense ranks No. 27 in scoring and No. 29 in total yards this season. Murray's return date is not set; week to week is the only timeline the team has given.