Vikings vs. Raiders: J.J. McCarthy Steals the Show and 6 More Takeaways
The Vikings had not won a preseason contest under head coach Kevin O’Connell; in fact, the last victory was under Mike Zimmer’s watch in 2019. On Saturday, the Vikings ended their losing stretch, firing up a 24-23 last-second win. The nailbiter can be classified as one of the more entertaining preseason games in recent history.
Vikings vs. Raiders: J.J. McCarthy Steals the Show and 6 More Takeaways
The game featured some quick notes, but let’s start with the obvious.
Ups and Downs in McCarthy’s Debut
Tenth overall pick J.J. McCarthy was the main reason why folks tuned in and saw a lot of promise, but also why veteran Sam Darnold might still have the edge over him despite the frequent highlight videos that surface from the practice fields.
The good news is that those highlights translated to the field in U.S. Bank Stadium. McCarthy’s stat sheet shows 11 of 17 completed passes for 188 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception. He added two rushes for 18 yards.
Michigan’s championship quarterback started slow, throwing a horrendous interception when the Raiders pressured him. He committed late to the scramble and then fired it right to the defender, who was just waiting and hoping for that pass. A few other passes were a tick late or lacked touch.
However, there was plenty of good. In the third quarter, McCarthy threw a pair of beautiful deep touchdowns, finding Trishton Jackson and Trent Sherfield. He showed his mobility, accuracy, arm strength and ability to properly read plays.
One could sum up his game by calling him a “talented rookie.” The talent was visible, but a handful of rookie mistakes were, too, as expected. His second-half growth pictured a learning experience in real time.
NFL Already Regretting Dallas Turner’s Tumble
In other news, the second first-round pick, Dallas Turner, flashed his disruptive skillset on almost every defensive play. He finished the game with one sack and one tackle, but his performance was much more than those two plays.
Raiders left tackle Andrus Peat will have nightmares tonight, as the Alabama rookie gave the veteran fits, beating him consistently off the edge with speed and power, pushing the pocket in the passing game, and consistently holding his ground against the run.
It appeared as if the Vikings managed to get a younger and cheaper Danielle Hunter just weeks after the four-time Pro Bowler left in free agency. He was expected to be the first defensive player taken, and those teams passing on him might already regret it.
Bo Richter Turning Heads
Bo Richter’s second half was phenomenal. He came out of the locker room and used the hit stick multiple times, finishing the game with five tackles and a sack. Gabriel Murphy has been the undrafted edge rusher getting the headlines in the last few weeks of training camp, but the Air Force outside linebacker made his case to join or even replace him.
Once Turner called it a day, Richter was clearly the most disruptive defender on the field.
Jalen Nailor WR3
With Justin Jefferson out (the Vikings rested him), Jalen Nailor started in his place next to Jordan Addison. He is competing with Brandon Powell for the WR3 job and solidified his case after a strong training camp by catching three passes for 63 yards early in the game. He was a familiar target for both McCarthy and Darnold. Powell, meanwhile, didn’t record a reception.
Nailor makes it really hard for the coaching staff to pass him up and either give Powell the nod or acquire another wideout. The speedy third-year player is finally healthy, and the job appears to be his.
Trishton Jackson deserves a mention here in the wide receiver section because he registered 100 yards and a touchdown on four catches. After three years on the practice squad, it might be time for a promotion.
Levi Drake Rodriguez Answers the Prayers
The defensive line has been a major concern for the Minnesota Vikings, who failed to significantly upgrade the group in the draft and free agency. Next to Harrison Phillips, it’s the same old Jonathan Bullard and a couple of underwhelming veterans in Jerry Tillery and Jonah Williams.
Seventh-round rookie Levi Drake Rodriguez made his case for one of the 53 roster spots and perhaps for a role in Week 1. A couple of tackles and a sack flashed his potential, but he had various decent plays besides that. Coming out of Texas A&M Commerce, the question was if he needed time to acclimate to the much superior talent level of the guys across from him, but that wasn’t the case in this scrimmage.
The “Other” QBs
Darnold started the game and had one long drive that unfortunately ended scoreless as the Vikings turned it over on downs deep in the red zone. Drops can be blamed as the reason.
He dropped back eight times, looked decisive, and displayed a nice touch on a couple of passes. As a veteran quarterback with starting experience, Darnold is a solid option to hold down the QB position until McCarthy is ready to take over. The difference in talent compared to last year’s starter after Kirk Cousins’ injury was easily visible.
Jaren Hall, a sophomore, meanwhile, didn’t show much. His journey with the Vikings could be over soon if the franchise decides to stick with Nick Mullens as QB3. Hall overthrew some receivers even on simple passes and looked spooked in the pocket, just like last year.
Cold-Blooded, Indeed
The Vikings drafted a kicker. What could go wrong?
Will Reichard’s first field goal attempt was blocked; perhaps he should have aimed higher, but the blockers didn’t do him any favors as the line collapsed quickly. He nailed all three extra points and hit the game-winning field goal from 38 yards.
Kicks from that distance should be automatic, but as history has shown, they aren’t. His college teammate Dallas Turner said shortly after the draft: “[The Vikings] got a cold-blooded sniper; that’s that man ‘Will Record.’ Will was my only kicker in college. That’s all I know. Will is definitely cold-blooded. He showed up every single time we needed him.”
The rookie has been drawing praise for months, and adding a game-winning kick to the resume should give Vikings fans some confidence in the 23-year-old going forward.
Editor’s Note: Information from ESPN helped with this article.
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Janik Eckardt is a football fan who likes numbers and stats. The Vikings became his favorite team despite their quarterback at the time, Christian Ponder. He is a walking soccer encyclopedia, loves watching sitcoms, and prefers Classic rock over other genres. Follow him on Twitter if you like the Vikings: @JanikEckardt