J.J. McCarthy’s Performance Draws Rave Reviews
It was the first time J.J. McCarthy took the field as a Minnesota Viking, roughly three-and-a-half months after the organization traded up in the draft to bring him to the Twin Cities. The Michigan quarterback played a key role in the first preseason victory in five years, guiding the offense to 21 of the 24 points against the Las Vegas Raiders.
J.J. McCarthy’s Performance Draws Rave Reviews
His performance included ups and downs, especially his first two series, with multiple inaccurate passes and a bad interception raising some concerns. However, the 21-year-old bounced back, tossing a pair of rockets into the hands of Trishton Jackson and Trent Sherfield for beautiful scores.
He showcased his arm strength, accuracy, and mobility throughout the third quarter. Vikings fans are pretty much universally excited, and while it should be noted that he competed in a meaningless game partly against backups, it was still another positive step in his development.
The bounceback from adversity was a main part of McCarthy’s postgame comments. Asked about his thoughts after the interception, the rookie said:
What an opportunity. In this league, things are going to go bad and it’s your responsibility to respond and navigate those waters when it does happen, so just being able to have that goldfish memory, go back out there and just have that sling-it mentality, which is what I needed.
Like I said, after the interception, you know all those nerves kind of just went out of the water and I just felt like I was playing free and having fun again.
J.J. McCarthy
The passer was eventually replaced by Jaren Hall after completing 11 of 17 passes for 188 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception. He added 18 yards on the ground on two runs.
Most impressively, however, were his numbers after the interception when he settled down and was visibly more comfortable and confident. After the turnover, he completed 10 of 14 passes for 170 yards and two touchdowns, equalling an outstanding passer rating of 131.9. Of course, the turnover is part of the story, and the next step is to perform well for an entire game.
Kevin O’Connell said after the game: “Clearly, everybody can see the arm talent. I just love seeing him come right back after the interception, still be aggressive, and still stay true to footwork, timing, rhythm, where his eyes should be.”
Former NFL quarterback Chase Daniel was impressed, stating on X: “J.J McCarthy may have had THE best rookie QB debut. This breakdown will be fun….dude can play.”
ESPN’s Louis Riddick addressed a popular criticism in McCarthy’s pre-draft profile. He supposedly can’t throw to his left, which he did perfectly on his touchdown pass to Jackson.
Former Vikings quarterback Tommy Kramer commented, “Darnold and McCarthy both look good.”
Kramer tossed 159 touchdowns in his long career with the Vikings, ranking him third in franchise history.
It remains to be seen how early McCarthy is seeing the field in the regular season to chase that number. His first preseason contest was promising.
Vikings vs. Raiders: J.J. McCarthy Steals the Show and 6 More Takeaways
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