The J.J. McCarthy Roller Coaster Flew Off the Rails
There’s no denying that J.J. McCarthy’s outing in Week 11 against the Chicago Bears was bad. Like, really bad. So bad that there are beloved Vikings legends who remain close with the organization, openly blasting him on social media.
The exhibition that saw McCarthy make his fifth career start in the NFL made the Minnesotan McCarthy hype take a nosedive to levels we all feared. McCarthy went 16/32 for 150 yards (majority coming on the last drive of the game), one touchdown, and two interceptions. Yes, that final drive did look very good. However, it was quite literally the only positive to take from the game.
Even I, a self-proclaimed J.J. McCarthy defender, now feel very unsure about what the future holds for the 22-year-old signal caller and the Minnesota Vikings’ future as an organization because of it.
J.J. McCarthy and the Effect He Has on the Vikings’ Future
It’s no secret that the Minnesota Vikings have married together the future of the operation and the development of McCarthy. Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has to be worried after the debacle at U.S. Bank Stadium on Sunday, as a young quarterback weighs a lot when it comes to organizational decision-making regarding who they employ as general manager.
Obviously, this is only game five for McCarthy. Yet, even for me, that argument being brought up annoys me. This kid probably isn’t going to cost head coach Kevin O’Connell his job or anything, but KOC is at an unfortunate crossroads: do you continue to play J.J. McCarthy, or do you pivot to another option?
I myself would have to align with the same school of thought that SKOR North‘s Judd Zulgad is enrolled in. Zulgad explained in the latest episode of Vikings Vent Line, after the game, that the Vikings should just accept their fate in that they probably aren’t going to make the playoffs. You play J.J. McCarthy the rest of the way in 2025, and you get your answer. He either swims, or the ship hits the ocean floor, and you have your answer on him.
J.J. McCarthy and the Extreme Lack of Accuracy
It feels as if the sky is falling in the Twin Cities, and it’s not because it’s getting closer to winter in Minnesota and snow is coming. The sad reality is that the sky might actually be falling. I speak for myself and no one else when I say that J.J. McCarthy, at least against the Bears, is one of the most inaccurate quarterbacks I’ve ever seen play the game.
His ball placement continues to be a large issue, and is arguably the most important attribute for a quarterback to have. An absolutely horrid miss to Jordan Addison on the first drive of the game was only a sign of things to come; only the others weren’t underthrows. McCarthy continues to struggle mightily putting the ball within reach of receivers, let alone the best wide receiver on the planet. Some of these balls are legitimately yards over the heads of the targets.
Yes, there is time for him to improve. His awareness and presence in the pocket are both impressively good for a 22-year-old kid playing in the NFL. However, his ball placement is so bad that it begs the question of whether or not it can actually be fixed.
We can make all of the comparisons to Josh Allen and whoever else in the first season of their NFL careers, but it all doesn’t matter. McCarthy needs to right the ship and do it quickly. Week 12 at Lambeau Field would be a great place to start.
