The Minnesota Vikings may have turned their season around with a win over the Detroit Lions last week in the return of J.J. McCarthy, but if you think that’s because the quarterback played his first game since Week 2, think again.
That was the message from ESPN’s Ben Solak, who broke down McCarthy’s day in depth on Tuesday, November 4.
“Whenever the numbers look bad for McCarthy, there’s a protesting refrain: ‘He’s clutch! He’s poised! He just wins!’ McCarthy looked calm and controlled on the first two drives, which were scripted plays — but once the offense got off script and the Lions hit him a few times, his composure started to wane,” Solak wrote. “[Detroit] sacked [McCarthy] five times, [he] turned the wrong direction during a couple of run plays, dropped a snap and sprayed several throws. In the second half, the Vikings’ two scoring drives started on the Lions’ 26- and 35-yard lines, respectively.”
“This is a game to cast aside our quarterback obsession and see the forest for the trees,” Solak continued. “To make McCarthy the story of this game is to totally erase the spectacular efforts of many Vikings — coaches and players. I simply won’t have it.”
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GettyMinnesota Vikings quarterback JJ McCarthy.
McCarthy finished the game 14-of-25 on pass attempts, throwing for 143 yards, two TDs and one INT while rushing for another score.
Afterwards, former professional quarterbacking legend and current Fox Sports broadcaster Tom Brady clearly disagreed with Solak by awarding McCarthy his LFG (“Let’s [Expletive] Go”) Player of the Game award.
“It was all about just focusing on the little things, focusing on the things I can control,” McCarthy told Brady of getting back into the swing of playing QB in the NFL. “All those little things just prevent all the anxiety and nerves, because I just get to go out there and focus on the things I can control. And, you know, see what happens at the end of this thing. And turned out our way.”
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GettyHead coach Kevin O’Connell of the Minnesota Vikings.
Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell was also complimentary of McCarthy in just the third start of his career and took the long view in his assessment of the young QB.
He will only get better and better. But 2-0 on the road in the NFC North with him making some critical, critical plays for us to win the game.
Just the feel of him playing quarterback, mixed with his athleticism, protected himself a couple times when he did steal us some yardage. …. Just his presence. He’s a young player in a heck of an environment today. Really he’s had three starts, two of which [came] in very difficult road environments. And his poise, him running the show, I thought was matched by him making some big-time throws. Really proud of the way he competed and battled today.
McCarthy will make his fourth start of the season in Minneapolis against the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday, November 9.
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