It’s unlikely the Vikings will ask new franchise quarterback J.J. McCarthy to suit up again in the preseason. Not with the team’s Week 1 matchup against the Chicago Bears slowly starting to come into focus.
There was some value in him playing on Saturday afternoon in the team’s first preseason game, a 20-10 victory over Houston at U.S. Bank Stadium because the limited snaps gave head coach Kevin O’Connell a chance to see McCarthy in a game since he tore a meniscus in his right knee in his first preseason game last August.
“He really wanted to see the operation and the fundamentals and doing the simple things at a high level,” McCarthy said. “Obviously, there are a couple of things here and there that we’ve got to clean up, but I feel we left today in a great spot.”
There were highs and lows from McCarthy on the 13-play, 58-yard drive that he led before spending the rest of the game on the sideline.
Let’s analyze each play from McCarthy’s brief appearance:
1st and 10 from own 12-yard line
Not surprisingly, O’Connell started the game by having McCarthy hand off to running back Jordan Mason, who fell forward for a minimal gain. There wasn’t much to write home about from McCarthy’s perspective other than him getting everybody in the right spot before the snap.
2nd and 9 from own 13-yard line
The intent of the opening run made sense when considering the O’Connell scripted some play-action for McCarthy on the very next play. After carrying out his fake, McCarthy bootlegged to the left, then threw on the run to receiver Jordan Addison. It wasn’t the most accurate throw; Addison had to make a slight adjustment with the ball in the air. It still went down as a completion, and that shouldn’t be ignored.
3rd and 4 from own 18-yard line
After catching the snap out of the shotgun, McCarthy went through his progression before connecting with Addison in stride over the middle. That simple pitch and catch went for 10 yards and helped move the chains. It was good example of McCarthy taking what the defense was giving him rather than trying to do too much. That’s exactly how he will be asked to play more often than not.
1st and 10 from own 28-yard line
This was a handoff to Mason that went for a nice gain up the middle. It embodied the physicality with which the offense wants to carry itself. It also opened up the playbook for the O’Connell to to dial up whatever the Vikings wanted.
2nd and 5 from own 33-yard line
This was undoubtedly the highlight of the opening possession for McCarthy. He took the snap under center, faked a handoff in the backfield, and stood tall in the pocket with pressure in his face. Though he had a defender diving into his legs as he prepared to let it rip, McCarthy was able to get enough mustard on the pass to find Addison on the sideline for a gain of 18 yards. Not only did that play showcase McCarthy’s arm talent, it showed his ability to throw with anticipation.
1st and 10 from opposing 49-yard line
The healthy dose of Mason continued with another handoff that went for a good chunk of yards. He’s going to be a perfect complement for veteran running back Aaron Jones. That duo in the backfield should make life easier for McCarthy.
2nd and 1 from opposing 40-yard line
This was completion from McCarthy to fullback C.J. Ham that lost yardage. The defense wasn’t fooled by the play action this time; there was a defender in McCarthy’s face as he rolled out, and a defender in Ham’s face as he caught the ball.
3rd and 4 from opposing 43-yard line
If there’s a throw that McCarthy might want back, it’s this misfire to receiver Lucky Jackson. He got a little bit sped up with his processing and tried to muscle the ball into the vacated space over the middle. Asked about the play after the game, McCarthy noted that if he would have waited an extra click in the pocket, it would have made for an easier throw with a better chance at being completed.
4th and 4 from opposing 43-yard line
There was a lot to like about this play as McCarthy recognized a blitz, escaped to the outside, then used his legs to move the chains. The conviction that McCarthy showed while deciding to tuck and run was a direct result of a conversation he had with O’Connell in training camp. In a practice situation, McCarthy scrambled outside of the pocket then threw across his body rather taking the yards in front of him. The fact that McCarthy was able to take what he learned in a practice and apply it to a game is good sign.
1st and 10 from opposing 35-yard line
This was a screen that never had much of a chance. The defender recognized it right away and knocked the ball down as McCarthy tried to find Addison in the flat.
2nd and 10 from opposing 35-yard line
In an effort to set up a more manageable situation, O’Connell opted to have McCarthy hand off to Mason. It did the job as Mason found a crease and plowed forward for another nice gain up the middle.
3rd and 5 from opposing 30-yard line
It probably isn’t ideal for McCarthy to be throwing off his back foot while in field goal range. That said, McCarthy got away with it, and actually nearly completed a pass to Mason.
4th and 5 from opposing 30-yard line
After the offense stalled out, kicker Will Reichard trotted onto the field and nailed a 48-yard field goal. That will likely be McCarthy’s only drive of the preseason, and while he would have loved for it to end with a touchdown, it’s encouraging that the offense ran smoothly with him under center.
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