Minnesota Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy ends first NFL drive in brutal fashion

The Minnesota Vikings kicked off their 2024 season against the Las Vegas Raiders at U.S. Bank Stadium. It also meant the debut of rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy , which has the entire Vikings' fanbase excited.

The Vikings gave McCarthy the reins on the second possession and the fans erupted when he took the field. The first three plays were handoffs, which allowed McCarthy to get his bearings and relax a little bit.

His first throw was a frozen rope to wide receiver Jalen Nailor on a dig route for not just his first NFL pass but also his first NFL completion.

The drive continued after that and it resulted in a third and eight from the Raiders' 44-yard line. McCarthy showed off his ability to extend the play and found Trishton Jackson starting to gain separation on cornerback Jack Jones on a crossing route. He made a good read, but the throw was behind him and it resulted in an interception.

It's not the best way you want to have your first drive end, but it's okay to make those in the preseason. Each mistake is a really good learning opportunity and McCarthy will be able to learn from that.

The Raiders did get a touchdown off of the turnover, with Gardner Minshew hitting wide receiver D.J. Turner on a 20-yard crossing route.

McCarthy will have more opportunities to make an impact over the course of the rest of the game.

Related: Vikings vs. Raiders First Half Observations: Sam Darnold and Dallas Turner come out hot