J.J. McCarthy Stumbles, Then Shines in Debut

J.J. McCarthy suffered one of the indignities that many NFL quarterbacks suffer early in their careers. It's your first game, and you are all pumped up. Your first pass is a completion for 18 yards, and you're feeling good. The second pass attempt falls incomplete.

You drop back for the third time and attempt to squeeze a ball through coverage to your receiver near the right sideline. Unfortunately, the opponent's defensive back steps in front of your receiver and intercepts the pass. Groans ring out from the home crowd.

J.J. McCarthy Comes Back

Photo byMelissa McGovernonUnsplash

They say the measure of a person is not their failures but how they respond to them. If that is the case, McCarthy had a successful debut. Despite the early interception on a pass intended for Trishton Jackson, he came roaring back to lead the Vikings to a 24-23 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders.

Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell was impressed with his arm, mobility, and poise, as were the opposing Raiders' team. Las Vegas officials spoke highly of McCarthy to Albert Breer of SI. The team officials said that his athleticism and decisiveness stood out. These are good signs since the big question facing the 10th pick in the recent NFL draft centered on how he would fare outside of Michigan's formidable run-first scheme.

Scoring Drives

McCarthy led the Vikings on three quick scoring drives. In the second quarter, he marshaled them on a 3-play, 76-yard drive that ate up less than a minute and a half of clock time. It was set up by a McCarthy to Jackson 24-yard pitch and catch that brought the ball down to the Raiders' 48-yard line. And on the next play, Kene Nwangwu punched through a huge hole off right tackle for a 48-yard scamper that cut the Raiders' lead to three.

McCarthy wasted no time on his next scoring drive when he hit a streaking Jackson down the left side for a 45-yard third-quarter touchdown. After a Raiders' punt, the Vikings would again strike quickly for a score. On the sixth play of the drive, McCarthy hit a wide-open Trent Sherfield Sr. for a 33-yard score. That constituted the Vikings' final touchdown of the afternoon.

O'Connell's Assessment of McCarthy

Appearing on The Pat McAfee Show today, O'Connell had this to say about McCarthy's debut performance. "I thought J.J. played really well. For his first time out... there's really not much more you ever want to see than just the guy take the work (over) from the practice field. Especially as you get into different groups on your team, you find out who's prepared, and you find out who's ready."

O'Connell has already announced that veteran Sam Darnold will be the Vikings' starting quarterback when they open the regular season against the Giants in New York. And Darnold also acquitted himself well in Saturday's game. But there are a lot of smiles around the Minnesota complex this week as they dream of J.J. McCarthy throwing bombs to Justin Jefferson.

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Article originally written by Greg Simbeck