Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy is continuing to experience rookie growing pains at training camp. An ugly video of a pass McCarthy threw Saturday went viral on social media. The No. 10 pick in April’s draft threw across the middle into double coverage and ended up giving the defense a pick-six.
J.J. McCarthy had a “growth” mindset this spring
McCarthy had an up-and-down performance at spring OTAs. Reports appeared to indicate McCarthy had more downs than ups as he soaked up head coach Kevin O’Connell’s offense. McCarthy was having trouble learning new concepts and the pro game’s elevated speed. He had to learn all new footwork this offseason and adjust to the league’s narrow hash marks.
The Vikings aren’t rushing McCarthy to start. They signed veteran quarterback Sam Darnold in case McCarthy needs to sit for a season. One issue McCarthy needs to work on from the spring is his accuracy. He also needs to work on his decision-making.
A Minnesota Vikings defender made McCarthy pay
A video via @Dust_Vikings of McCarthy’s interception went viral on Saturday. He had ample time to throw and stepped up into the pocket before unloading to a receiver who was covered by two defenders.
#Vikings S Theo Jackson picks off JJ McCarthy:
🎥: @Dust_Vikings pic.twitter.com/AzMovvJA4h
— VikingzFanPage (@vikingzfanpage) July 27, 2024
Fortunately for McCarthy, he had positive videos pop up. Per Leighton Glodek, McCarthy threw four touchdowns in five passes during a red zone drill.
JJ McCarthy 5 plays in the redzone…4 TDs.
You can see the confidence growing in himself and his teammates #skol pic.twitter.com/6v4MANyQb2
— Leighton Glodek (@LGlodek) July 27, 2024
The defense gets the credit
ESPN‘s Kevin Seifert answered a fan’s question about McCarthy’s performance so far in training camp. Seifert thinks McCarthy has been “ok” and thinks it’s hard to judge the offense because of how well the defense has played:
He has looked ok, but honestly, the hardest thing about judging any of the Vikings’ QBs is that Brian Flores’ defense has chosen violence from the very first snap. Lots of different blitzes up front and personnel groupings in back. Very disruptive.
McCarthy wasn’t the only rookie quarterback to throw a viral pick-six last week. Drake Maye also threw one to New England Patriots linebacker Matthew Judon. While Chicago Bears rookie Caleb Williams hasn’t thrown a pick-six in practice, he created multiple turnovers on multiple days last week.
One familiar theme in the excuses for these quarterbacks is the defense’s play. That excuse can only go so far. The NFL is tough, and the best quarterbacks must rise above elite defenses.
