The Vikings Need a Spark Only One Man Can Provide
The Minnesota Vikings have eight days to put the memory of a horrid loss to the Los Angeles Chargers in the rearview — and turn to one man for a spark. Yes, his name is J.J. McCarthy.
Staring down the barrel of a season bending off the rails with poor play, the Vikings have a built-in possible solution, and he must be an elixir.
It’s not reasonable to ask McCarthy to become the immediate Messiah for the Vikings, but the only thing the team has left after seven games is the hope that his sheer presence will inject the team with energy.
Vikings Have One More Great Hope for 2025
It boils down to QB1, per usual.
Reeling Team Will Turn to J.J. McCarthy for an Injection
Ideal? No. On the way? Yes.
McCarthy is nearing a full recovery from his high ankle sprain, with all signs pointing to his QB1 appearance on November 2nd at the Detroit Lions. The team will have mourned the loss to Los Angeles for nine days by then, and to an extent, McCarthy will be relied on for signs of life.
He may be 22 years old, and he may not be fully developed, but the Vikings will ask McCarthy for a jolt of energy, not unlike he displayed in the 4th Quarter of the Week 1 game at Chicago, when he orchestrated a 4th Quarter comeback and won the NFC’s Offensive Player of the Week award.
Handing the baton back to Carson Wentz seems ludicrous after Thursday Night Football, and the team clearly doesn’t trust Max Brosmer unless there’s no other alternative.
It’s McCarthy’s time to strike. The franchise desperately, desperately needs him.
Healthy Offensive Tackles Wouldn’t Hurt
It’s not outrageous to claim that healthy offensive tackles are essential. The Vikings trotted into Thursday night without their starting left tackle or right tackle. There’s no fancy way to phrase it: Offensive. Tackles. Are. Crucial.
No team just cruises through primetime missing both bookends and its quarterback without paying a price. Most would collapse, too — maybe not by 27 points, but few escape those odds intact.
Kevin O’Connell offered mild optimism Friday, hinting Christian Darrisaw and Brian O’Neill could both return next week in Detroit — a much-needed boost for an offense running on fumes. McCarthy may have his main bodyguards healthy.
The New York Giants Example
A few weeks ago, the New York Giants benched Russell Wilson, and almost immediately, rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart entered the lineup, promptly pumping the franchise full of energy. A single human did that.
McCarthy, meanwhile, is supposed to be a more promising college prospect than Dart. Chat with any Giants fan, and she will tell you that New York feels like a different ball club all around with Dart in the mix.
That’s what Minnesota needs from McCarthy. If that comes true — it’s the almighty Vikings mystery right now — the Vikings have a better roster than the Giants and could make something of this season.
The Grim Alternative
Suppose, for the sake of argument, that McCarthy plays terribly for the rest of the season — basically, his Week 2 showing against the Atlanta Falcons persists. The fallout would be dire:
a) The Vikings would be forced to contemplate a new quarterback for 2026: either another rookie or a startable veteran (which are difficult to find).
b) If the team’s showing against the Chargers showed up again for the rest of the season, signaling a new normal, Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and Kevin O’Connell would be fired before their extension years of their contracts even kicked in (2026).
Or — if McCarthy suffered another serious injury, see: Option A.
The would-be McCarthy spark is damn near mandatory, at least some semblance of it.
The Athletic on McCarthy
Alec Lewis of The Athletic remarked on McCarthy after the Week 8 loss, “McCarthy’s footwork was not up to snuff in Week 2 against the Falcons, although the injury may have factored into his movements. Regardless, O’Connell and quarterbacks coach Josh McCown allocated meaningful time during the bye week to drill down in practice sessions with McCarthy, coveting accuracy and consistency.”
“The Vikings want McCarthy to play within the timing of the play. The easiest way to do that, especially as he’s acclimating to NFL speed, is to be keenly aware of where his feet and eyes need to be positioned in the three seconds after the snap.”
It’s worth remembering that the Vikings haven’t hit on a quarterback in the draft since 1999.
Lewis added, “Perhaps the most glaring issue this season for the Vikings is how often the quarterbacks have taken sacks. Only the New York Jets (31) and Tennessee Titans (30) have been sacked more than the Vikings (28).”
“The offensive line plays a role in the pressure-dooming snaps. Fortunately for McCarthy, elite left tackle Christian Darrisaw, who has taken himself out in two of the last three games due to lingering knee maintenance, and trusted right tackle Brian O’Neill, who missed Thursday night’s game with soreness in his left knee, are in line to return to more full workloads.”
We shall see if McCarthy has the juice for a team that needs midseason salvation.
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