Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy enters the team’s preseason finale against the Denver Broncos under a cloud of pointed criticism that could cost him the backup job.
In Saturday’s 13-3 home loss to the Baltimore Ravens, McCarthy finished 5 of 10 for 81 yards. He was sacked once and absorbed several hard hits while failing to generate a scoring drive in his limited action.
Two incomplete passes stood out as particularly costly. On the opening play he overthrew Myles Price near the sideline. Later, with the offense near the goal line, he again missed Price on a short throw that could have produced points.
McCarthy’s brightest moment came on a 50-yard completion to Tai Felton, a back-shoulder throw that showed the arm talent that made him a first-round pick. Yet that highlight did little to quiet concerns about his consistency under duress.
Former Vikings linebacker Ben Leber offered a blunt assessment on the Aug. 22 edition of “Sound The Horn.”
“I don’t want to use this word. It sounds very harsh. But that’s the way it feels when McCarthy’s on the field, especially when he’s sensing a blitz or some pressure,” Leber said.
“It feels like, through body language and mechanics, there’s panic going on. There’s a manic nature to the way that he processes what he’s feeling around him. I think sometimes he’s very unsettled when he’s throwing the football.”
Leber drew a sharp contrast with veteran Carson Wentz, who replaced McCarthy and went 9 of 11 for 92 yards while being sacked twice.
“You contrast that with Carson Wentz, who’s much more experienced,” Leber said. “There’s a smoothness to the way that he sees some of that stuff. He notices that there’s a blitz, but you don’t see that manic, panicked behavior from him, and the ball comes out a little bit smoother, comes out with a little bit more touch.
“We see him in the moments using a toolbox of the types of throws that he’s able to make. He threw a 50-50 ball down the middle of the field as well, where he intentionally puts a lot of loft on the ball. Then, a couple plays later, he senses some pressure and he’s got to dump it off into the right flat. He sort of sidearms it and uses that tool in his toolbox to get the ball out, making sure that he doesn’t get a hand on the ball as well. So, in the mode of operation, there just seems to be a lot more smoothness with Carson Wentz.”
Judd Zulgad of “Purple Daily” went further, predicting McCarthy will open the season as the third-string quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings behind starter Kyler Murray and Wentz.
“McCarthy takes too long with the football, and a lot of times that becomes a problem because that’s why he gets hit,” Zulgad said. “But in short, I’m not saying Carson Wentz is great. I’m just saying that if he has to play, if Kyler Murray goes out, and that’s certainly a possibility given Murray’s history, Wentz is probably going to give you much more of a baseline and you know what you’re going to get. With J.J. McCarthy, it remains a guessing game, and that’s a problem. That’s why I think he’ll start the season as QB3 in Minnesota.”
Coach Kevin O’Connell has not publicly addressed the depth-chart chatter, but the preseason finale offers McCarthy one last chance to quiet the noise. The former Michigan standout remains listed as the No. 2 option for now, yet the film and the commentary suggest the competition is far from settled.
Wentz’s experience and calm presence under pressure have clearly impressed observers. McCarthy, still developing after missing his entire rookie season and posting uneven results last year, must show quicker decisions and steadier mechanics if he hopes to hold his current spot.
The Broncos game will provide the final preseason stage for both quarterbacks. How McCarthy responds to the blunt feedback could shape the Minnesota Vikings’ quarterback room when the regular season begins.
