J.J. McCarthy is starting to look like the quarterback Vikings fans were hoping for when the team handed him the keys to the offense.
Over the last two weeks, the rookie has shown real growth-not just in the box score, but in the way he’s carrying himself on the field. Against Washington and Dallas, McCarthy completed 31 of 47 passes for 413 yards, threw five touchdowns, and added another on the ground.
That’s the kind of production that turns heads, but what’s more telling is how he’s getting there.
Take last Sunday’s game against the Cowboys. McCarthy’s first throw was picked off-never ideal, especially against a defense that thrives on takeaways.
But instead of letting that early mistake snowball, he settled in and played clean, confident football the rest of the way. He didn’t take a single sack, marking the second time in his last four starts he’s kept a clean sheet in that department.
That’s not just on the offensive line-it’s a sign of a young quarterback making quicker reads, getting the ball out, and understanding where the pressure is coming from.
Confidence is a big part of McCarthy’s recent upswing. He’s not second-guessing his mechanics or hesitating in the pocket.
He’s throwing with conviction, trusting his reads, and playing with a little swagger. Case in point: his one-yard touchdown run against Dallas, where he broke out the Griddy into the end zone-even though head coach Kevin O’Connell had told him to hold off on the celebrations until after crossing the goal line.
Rookie move? Maybe.
But it also speaks to a guy who’s starting to feel like he belongs.
Still, for all the positives, there’s one glaring issue: the connection with Justin Jefferson just isn’t there right now.
Jefferson, one of the league’s most dynamic weapons, has been unusually quiet. Over the past two games, he’s caught just four passes for 33 yards on four targets.
Go back another week, and it doesn’t get much better-rookie Max Brosmer found him only twice for four yards. That’s a three-week stretch that’s well below the standard Jefferson has set since entering the league.
With three games left, Jefferson sits at 832 yards and two touchdowns. That puts him in danger of missing the 1,000-yard mark for the first time in his six-year career.
He only needs to average 56 yards per game to get there, but in McCarthy’s eight starts, he’s averaging just 43.8 yards. That’s a steep drop from the 95.4 yards per game he averaged with Carson Wentz earlier this season-numbers that were right in line with his career average of 96.5, the best in NFL history.
It’s tempting to think the Vikings might try to force the ball to Jefferson down the stretch to help him hit that milestone. But the reality is, Jefferson has always been a focal point of the offense-whether under Kevin O’Connell or even back in the Mike Zimmer era.
This isn’t about stat-padding. It’s about whether McCarthy can consistently operate the offense as designed, which means getting the ball to No.
To be fair, it’s not like McCarthy is ignoring Jefferson. He’s had 12 targets over the last two games, including a three-yard touchdown that was wiped out by a penalty against Dallas.
Jefferson also dropped a catchable ball in the end zone, and the interception on McCarthy’s first throw Sunday was intended for him as well. So the effort is there.
The execution? Not quite.
The numbers tell the story. When McCarthy targeted Jefferson against the Cowboys, he went 2-of-8 for 22 yards with one interception-a stat line that resulted in a 0.0 passer rating.
When throwing to everyone else, he was nearly perfect: 13-of-16 for 228 yards and two touchdowns, good for a perfect passer rating. That contrast is hard to ignore.
The good news? McCarthy is finding rhythm with other key pieces in the offense.
Tight end T.J. Hockenson has been reliable, hauling in seven catches for 58 yards and a touchdown over the past two weeks.
Jordan Addison has emerged as a legitimate deep threat, including a 58-yard bomb from McCarthy against Dallas. Those connections are encouraging signs that McCarthy is starting to see the field better and build chemistry with his playmakers.
Now comes another opportunity to take a step forward. The Vikings face the New York Giants this Sunday, and on paper, it’s a favorable matchup.
The Giants come in with the league’s 30th-ranked defense, including a pass defense that ranks 23rd. They’ve allowed 300 yards or more to all but one opponent this season and have dropped four straight since parting ways with head coach Brian Daboll.
This is the kind of game where McCarthy and Jefferson can finally get in sync. Jefferson needs just 168 yards to hit 1,000, and a big day against a struggling defense could go a long way toward getting there. More importantly, it would be a sign that McCarthy is starting to develop the kind of connection with his No. 1 receiver that’s essential in O’Connell’s offense.
Because make no mistake-this offense runs through Jefferson. If McCarthy can’t consistently get him involved, it’s going to raise questions about how ready he is to fully execute the system. But if he can build on the confidence he’s shown and start turning those targets into production, it’ll be a major step in his development-and a big boost for a Vikings team still trying to find its identity with a rookie under center.