In a game that felt more like a dress rehearsal than a late-season showdown, the Minnesota Vikings managed to find a spark in an unlikely place. With playoff hopes essentially extinguished and a battered quarterback room, the Vikings’ 7-8 record doesn’t tell the full story of a team that’s still trying to figure out what the future holds under center. Sunday’s win over the two-win New York Giants didn’t change the playoff math - but it may have added a wrinkle to the quarterback conversation.
Let’s start with the basics: J.J. McCarthy got the start but didn’t finish.
The former first-round pick was 9-of-14 for 108 yards, threw an interception, and lost a fumble before exiting at halftime with a hand injury. It wasn’t his sharpest outing, and the injury only added to what’s been a stop-and-start rookie campaign.
McCarthy’s had flashes - his legs got him into the end zone again this week - but consistency and durability have been elusive.
Enter Max Brosmer.
The rookie backup stepped in and looked like he belonged, completing 7-of-9 passes for 52 yards and a touchdown. His 90.7 passer rating nearly doubled McCarthy’s, and more importantly, he looked composed.
He didn’t just manage the game - he made plays. His third-and-17 strike to Justin Jefferson was a big-league throw, the kind of moment that makes a coaching staff sit up and take notice.
“Max stepping in, how about that?” head coach Kevin O’Connell said postgame. “Functioning at a high level, throwing some completions here and there, running the show.”
That’s not just coach-speak. Brosmer didn’t just keep the offense afloat - he gave it direction. And with a quick turnaround before a Christmas Day clash with the Detroit Lions, the Vikings may need to lean on him again.
McCarthy’s X-rays came back negative, which is good news in terms of avoiding a fracture, but the concern now shifts to potential ligament damage. O’Connell admitted McCarthy was struggling to grip the ball after the strip sack that ended his day. That’s not a great sign with just four days between games, especially for a quarterback who’s already battled a high ankle sprain, a hand bruise, and concussion symptoms this season.
The Vikings have been cautious with McCarthy, and understandably so. He’s the investment, the guy they spent a first-round pick on after moving on from Sam Darnold - even after Darnold’s Pro Bowl season.
McCarthy has shown flashes, including strong performances in the two weeks leading up to this one. Even against the Giants, he had a touchdown run and a would-be touchdown pass dropped by Jordan Addison in the end zone.
If Addison hauls that in, maybe the narrative around McCarthy’s day looks a little different.
But football doesn’t deal in hypotheticals - it deals in results. And on Sunday, Brosmer delivered.
Now, the Vikings face a Christmas Day game against a Lions team that’s been through the wringer. Detroit isn’t the same squad we saw earlier in the year.
Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn - the offensive and defensive architects - are gone, and Dan Campbell’s group looks like it’s running on fumes. Meanwhile, Green Bay just lost Micah Parsons and blew a 10-point lead to the Bears.
The NFC North is anything but stable.
If the Vikings had taken care of business earlier - if they hadn’t let the Bears steal a game on a special teams miscue, or if they’d capitalized on chances against the Eagles and Ravens - this Christmas Day matchup might have had playoff implications. Instead, it’s two teams trying to find their footing in a season that’s slipped away.
But that doesn’t mean there’s nothing to watch for. If Brosmer gets the nod - and all signs point that way - it’ll be fascinating to see what he does with a full week of prep and a primetime stage. Could he pull a Brock Purdy and inject some late-season juice into a team that’s been searching for answers at quarterback?
The Vikings aren’t walking away from McCarthy. They’re invested, and rightly so.
But in a league that never stops evaluating, moments like this matter. Brosmer’s calm under pressure, his chemistry with Jefferson, and his ability to execute the offense when called upon - all of that puts him on the radar, not just for this season, but for the long-term depth chart.
So no, this wasn’t a game with playoff implications. But it might’ve told us something about the Vikings’ quarterback room - and gave fans a reason to tune in on Christmas.
Because if Max Brosmer can light up the Lions, we might be talking about more than just a feel-good finish. We might be watching the beginning of something worth keeping an eye on.