Coach Delivers Telling Comments About Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy

After six weeks and five games sidelined with an ankle injury, J.J. McCarthy is primed to step back under center in Week 9, when the Minnesota Vikings will face the Detroit Lions. With that, McCarthy will have an opportunity to prove Lions head coach Dan Campbell right.

McCarthy’s return is partly a decision being made for the Vikings, with Carson Wentz out for the season due to a shoulder injury.

Still, their Week 1 starter made a strong impression on Campbell.

Dan Campbell Knows ‘All I Need to Know’ About J.J. McCarthy Before Lions-Vikings

This will be the first time Campbell and the Lions see this version of the Vikings, and their first time facing McCarthy, who missed his rookie season with a knee injury.

Still, the coach lauded the quarterback for what he has shown.

“I guess – Well, I know this: You watch Chicago, and what he did. Had it a little bit rough there early, right? Throws the pick, then all of a sudden, man, he comes rushing back. And it – you just see the poise, and the confidence, and his ability to overcome that, and, really, lead them to a win. That’s impressive for a young guy,” Campbell told reporters on October 28.

“That kind of tells me all I need to know. I know what the talent is. I’ve seen it. So, they’re going to do what they need to do to help him out and try to reduce the stress. Take as much off his plate, but yet, allow him to do things he does well.”

Campbell got to see McCarthy plenty of times when the QB was in college at Michigan, including leading them to a national championship in 2023.

Campbell also knows just how dangerous the rest of the Vikings’ roster around McCarthy is.

Lions HC Praises Vikings’ Playmakers

McCarthy has completed 58.5% of his passes for 301 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 3 interceptions for the Vikings this season. He has 50 yards and 1 TD on seven carries. In his return, Campbell expects the Vikings to rely on their playmakers like Justin Jefferson and Aaron Jones.

“18 is a catalyst. 18 is a catalyst. Jones is a hell of a back,” Campbell said. “They’re going to find ways. They want to try to establish the run, screen game, get it to 18, get this kid on the move.

“They’re going to do a hell of a job. They’ll have a good plan ready, and so will we.”

How much the Vikings expose McCarthy will likely depend on the flow of the game. Their only other quarterback on the roster is undrafted rookie free agent Max Brosmer, who has the utmost confidence of the Vikings’ coaching staff but is even less experienced than McCarthy.

Facing a Lions team that ranks third in scoring offense and eighth overall on that side of the ball, McCarthy needs the Vikings’ 18th-ranked scoring defense (26th overall) to step up.

Vikings on Trade Watch Before Deadline

The Vikings are a team some have their eyes on before the 2025 trade deadline, particularly for a move to add an experienced QB behind McCarthy and, apparently, Brosmer.

“Even if the Vikings add a third QB in the coming days, Kevin O’Connell said that Max Brosmer will be the No. 2 behind J.J. McCarthy following Carson Wentz’s season-ending surgery,” ESPN’s Kevin Seifert noted on X on October 28.

That does not mean a deal will not happen, just that it could be relatively minor.

The Vikings traded up to select McCarthy with the 10th overall pick in the 2024 draft, and they remain committed to his development.

Saints Bench Rattler After Turnovers Pile Up

New Orleans had seen enough — Rattler’s mistakes finally outweighed his potential.

Spencer Rattler didn’t just get benched — he lost the job. After a string of costly turnovers and poor decisions, the New Orleans Saints officially moved on from their 2025 starting quarterback this week, ending Rattler’s brief and turbulent run as QB1.

The final blow came in the Saints’ 23–3 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where Rattler was pulled in the third quarter after committing his sixth turnover in two games. The low point: a tipped pass over the middle that landed in the hands of Bucs linebacker Anthony Nelson — who returned it for a touchdown.

This wasn’t a one-off performance. It was part of a pattern.

The Turnover Problem

In his last two games, Rattler turned the ball over six times — four interceptions and two lost fumbles. He’s been a turnover machine at the worst possible times: inside scoring range, on opening drives, and after the defense gets a stop. These weren’t aggressive shots gone wrong. They were poor reads, forced throws, and carelessness under pressure.

Against Tampa, the pick-six came with the Saints already trailing and desperate for a spark. Instead, the offense gave the game away. That interception, like too many of Rattler’s this season, didn’t just kill a drive — it swung the game.

Rattler’s ball control issues haven’t improved since Week 1. If anything, they’ve gotten worse. The numbers don’t lie — when your quarterback is giving it away nearly once every quarter, you’re not going to win games.

The Job Slipped Away

Head coach Kellen Moore didn’t waste time after Sunday’s loss. He pulled Rattler mid-game and by Tuesday, confirmed what had become obvious: Rattler was no longer the starter. This wasn’t just a change for the sake of change — Rattler’s poor play left the Saints no choice but to give rookie Tyler Shough a chance.

This isn’t Moore’s fault. It’s not the line’s fault. It’s not about growing pains or development curves. Rattler’s job was to protect the football, read the field, and lead scoring drives. Instead, he left points on the field and gave points to the other team.

Even his completions didn’t move the offense forward. Against Tampa, he threw 15 completions but failed to put the ball in the end zone or string together meaningful drives. And every time he crossed midfield, the threat of a turnover felt more likely than a touchdown.

A Missed Opportunity

Rattler entered the season with the chance to cement himself as the franchise’s future. He had the arm talent, the opportunity, and the reps. He got six starts in 2024, showing occasional flashes. But inconsistency followed him into this year — and in the NFL, potential doesn’t buy you time.

The Saints were patient. But there’s only so much you can take when the quarterback becomes the defense’s best weapon — for the other team.

 

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