Justin Jefferson Drops True Feelings on J.J. McCarthy Struggles
J.J. McCarthy struggled, completing 16 of 32 passes for 150 yards, with one touchdown and two interceptions. He did lead a strong late drive, finding Jordan Addison for a go-ahead touchdown, but that effort wasn’t enough to turn around the team’s difficulties over the course of the game.
Additionally, the Bears had just enough time after that touchdown pass to kick the game-winning field goal. Amid McCarthy’s struggles, Justin Jefferson, who recorded five receptions for 61 receiving yards, was asked about the second-year quarterback.
“I mean, it wasn’t the best game for any of us,” Jefferson told reporters after the loss. “I felt like we should have played better overall. But at the end of the day, when it really counted, J.J. stepped up. That’s the main focus.
“Of course, there are things to work on and fix on the offensive side of the ball. We also need to help the defense out a lot more than we’re doing. Like I said, we have to look at the film, see what needs to be fixed, work on it, and come back ready to go.”
Justin Jefferson Offers Advice to Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy
While McCarthy does have a captain’s patch on his jersey, he’s still learning to navigate the NFL and the adversity that all players face when they come into the league. As a result, Jefferson, who is also a captain, shared the advice he’s giving his quarterback amid the issues under center.
“Everybody feels like it’s difficult, it’s not something we’re keeping under the rug or anything,” Jefferson added. “Yes, it’s difficult. But as a team, as a captain, as a leader of this team, I have to be the first one out there.
“I have to be the one leading us in the direction of winning and being where we need to be. So if that means taking J.J. out and getting more time with him and building that connection, then that’s what I have to do. I have to figure out what I need to do to get us over that hump.”
Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy Draws Criticism
All the criticism is falling on McCarthy for how he’s performed over the last couple of games. The latest to drop their take on the Vikings signal caller was former Seattle Seahawks star Richard Sherman.
“What would the Vikings offense look like if they decided to just keep Sam Darnold?” Sherman wrote during the Vikings-Bears game on X.
Moreover, Sherman followed up this take with ruthless post-game criticism of the Vikings’ starting quarterback, noting that “Justin Jefferson would probably want another QB soon.” The former Seahawks player didn’t stop there as he fired off one more post aimed at McCarthy.
“I’m old enough to remember the comments I got when I told folks I wasn’t sure if McCarthy was the answer and they let a good quarter fool them,” Sherman added on X. “Football isn’t an exact science by any means but when you’re set up with one of the best play callers in football and one of the best WRs usually success can be manufactured.”
Lions Coach Erupts After Controversial Loss to Eagles: “This Wasn’t Football — This Was the NFL Protecting the Wrong Team.”
The aftermath of the Detroit Lions’ dramatic and frustrating loss to the Philadelphia Eagles took a fiery turn on Sunday night, as the Lions’ head coach unleashed one of the most explosive and emotional postgame statements the NFL has seen all season. His words, delivered with raw intensity, were not simply a critique of a single play — but a full-scale indictment of what he called a “broken standard” within the league.
The controversy stemmed from a late-game hit that the coach described as “deliberate, intentional, and completely outside the rules.” According to him, the play crossed every line of sportsmanship the NFL claims to uphold.
“In all my years of coaching, I’ve never seen anything this blatant,” he said, visibly furious. “There’s a difference between going for the ball and going for the man. That wasn’t a football play — that was intent.”
He pointed to what happened immediately after the hit as undeniable evidence: the “words, the smirks, the attitude” from the opposing player. Though he refused to mention names, he made it clear that everyone in the locker room knew exactly who he meant.
But the coach’s frustration went far deeper than one incident. He accused the league of inconsistent officiating, claiming certain teams enjoy an invisible layer of protection while others — like the Lions — are penalized harshly for even the smallest infraction.
“We are tired of these invisible lines,” he continued. “Week after week, dirty hits get brushed off as ‘incidental contact’ while we get punished for everything. You talk about integrity and fairness, but what we’re seeing is the opposite.”
By this point, his tone shifted from anger to pure disappointment — disappointment in what he believes the NFL is becoming.
“If this is what football has become — if your so-called standards are just a polished façade — then you’ve betrayed this sport,” he said. “And I will not stand by and watch my team battle under pressure while being forced to endure rules you don’t have the courage to enforce.”
The coach’s comments instantly detonated across social media, sparking a fierce debate among fans, analysts, and former players. Some praised him for speaking truth to power, calling him “the only coach brave enough to say what others whisper behind closed doors.” Others accused him of deflecting blame from his team’s mistakes and fanning unnecessary flames.
As the NFL prepares to review the game film, one thing is certain: this controversy will not fade quietly. With Detroit fighting to secure playoff positioning and tensions running high, the league may soon find itself under even brighter scrutiny.
And for the Lions, this moment could become a rallying cry — or the spark that ignites a larger battle over the NFL’s integrity.
