'Mostly on me': Justin Jefferson takes blame for J.J. McCarthy's pick-six
Star receiver Justin Jefferson says the blame lies on him for the pick-six thrown by first year starting QB J.J. McCarthy in the third quarter of Minnesota's 27-24 win over the Bears.
“J.J. wasn't ready for me to be out that soon. That's why the ball was thrown inside of me, where it needed to be outside. So it’s mostly on me, on that play," Jefferson said in his weekly media session on Thursday. "I'm just happy that J.J. really didn't think about it too much. J.J. was on to the next play.”
The pick-six gave the Bears a 17-6 lead with 12:51 left in the third quarter. With the offense sputtering and the defense struggling to get off the field, the 11-point lead felt bigger at the time. However, McCarthy quickly reset and turned his focus back to helping engineer a miraculous fourth quarter comeback in his first start.
"At the end of the day, yeah, it sucks. It's one of the worst things you can do as a quarterback. But you can't do anything about it. You've got to focus on the next play," McCarthy said after the game in Chicago.
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Early in the fourth quarter, McCarthy threw a dart to Jefferson in the middle of the endzone that made it a five-point game. Less than three minutes later, McCarthy threaded a 27-yard pass to running back Aaron Jones for his second touchdown pass to give the Vikings the lead. McCarthy would top it off with a 14-yard option run that resulted in a touchdown and put the Vikings ten ahead with just under three minutes left in the game.
"When you have a pick-six, the way the first half went, normally that's enough for a lot of teams to go ahead and pack their stuff up and head home," said Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell of McCarthy's resolve. "There wasn't one moment. I just told him, I said, 'You did everything right. They made a play. You protected yourself enough' – there was another potential eligible on the play that might have had an opportunity to score, honestly, and what kind of play would that have been? Great learning opportunity."
"Defense kept us in it the whole time. It was on our shoulders just to go out there and execute and play as one and move on from that. That's one of those things I don't really hang on. And I was really grateful the way Coach McCown and (Kevin] O'Connell handled it the next play," said McCarthy.
BREAKING NEWS: Aaron Judge Offers $200K Reward for Information Leading to Identity of Charlie Kirk’s Assassassin
In the aftermath of the tragic assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk at a Turning Point USA event at Utah Valley University, MLB star Aaron Judge has announced he will personally offer an additional $200,000 reward for any information that helps identify the killer. Judge, the standout outfielder for the New York Yankees, expressed his outrage over the senseless violence and his commitment to supporting the ongoing investigation.
“This tragedy has no place in our society,” Judge said in a public statement. “Charlie Kirk was a powerful voice for his beliefs, and his life was tragically taken. We must ensure that the person responsible is held accountable. I’m offering this reward to help bring justice for Charlie and his family.”
The FBI had already released images of the suspect and offered a $100,000 reward for information leading to the capture of the killer. The assassination has ignited widespread anger within the conservative community and raised concerns about the growing issue of political violence on college campuses.
Judge’s additional $200,000 reward emphasizes his commitment to justice and peace. Law enforcement is urging anyone with information to come forward as the investigation continues.
The shocking event has fueled a national conversation about political violence and safety on university campuses. Judge’s involvement highlights the importance of unity in the face of such violence and his dedication to supporting the Kirk family during this difficult time.
