Vikings RB Aaron Jones Sends Strong Message on J.J. McCarthy’s Leadership
J.J. McCarthy is still just 22 years old with hardly any experience as an NFL quarterback. But he certainly didn’t look it Monday night in Chicago.
McCarthy engineered a thrilling comeback in his first NFL start, impressing teammates with his poise and maturity under pressure as he accounted for three touchdowns in the fourth quarter of the Vikings’ 27-24 win over the rival Bears.
“He’s different up here,” Vikings running back Aaron Jones said postgame, pointing to his head. “It’s just his mentality. … He’s a special guy. I’m blessed to have him here.”
The 2024 first-round pick — who missed his entire rookie season with a meniscus tear in his right knee — finished 13-of-20 for 143 yards through the air to go with 25 yards rushing.
McCarthy Showed His Resolve in 4th Quarter
McCarthy showed his moxie in the second half, shaking off a 74-yard pick six by Nashon Wright that put Chicago up 17-6 early in the third quarter.
Sometime after that, McCarthy offered a message that stuck with Jones.
“J.J. runs into the huddle — I think it was after one of the TV timeouts or something — he looks at us and he’s like, ‘Is there anyplace else you guys would rather be?’” Jones recalled. “We’re all like, ‘Wow.’ … Having that sense to motivate us in that way, it was special.”
McCarthy was nearly flawless in the fourth quarter, completing 6-of-8 passes for 87 yards and a pair of touchdowns, including a 27-yard strike to Jones that gave Minnesota a 20-17 lead with 9:46 left.
On the next possession, McCarthy added a touchdown of his own, scoring on a 14-yard run to make it 27-17.
As impressive as McCarthy’s performance was, nothing about it seemed to surprise his peers.
“I told him at halftime: ‘You are going to bring us back to win this game, and the look in his eye was fantastic,” head coach Kevin O’Connell said. “And the best thing was just the belief I felt from that team, and ultimately, that doesn’t get done without him in the second half.”
McCarthy Makes History in Ushering Comeback
McCarthy joined rare company in leading the Vikings back from a double-digit deficit in the fourth quarter of his NFL debut. Per ESPN, the last quarterback to do so was Steve Young in 1985. Since 1950, McCarthy is the only such quarterback to do so on the road.
McCarthy also became the first player, period, to account for three touchdowns in the fourth quarter of his NFL debut.
McCarthy’s ability to win, no matter the circumstances, continues to be evident. Since McCarthy’s sophomore year of high school, his record as a starting quarterback is an incredible 63-4. That, of course, includes a national championship to cap his final season at Michigan.
Said star receiver Justin Jefferson: “We knew he had that dog in him.”
Buccaneers defense could feast with key Texans player out
On Tuesday, news broke that Houston Texans starting center Jake Andrews will be out for the foreseeable future due to a high ankle sprain he suffered during the team's Week 1 loss to the Los Angeles Rams.
This is significant news — not just for the Texans, but the Buccaneers as well, who are set to face off against Houston at NRG Stadium on Monday Night Football next week.
No excuses for Todd Bowles' defense on Monday Night Football
Andrews' loss isn't just significant for this game simply because he's a starter lost to injury along their offensive line. It's significant because the Texans' OL is a major weakness to begin with. In Week 1, the Texans were only able to put up 9 points during their 14-9 loss to the Rams. There's no question that a lack of consistent protection (and time) for quarterback C.J. Stroud was a primary reason for the team's lack of production on that side of the ball.
Not only did the Texans make the difficult decision to trade their franchise LT Laramy Tunsil to the Commanders during the offseason, but his replacement, Cam Robinson — who they just signed to a 1-year $12 million contract back in March — lost his starting job in training camp to rookie tackle Aireontae Ersery, who they drafted in the second round out of Minnesota.
Aside from 33-year-old LG Laken Tomlinson, the Texans' OL unit lacks pedigree at nearly every spot. Despite his experience, Tomlinson produced a putrid 38.8 pass blocking grade and a 55.0 run blocking grade vs. the Rams, according to Pro Football Focus, which was the 8th worst mark out of all 65 guards that were evaluated in Week 1.
Bucs D-Line is poised to break out vs. the Texans
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers already showed us in Atlanta that they should be considered one of the best run-defending groups in the entire league. That said, they are hoping to take a major step forward in the pass-rushing department this year.
One encouraging sign is the fact that free agent acquisition Haason Reddick showed that he's still got the goods. Reddick recorded seven pressures in his Buccaneers debut as well as a 22.6% pressure rate, which was the second-highest mark by any defender with 30+ pass rushes. He also produced the team's lone sack in the ball game.
Although Yaya Diaby wasn't able to secure a sack of his own vs. Atlanta, he came close. And even if that's been the story of his promising young career so far, there's plenty of optimism based on his ability to generate pressure on opposing quarterbacks who are protected by offensive lines that are far more competent than what he'll face on Monday night in Houston.
Calijah Kancey, who is healthy to start the season for the first time in his career, is another player to watch in this matchup. His stout frame and elite quickness make him a matchup nightmare along the interior, especially paired next to Vita Vea.
Based on the talent the Buccaneers have along their defensive line and the lack of talent they'll be facing next week, it's safe to assume that Todd Bowles' group will be able to disrupt the pocket and get to C.J. Stroud when these two teams face off in prime time next Monday.
