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Why JJ McCarthy and the Vikings maintain best is rest to come
By Alec Lewis
Sept. 11, 2025 6:02 am EDT
EAGAN, Minn. — There are often important little Easter-egg-like nuggets hidden in Kevin O’Connell’s news conferences. They’re easy to miss. His discernment regarding what to say — and what not to say — is exceptional, but every so often, he’ll provide a pivotal tidbit.
This happened on Wednesday.
He was asked about young quarterback J.J. McCarthy and how the second-year signal caller managed his emotions during the difficult points of Monday night’s game against the Chicago Bears. O’Connell responded not by mentioning McCarthy but by highlighting superstar receiver Justin Jefferson.
“It’s not just (J.J.),” O’Connell said, “it’s our whole team (managing their emotions). One of the people I was most proud of was Justin. This is a guy who expects to go out there and make a play every single play.”
O’Connell’s point? Jefferson didn’t do what some top-tier receivers would. There were no coolers flipped, no tablets thrown. Jefferson was not barking at McCarthy or the coaching staff or anyone. He managed whatever flames might have been blazing within, and the impact of his tranquility was unquestionable.
Whether he’ll have to sustain his calmness — and whether he’d be able to or not — are different conversations entirely. Jefferson has eclipsed 1,000 yards in each of his first five NFL seasons, including 2022 when he started only nine games. O’Connell’s offense spun its wheels at times with Kirk Cousins at quarterback and even last year with Sam Darnold. But never for an extended period.
Fortunately for Jefferson and the Vikings, the early sense from the offensive staff and players is that the first three quarters of Monday night were outliers. Struggles due to execution. A lack of refinement and detail from not just McCarthy but the entire unit.
“I thought there was some sloppiness to how we played,” O’Connell said. “And we talk about all 11 (players). How many snaps did we have of all 11 guys simply doing their job?
On an early third down, the Vikings offense mistimed a motion, and Jefferson slipped after being jammed at the beginning of his route. Veteran receiver Adam Thielen dropped a pass. Pre-snap penalties left the Vikings in impossibly lengthy third-and-long situations.
Some of the trouble with the play clock was a byproduct of lengthier play calls to counteract the Bears’ third-down structures, O’Connell said. It’s not that Minnesota was drawing up pass concepts on the sideline in the dirt. It’s more that Chicago defensive coordinator Dennis Allen was introducing coverage principles he hadn’t in the past, and as a result, the Vikings needed to tweak their play-call language on the fly.
This is partially where the optimism about the offense’s trajectory lies. O’Connell, McCarthy and the other offensive players have experience actively problem-solving. It’ll soon come in handy. The forthcoming matchup against the Atlanta Falcons, a hodge-podge defense constructed by head coach Raheem Morris and defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich, is bound to present unexpected challenges.
Traditionally, Ulbrich designs defenses with four-down fronts, using elite pass rushers and stunts to apply pressure and allowing his cornerbacks to play physically. Morris has been more multiple in his coverage usages and front structures. In Week 1, the Falcons played the majority of their defensive snaps with one deep safety. Teams rarely adopt that approach against the Vikings. The uncertainty leaves Minnesota’s offensive staff in a precarious position.
Will the Falcons defense play the way it played last year? Or will it be more similar to what Atlanta showed Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers? Or could they try something altogether different?
“Now you have a world (in Atlanta) where they can mesh two different schemes entirely and create some problems for offenses,” O’Connell said, “especially early in the season.”
Speaking of Jackson, what happens as he gains more experience and continuity alongside center Ryan Kelly? If Monday serves as a guide, the ceiling is lofty. Toss in Thielen’s further acclimation to the evolved offense and more reliance on the running back duo of Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason, and the potential is undeniable.
Oh, by the way, third-year receiver Jordan Addison — who had the best training camp of any Vikings offensive player — will return in Week 4 in Dublin against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Hence, the team’s belief.
“There’s a lot of work that needs to be done,” McCarthy said Wednesday, “and we’re definitely not even close to where we want to be as an offense.”
How quickly can the Vikings arrive at full form? And if the Vikings’ fourth-quarter rhythm doesn’t carry over into Sunday night’s game at U.S. Bank Stadium, can key cogs like Jefferson maintain their demeanor? That might be more crucial to McCarthy’s development than anything else.
Mind you, the idea was circulated in O’Connell’s news conference for a reason.
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