So here's why I'm worried about JJ....

[Vikesrock]

This is brilliant!

[savannahskol]

At this point, one thought keeps creeping in my head as a worry.  Considering Kwesi's stellar drafting prowess so far, could McCarthy be another draft bust?  I believe in KOC as far as QB Rehab School.  Say what you want, but Darnold was 1 stop away from the scrap heap and KOC has a very big hand in that resurrection.  I also have to wonder, maybe KOC has more of a say so in the draft room that we think, and maybe HE is part of the draft failures as well.  Is it possible that KOC is a QB Whisperer and a shitty drafter along with Kwesi?

[MaroonBells]

I think I saw it in this thread, but JJ McCarthy was not sacked against Chicago. And I think one of the lesser-mentioned facts about that game is that JJ had good protection for the most part. As good as it gets in the NFL anyway. On one hand, that's encouraging: this expensive line might be starting to come together. On the other hand, it means more of the blame lands on JJ's shoulders. 

I'm worried the kid might have too much swimming in his head right now, and we're just feeding him more. On top of what's got to be unbelievable community pressure—the boos, the stares at the market—he's likely obsessing over his mechanics. For a kid with a history of depression, is this making things worse? Because I don't remember accuracy being a big issue for him until lately. 

I'm not going to pretend to know more about coaching QBs than KOC, but it does me wonder if he might be better served shelving the mechanics issue until the offseason and just let the kid go out there and play his game.

[Vikergirl]

[purplefaithful]

I'm not going to pretend to know more about coaching QBs than KOC, but it does me wonder if he might be better served shelving the mechanics issue until the offseason and just let the kid go out there and play his game.

He's probably putting way too much pressure on himself. 

At the bold, I dont think that happens, its too fundamental to the position from the coaches perspective. 

This is a timely article today. He's taken 10 steps back to take 2 forward at this point...

======================================================================

Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy is ‘rewiring neurological pathways’ in his adjustment to NFL

The team’s veteran players are supporting the second-year QB after a rough outing in a loss to the Chicago Bears on Sunday.


J.J. McCarthy said Wednesday that he’s trying to fit in little reps everywhere, even taking 10 dropbacks every time he lets his dogs out in the yard.

It’s a small part of the extra, outside work for the 22-year-old Vikings quarterback after his fifth career start, a loss to the Chicago Bears in which he completed only 50% of his pass attempts and threw two interceptions, bringing his season total to eight.

“Coming up on his sixth start now, I think we’re all just looking for continued evidence of the growth,” Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell said during an appearance Tuesday on KFAN Radio. “We gotta start seeing the cement dry on some of the things we’ve really worked hard to make football habits for him from a fundamentals and technique standpoint.”

McCarthy pointed to his injuries — his 2024 season-ending knee injury and this year’s high ankle sprain that sidelined him five games — as having taken away valuable time to create repetition and find consistency within O’Connell’s system.

He said Wednesday that the way O’Connell and the Vikings are teaching him quarterback is “very new” and “very different” from the way he had been taught previously, though he did say that wasn’t unexpected in making the jump to the NFL.

Still: “It’s really hard,” McCarthy said. “You’re rewiring neurological pathways, and that’s not something that happens overnight.”

McCarthy’s teammates understand: 

Running back Aaron Jones Sr., who worked with Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love his first season as starter, repeated Wednesday that he views part of his job being to take pressure off a young QB. Wide receiver Adam Thielen spoke Monday about “trusting the system” and how he saw Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young develop over his first two seasons.

And wide receiver Justin Jefferson repeatedly has said he will do whatever it takes to keep building rapport with McCarthy.

The two have connected on only 22 of 43 targets this season, and Jefferson said no one’s trying to hide the frustration in some of the struggles the team is experiencing.

“Yes, it’s difficult. But as a captain, as a leader of this team, I have to be the first one out there,” Jefferson said Sunday. “I gotta be headfirst leading us into that direction of winning, of being where we need to be. So if that takes taking J.J. out and getting more time with him and creating that connection with him, then that’s what I gotta do.”

McCarthy said the extra time with Jefferson hasn’t necessarily been on the practice field or working out but just hanging out together. He said the two have established a relationship over the past two years that allows them “to be honest with each other and not let emotions and egos get in the way.”

That echoes part of what Jones said about what it’s like to work with a young quarterback: That often it first comes with getting to know the player off the field before on it.

“I can’t thank them enough for the patience level and the leadership out of every person in that group,” McCarthy said of his veteran teammates. “Them pushing me every single day to be the best version of myself and doing it in ways that a lot of people don’t see. I just love ‘em with all my heart and just so grateful for every single one of those guys.”

McCarthy could have one key veteran back in the lineup this week with whom he hasn’t played since Week 1: center Ryan Kelly.

Kelly, who went on injured reserve Oct. 4 after suffering his second concussion of the season Sept. 28 against the Pittsburgh Steelers, returned to practice last week and was listed as a full participant Wednesday. O’Connell said Friday that Kelly had already done some work with the first-string offense in the first phase of his return.

Throughout training camp, coaches, along with McCarthy and Kelly themselves, spoke of the positive impact a veteran center can have on a young quarterback.

If Kelly returns for Sunday’s game at Green Bay, he would be another piece to relieve some pressure on McCarthy, calm his brain down so that the good things the Vikings say they see in practice show through come game time.

Still, McCarthy’s foundation needs to set so he can be stable on his own.

“He’s going to keep working at it,” O’Connell said of McCarthy on Monday. “We’re going to go back to work and continue to find every avenue, every way to try to help build the consistency to his mechanics.

”And then, I firmly believe the accuracy will come from that. It’s been tried and true and tested with other players and guys that have been on their journey before, and that’s what we’re going to keep working towards.”

Strib

[BigAl99]

======================================================================

Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy is ‘rewiring neurological pathways’ in his adjustment to NFL

The team’s veteran players are supporting the second-year QB after a rough outing in a loss to the Chicago Bears on Sunday.

Oh crap, a 22 year old dealing with a Neuroplasticity injury, now I'm worried.  This is an issue for people my age, next thing we'll hear about is he's having constipation issues and prunes won't help. Or walks in to rooms and can't remember why, but is immediately distracted by any shiney object.

[JimmyinSD]

Oh crap, a 22 year old dealing with a Neuroplasticity injury, now I'm worried.  This is an issue for people my age, next thing we'll hear about is he's having constipation issues and prunes won't help.  Or walks in to rooms and can't remember why, but is immediately distracted by any shiney object.

Makes me wonder how many concussions JJM has suffered through the years already.  His head took a pretty hard bounce off the turf on one of those hits last Sunday.

[Zanary]

Makes me wonder how many concussions JJM has suffered through the years already.  His head took a pretty hard bounce off the turf on one of those hits last Sunday.

Hopefully, Love will be the one bouncing off the tundra this Sunday...all game long.

[purplefaithful]

Vikings have plenty of mixed metaphors, but few quick fixes, for J.J. McCarthy

A society, and a fanbase, seeking instant gratification doesn’t mix well with a young Vikings quarterback who requires a lot of work.


The head coach likened his quarterback’s development to concrete drying. The quarterback described the process of being taught a new way of playing the position as “rewiring neurological pathways,” but that he feels like it’s a “cork about to come off a bottle.”

More succinctly, this is not going well.

J.J. McCarthy is completing only slightly more than half of his passes. He has thrown more interceptions than touchdown passes. He has the highest “bad throw” percentage in the league (24.8%), according to Pro Football Reference.

He’s also 22 years old and set to make his sixth NFL start Sunday in Green Bay.

The consternation being expressed over the start of McCarthy’s career is the byproduct of an incompatible combination of a TikTok society that demands instant gratification, an organization and fan base that are starved for a homegrown franchise quarterback, a head coach hailed as a whispering QB guru, visions of Drake Maye and a young quarterback who requires a lot of work.

Those ingredients don’t mix well.

Clearly, this is not what the Vikings leadership envisioned when constructing a roster of expensive veteran free agents motivated to contend this season. Ten games in, the Vikings sit in last place in the division while McCarthy’s mechanics and fundamentals have become the focus — or obsession — of every single interview session.

As difficult as this might be to accept, two things can be correct simultaneously: McCarthy’s struggles with accuracy are alarming, and he should be afforded time and patience longer than a handful of games before rendering a verdict.

Growing pains are inevitable with young quarterbacks, but this case feels different for different reasons. McCarthy has been wildly inaccurate, and the incessant conversation about his mechanics creates the impression that he needs more than just tweaks to become a reliable passer.

I can’t recall another situation in which an athlete’s fundamentals have been discussed, dissected and scrutinized to the degree that is happening with McCarthy after each performance. I can hear Kevin O’Connell’s words in my sleep by now: Eyes and feet, base and balance, posture.

O’Connell earned his whisperer nickname by helping veteran quarterbacks improve or rehabilitate their careers. McCarthy was an unknown, a blank slate. Totally different challenge.

This experiment was never going to be as simple as plug-and-play, though one wonders if even O’Connell miscalculated McCarthy’s preparedness based on what we’re hearing about his mechanics.

McCarthy acknowledged that he essentially had to re-train how he plays the position. O’Connell’s system is different than what he was taught at Michigan and earlier stops, creating an elongated learning curve. Even so, it’s hard to grasp how his mechanics get so out of whack.

“You’re rewiring neurological pathways and that’s not something that happens overnight,” McCarthy said. “So just understanding and giving myself that grace. That patience that I might not have it today, but it’s something I’m going to continue to strive [for] day after day, rep after rep and get to the place where we all want me to be.”

McCarthy comes across as a player consumed by the work and the process of problem solving. His struggles are not a product of indifference to tasks. He sounds intensely passionate about his job. Heck, he admitted to working on his dropbacks when he takes his dogs outside to potty.

He looked overwhelmed in the loss the Bears last week until the final drive. The game still seems to be moving at warp speed as he deciphers coverages and blitzes while making sure his fundamentals are properly aligned. He probably has a gazillion things swirling around his head when he steps onto the field.

The season began with so much hope because of what McCarthy represented. The idea that he can become that elusive franchise quarterback. The only way to determine if that vision will become a reality someday is to let him navigate this path, good and bad moments.

Benching him is not the answer. What would that accomplish? Nothing. Watching from the sidelines is not going to improve his accuracy.

McCarthy has played five games. Much of that sample size has been a struggle. As O’Connell indicated, it’s time to start showing more consistency. McCarthy needs a stellar performance to lower the temperature and put a moratorium on discussion about his mechanics.

Nobody truly knows what it will look like when the cement dries. We might think we know based upon initial impressions, but a modicum of patience is necessary. Just as long as the cork comes out of the bottle at some point and those neurological pathways get successfully rewired.

Strib

[Bullazin]

Vikings have plenty of mixed metaphors, but few quick fixes, for J.J. McCarthy

A society, and a fanbase, seeking instant gratification doesn’t mix well with a young Vikings quarterback who requires a lot of work.


The head coach likened his quarterback’s development to concrete drying. The quarterback described the process of being taught a new way of playing the position as “rewiring neurological pathways,” but that he feels like it’s a “cork about to come off a bottle.”

More succinctly, this is not going well.

J.J. McCarthy is completing only slightly more than half of his passes. He has thrown more interceptions than touchdown passes. He has the highest “bad throw” percentage in the league (24.8%), according to Pro Football Reference.

He’s also 22 years old and set to make his sixth NFL start Sunday in Green Bay.

The consternation being expressed over the start of McCarthy’s career is the byproduct of an incompatible combination of a TikTok society that demands instant gratification, an organization and fan base that are starved for a homegrown franchise quarterback, a head coach hailed as a whispering QB guru, visions of Drake Maye and a young quarterback who requires a lot of work.

Those ingredients don’t mix well.

Clearly, this is not what the Vikings leadership envisioned when constructing a roster of expensive veteran free agents motivated to contend this season. Ten games in, the Vikings sit in last place in the division while McCarthy’s mechanics and fundamentals have become the focus — or obsession — of every single interview session.

As difficult as this might be to accept, two things can be correct simultaneously: McCarthy’s struggles with accuracy are alarming, and he should be afforded time and patience longer than a handful of games before rendering a verdict.

Growing pains are inevitable with young quarterbacks, but this case feels different for different reasons. McCarthy has been wildly inaccurate, and the incessant conversation about his mechanics creates the impression that he needs more than just tweaks to become a reliable passer.

I can’t recall another situation in which an athlete’s fundamentals have been discussed, dissected and scrutinized to the degree that is happening with McCarthy after each performance. I can hear Kevin O’Connell’s words in my sleep by now: Eyes and feet, base and balance, posture.

O’Connell earned his whisperer nickname by helping veteran quarterbacks improve or rehabilitate their careers. McCarthy was an unknown, a blank slate. Totally different challenge.

This experiment was never going to be as simple as plug-and-play, though one wonders if even O’Connell miscalculated McCarthy’s preparedness based on what we’re hearing about his mechanics.

McCarthy acknowledged that he essentially had to re-train how he plays the position. O’Connell’s system is different than what he was taught at Michigan and earlier stops, creating an elongated learning curve. Even so, it’s hard to grasp how his mechanics get so out of whack.

“You’re rewiring neurological pathways and that’s not something that happens overnight,” McCarthy said. “So just understanding and giving myself that grace. That patience that I might not have it today, but it’s something I’m going to continue to strive [for] day after day, rep after rep and get to the place where we all want me to be.”

McCarthy comes across as a player consumed by the work and the process of problem solving. His struggles are not a product of indifference to tasks. He sounds intensely passionate about his job. Heck, he admitted to working on his dropbacks when he takes his dogs outside to potty.

He looked overwhelmed in the loss the Bears last week until the final drive. The game still seems to be moving at warp speed as he deciphers coverages and blitzes while making sure his fundamentals are properly aligned. He probably has a gazillion things swirling around his head when he steps onto the field.

The season began with so much hope because of what McCarthy represented. The idea that he can become that elusive franchise quarterback. The only way to determine if that vision will become a reality someday is to let him navigate this path, good and bad moments.

Benching him is not the answer. What would that accomplish? Nothing. Watching from the sidelines is not going to improve his accuracy.

McCarthy has played five games. Much of that sample size has been a struggle. As O’Connell indicated, it’s time to start showing more consistency. McCarthy needs a stellar performance to lower the temperature and put a moratorium on discussion about his mechanics.

Nobody truly knows what it will look like when the cement dries. We might think we know based upon initial impressions, but a modicum of patience is necessary. Just as long as the cork comes out of the bottle at some point and those neurological pathways get successfully rewired.

Strib

Damn troublesome. If he is focusing on his mechanics how in the hell is he supposed to go through his read progressions at the same time?  This kid needs a lot of in game reps before he is going to be fixed enough to even know if he can do progressions