There is a disconnect between expectation and reality…

I think you are correct in many ways, especially as it pertains to Viking nation as a whole...

Someone else posted that Viking fans dont know what its like to go through the growing pains of raising a QB (i.e. Packers and Favre etc..) and I felt that was pretty accurate and a powerful take too.

Well, they are going to find that out - for the first time since Teddy.

StickierBuns wrote:
There's going to be ups and downs and yesterday was definitely a downer. I still love this kid and feel strongly about his potential, but damn man....its hard to watch some of the growth. Fans are going to fan: the young ones want Patrick Mahomes out of the gate or he's garbage and the older, long time fans bring their old purple scars into what is happening now and vent. I never thought this was a Superbowl team and said they were a step below that back in August when hope was springing. But I'm no apologist either and recognize that JJ is a rough work in progress.

I just hate watching shit football, especially when its at U.S. Bank stadium. So many mistakes yesterday. It sucks for everyone, players and fans alike.

I’m in my mid-40s and have suffered though every QB since Wade Wilson and this is the best opportunity we’ve had to develop a young QB since Daunte Culpepper. 

I loved Teddy, but he never seemed to have the fire/spark you want out of your signal caller. Great guy though and I would have loved to see what he became without the knee injury. 

To me, with what I’ve seen, JJM has everything you want in a QB/leader off the field…all the shit you can’t teach or force. He also has all the physical tools you need to do the job. He just needs to put it all together on the field. Whether he does or not will ultimately decide his success, and I think he’s got a better than average chance of making that happen. 

There are going to be great games and ugly games like yesterday…the hope is you come out the other side with a QB that gives you a shot at the promised land.

CFIAvike wrote:
Here’s the problem as I see it:

JJM was drafted to a 7 win football team. THIS is the season the Vikings should have had LAST year, but JJ got hurt. Then they caught lightning in a bottle and outkicked their coverage making everyone think this is a Super Bowl team.

It’s not and it never was. The 14 wins last year were a mirage and everyone is holding that against a developing QB who SHOULD be in his second full season. Instead we have a 22 year old, with 4 games under his belt, having people screaming at him that he’s holding this team back from the Super Bowl.

He’s not. He’s learning. And I think there are enough flashes of greatness that lend him to being pretty damn good when he puts it all together. And THAT is the team that will contend.

Just curious, where do you hear or read that JJM is holding the team back from the Super Bowl?  Plenty of areas within the team need to improve if we want to make the playoffs, much less the SB.  QB is one of the those key areas needing improvement.  JJM is basically a redshirt rookie.  Most fans would agree that growing pains are to be expected.  However, we don't have to like the growing pains and it's okay for engaged fans to point out where growth is needed in a constructive way.  

Besides, "maybe next year" is the long time mantra for Viking teams and fans since 1976...  Someday, maybe...

Most quarterbacks make a jump between year 1 and year 2. JJ just hasn't played much football the last couple years and needs game reps to develope. Love the makeup of the kid, love the leadership, but he is just not in step with the offense due to a lack of playing time. Positive growth is the goal for the rest of the season and winning games is really inconsequential. This is about 2026 and finding out if we have the right quarterback

MyIdaho wrote:

Just curious, where do you hear or read that JJM is holding the team back from the Super Bowl?  Plenty of areas within the team need to improve if we want to make the playoffs, much less the SB.  QB is one of the those key areas needing improvement.  JJM is basically a redshirt rookie.  Most fans would agree that growing pains are to be expected.  However, we don't have to like the growing pains and it's okay for engaged fans to point out where growth is needed in a constructive way.  

Besides, "maybe next year" is the long time mantra for Viking teams and fans since 1976...  Someday, maybe...

If you go to almost any social media. JJ McCarthy has already been labeled a “bust” by a multitude of fans and pundits and it was a “massive mistake to let Darnold go”.

CFIAvike wrote:

If you go to almost any social media. JJ McCarthy has already been labeled a “bust” by a multitude of fans and pundits and it was a “massive mistake to let Darnold go”.

Here's the thing though with Darnold, and I guarantee it's going to happen, but the guy is not a playoff quarterback and will inevitably shit the bed with a multi interception game that will kill Seattle's season. It's what's happened everywhere he's been and that was proven again last season in Minnesota where he was trash in the two most important games of the year. I have zero issues with the Vikings moving off Sam Darnold and going with McCarthy.

Good post OP and I agree. McCarthy is showing enough flashes to give me plenty of hope for the future and that’s all I can ask for. Do I wish the future was the present of course but everything in the NFL changes week to week. It’s why I tried to act as the wet blanket on the thread from a few days ago- “McCarthy is only going to get better!” No, he’s not. He’s going to get better and then worse and then better and then worse and hopefully over time his play improves but it’s going to be frustrating and messy getting to a point where we all trust the kid, and then he’ll have another stinker. That’s just how the league works. The Bills got smoked by Miami yesterday people.

If McCarthy can stay on the field I’m still super bullish on his trajectory.

EDIT- For all the fans who think we should’ve stuck with a vet instead of rolling with JJM— the Vikings tried that. For about 46 of the previous 50 seasons. Zero trophies. Games like yesterday are what developing a QB is, and the team is FINALLY committed to doing it. Overall I’m happy with the decision.

I'm good with giving JJM a bunch more time. The rest of this year and next year for sure. By then we'll know what we've got.

StickierBuns wrote:

I told everyone he's got a little gunslinger in him....

KFAN1003
@KFAN1003
·
4h
"I love the fact that he's fearless. You want quarterbacks that are fearless."

 @nacholeberdoesn't think we should be hypercritical of J.J. McCarthy after yesterday's Vikings loss

For years all I heard was Cousins was afraid to let his receivers make a play for the ball, and now that we’ve got a QB that has the stones to do it….that’s a problem for some people too

CFIAvike wrote:

For years all I heard was Cousins was afraid to let his receivers make a play for the ball, and now that we’ve got a QB that has the stones to do it….that’s a problem for some people too

Million dollar WR 1-1 with no safety.  Glad we have a QB and coach that want to take a shot.

supafreak84 wrote:

Here's the thing though with Darnold, and I guarantee it's going to happen, but the guy is not a playoff quarterback and will inevitably shit the bed with a multi interception game that will kill Seattle's season. It's what's happened everywhere he's been and that was proven again last season in Minnesota where he was trash in the two most important games of the year. I have zero issues with the Vikings moving off Sam Darnold and going with McCarthy.

Darnold has only had one playoff game and you are labeling him as not a playoff QB?  Sam had a great year last year and it was not unprecedented, we have seen the same thing with Mayfield as some of these guys get into the right system and then it begins to click.  I will take the wager that he plays very well this year in the post season.  

JJ has not just had 4 games, but he has now had a year and a half with the team.  Last year despite being injured he still attended all the meetings, worked with the QBs and WRs.  He had a full camp and pre season this year.  He is not a rookie QB.  He has had stretches where he looks amazing, but he is not improving his throwing mechanics which continues to be erratic.  I get the mental errors, but when Jefferson is 10-20 yards aways without a defender in sight, the ball can't continue to be thrown 5 feet over his head.

JR44 wrote:

Darnold has only had one playoff game and you are labeling him as not a playoff QB?  Sam had a great year last year and it was not unprecedented, we have seen the same thing with Mayfield as some of these guys get into the right system and then it begins to click.  I will take the wager that he plays very well this year in the post season.  

JJ has not just had 4 games, but he has now had a year and a half with the team.  Last year despite being injured he still attended all the meetings, worked with the QBs and WRs.  He had a full camp and pre season this year.  He is not a rookie QB.  He has had stretches where he looks amazing, but he is not improving his throwing mechanics which continues to be erratic.  I get the mental errors, but when Jefferson is 10-20 yards aways without a defender in sight, the ball can't continue to be thrown 5 feet over his head.

He wilts when the lights are the brightest. Thats been his MO his whole career and we saw it up close and in person last year.You can bet that's why the Vikings weren't willing to pony up big dough to keep him and were willing to go with McCarthy. You can also bet a poor game by Darnold will be the reason why Seattle doesn't advance further than they probably should

I set my expectations low because of the learning year. As long as he keeps learning then progress is being made

supafreak84 wrote:

He wilts when the lights are the brightest. Thats been his MO his whole career and we saw it up close and in person last year.You can bet that's why the Vikings weren't willing to pony up big dough to keep him and were willing to go with McCarthy. You can also bet a poor game by Darnold will be the reason why Seattle doesn't advance further than they probably should

Flores is gonna fuck Sam’s entire world up and show the NFL how to nuke him

supafreak84 wrote:

He wilts when the lights are the brightest. Thats been his MO his whole career and we saw it up close and in person last year.You can bet that's why the Vikings weren't willing to pony up big dough to keep him and were willing to go with McCarthy. You can also bet a poor game by Darnold will be the reason why Seattle doesn't advance further than they probably should

Lol!  Yes, cause outside of last years playoff game Sam has played in so many big games.  So what exactly did you see up and close and in person during the 14 wins?  Did you actually watch any of those games?!  Or they didn't really count?  Your take has absolutely no merit.

JR44 wrote:

Lol!  Yes, cause outside of last years playoff game Sam has played in so many big games.  So what exactly did you see up and close and in person during the 14 wins?  Did you actually watch any of those games?!  Or they didn't really count?  Your take has absolutely no merit.

You could see SD getting tighter as the wins mounted last year.  He was stellar out of the gate,  and although they continued to win,  his performance became less and less until he really shit the bed against the better teams down the stretch.  I really liked the kid,  but the hype was bigger than the reality.   I really noticed it in person for the titans and bears games,  he was missing a lot of open targets and just really didnt look comfortable.   I think he was trying to be to perfect and just got sphincter locked.

JR44 wrote:

Lol!  Yes, cause outside of last years playoff game Sam has played in so many big games.  So what exactly did you see up and close and in person during the 14 wins?  Did you actually watch any of those games?!  Or they didn't really count?  Your take has absolutely no merit.

I watched every game and you saw him wilt against the Lions with everything on the line same as you, then the playoff game against the Rams. He was abysmal. He stunk. I know you are an SC homer and all...but come on! He stunk it up in big games in New York with his job on the line and sucked in Carolina. Nice guy, happy for him, but we all know Darnold is going to Darnold at some point and that will likely come in the playoffs. The Vikings knew this and it's why the went with the QB they didn't know about over the one they did

Also as long as the condoms have Lincoln and ND has Freeman, I like our chances

supafreak84 wrote:

I watched every game and you saw him wilt against the Lions with everything on the line same as you, then the playoff game against the Rams. He was abysmal. He stunk. I know you are an SC homer and all...but come on! He stunk it up in big games in New York with his job on the line and sucked in Carolina. Nice guy, happy for him, but we all know Darnold is going to Darnold at some point and that will likely come in the playoffs. The Vikings knew this and it's why the went with the QB they didn't know about over the one they did

Also as long as the condoms have Lincoln and ND has Freeman, I like our chances

Darnold is knocking on the front door. McCarthy is knocking on the back door. Darnold caved and was abysmal but his line was also completely abysmal. The team he plays for is considered a superbowl contender. The Vikings are in last place.

JR44 wrote:

Lol!  Yes, cause outside of last years playoff game Sam has played in so many big games.  So what exactly did you see up and close and in person during the 14 wins?  Did you actually watch any of those games?!  Or they didn't really count?  Your take has absolutely no merit.

Darnold is playing great and 2026 Darnold isn't 2025 Darnold. Maybe he is but we don't know that. It's very possible he's learned from last year and improved. I'm rooting for him even though if they win the Super Bowl that will be kind of painful too. But for the Vikings-- Darnold played great all year and I was really into giving him an extension. Said it on hear many times, as early as Week 7 and as late as well, before the playoff game.

I really thought after our Detroit debacle that the coaches, the OL, the QB, would get things fixed for the big game with the Rams. Even if we didn't win, I wasn't worried about the offense collapsing again. And then that's exactly what happened. It was sad and at that point, it just made sense to move on to McCarthy if the team believed in him (they did/do).

I'm not singling out you JR at all, but in general there's a lot of hindsight with the Darnold and Jones stuff because they are playing well. But realistically I don't see how people can be that upset over moving off Darnold after how last season ended. Giving him a big contract at that time, on the heels of Cousins who also has a rep of wilting in big games, was a huge gamble for the Vikings. McCarthy was a lot cheaper since the picks had already been spent and he also has unknown upside. Moving on from Darnold was the right move in my opinion, though I will always wonder if the team even made an attempt to extend him mid-season last year when the price was lower, as I was clamoring for. Maybe we'll find out on a podcast someday.

hogjowlsjohnny wrote:
Darnold is knocking on the front door. McCarthy is knocking on the back door. Darnold caved and was abysmal but his line was also completely abysmal. The team he plays for is considered a superbowl contender. The Vikings are in last place.

"Considered a superbowl contender"...yeah, like the Lions were gonna be the NFC team for the last 3 years, and A-a-ron was the NFC's superbowl QB every year for a decade...

...nothing counts but the players/teams that actually make it.

Darnold got a big career-saving jolt from being in Minnesota, that's a no-brainer...as were his meltdowns against Detroit and LA. Meanwhile, our young'un is 2-0 in the division, and the fanbase has howled forever to draft and raise a QB.

There were and are gonna be bumps in the road. It's a fuggin' sports team playing on huge stages against other sports teams. Even veteran QBs have junk games...just ask Jordan Love.

"Last place" in a division blanketed within a two win margin, with a brand-new QB and 5 games with a backup, is still doing better than most realize.