Was it the throw or was it the receiver?

It was a throw that should be routinely made by an NFL Quarterback.

Given the choice of the two - the throw.

You can't rifle it (and high) to an open receiver. Whoever Van Demark was blocking elevated to block the throw, so the only validation I was thinking is JJM didn't want to have it knocked down. Nonetheless, Van Demark better learn to punch his man in the solar plexus (yeah - I'm that old) and it'll put an end to that ish quick.

Honestly it looked to me slower than some of his usual fastballs from last season. Passes gotta be catchable

I think both are true. I don't think it was a rocket like everyone is saying. It wasn't a good pass. It should have been an easy completion. I also thought it looked like an awkward attempt at a reception.

I'd also put more weight on the throw. Should have been an easy catch.

Ive supported JJM more than most, but that was the throw. That receiver is running a route expecting a ball to be thrown a certain way coming out of a break, and that route does not necessitate a tomahawk missile. Still shots dont paint a true picture in many cases, and I dont think it does in this case.

JJ missed that one and the throw to Felton was open as well. That said, Jefferson and Addison both likely come down with both of those. I liked a few things about JJ’s game today, feeling the rush, going through progressions. It was their second string however.

That's on the throw. JJ only needed to toss a soft lob and instead whizzed the high fastball.

How many wide open guys does he have to miss before he takes the blame?

I would bet you everything I own that the coaching staff isn't telling Myles Price that miss was on him.

comet52 wrote:

How many wide open guys does he have to miss before he takes the blame?
I would bet you everything I own that the coaching staff isn't telling Myles Price that miss was on him.

Yeah, this was on JJ. This wide open means the throw should be easy. Not sure if McCarthy is getting the yips or not. But that should have been a layup. The pass was coming in hot and Price couldn't get his hands up in time even looking at JJM when he's throwing it. Nobody's fault except 9.

Is it coincidence that JJM's worst throws/games have been at U.S. Bank?

A still doesn't tell the story. Price doesn't get off the ground because of the throw. Receivers have to time their jumps and Price could've done that if the throw were earlier in the route and had some arch. Instead, JJ throws late, forcing him to throw one of his Nolan Ryan 4-seam heaters and Price was caught flat footed.

StickierBuns wrote:

Not sure if McCarthy is getting the yips or not. But that should have been a layup.

I dont think the use of past tense is correct on this one

There was absolutely no time to react to the ball. Even the jolly green giant would not have caught it as it was just thrown too hard to turn around and then catch that fastball, would have just bounced off his hands.

Most every other QB in the NFL, college or high school would have lofted that ball up for an easy TD, not an easier throw for a QB to make.

Could have been a combination of both, Price not adjusting to the ball and JJM throwing a heater. But I have to wonder with a quarterback struggling with his throws and the supposably improved running attack, why didn't they try to just muscle the ball into the endzone but running it? Was it because Wes Phillips was calling the plays? Or was it just trying to prove a point that JJM can actually throw for a score?

every single throw is graded and an "A" throw is out front on the face mask. This was a bad throw that asked the receiver to go up and catch a fastball that didn't need to be. Kirk threw the same pass to Powell a few years ago that was perfect. This was a bad throw,

IceRatz16 wrote:

How many starting WRs in the NFL make this catch? Price isn't even off the ground. Did he forget how to jump?McCarthy's throw was high, but there is no reason Price should be missing this pass.

Your asking to judge a play in a single snap shot. It was a bad throw at full speednd a bad throw at slow motion when replayed. Maybe Jefferson or Addison can make this catch but maybe JJM is why they each has so many drops last year. The throw is too high and too hot.

Looks like most agree with the bad throw, but you seem to love all JJMs throws...

Go back and watch the Tom Brady call on Vikimgs game last year, he grades a bunch of throws and very few are graded as "A" by the GOAT

kmillard wrote:

It was a throw that should be routinely made by an NFL Quarterback.

Like all the TDs made by Carson and Brosmer that game?

Against deeper "scrubs" on Baltimore?

Hmmm.

rf54 wrote:

Your asking to judge a play in a single snap shot. It was a bad throw at full speednd a bad throw at slow motion when replayed. Maybe Jefferson or Addison can make this catch but maybe JJM is why they each has so many drops last year. The throw is too high and too hot.
Looks like most agree with the bad throw, but you seem to love all JJMs throws...

Go back and watch the Tom Brady call on Vikimgs game last year, he grades a bunch of throws and very few are graded as "A" by the GOAT

The throw being too hot doesn't explain why Price's feet never left the ground. One's on McCarthy, the other's on Price. I'm not asking Price to make a great catch, I'm asking him to jump.

Honestly I don't even see the throw as that hot. Watching the behind-the-LOS angle, it looks like McCarthy actually took a little off it. And Price is an NFL receiver and from what I remember from the underwear olympics, these guys get tested on their leaping ability. Going up for a ball shouldn't be the hard part.

And that's on top of it being a timing thing, knowing when to load up and jump while you're still at full speed is a receiver skill in itself. That's on Price too, not just the throw.

IceRatz16 wrote:

The throw being too hot doesn't explain why Price's feet never left the ground. One's on McCarthy, the other's on Price. I'm not asking Price to make a great catch, I'm asking him to jump.
Honestly I don't even see the throw as that hot. Watching the behind-the-LOS angle, it looks like McCarthy actually took a little off it. And Price is an NFL receiver and from what I remember from the underwear olympics, these guys get tested on their leaping ability. Going up for a ball shouldn't be the hard part.
And that's on top of it being a timing thing, knowing when to load up and jump while you're still at full speed is a receiver skill in itself. That's on Price too, not just the throw.

he did jump, your picture shows it, it just doesn't show what diesction he has to jump to try to catch the ball.

JJ McCarthy misses Myles Price WIDE OPEN in the end zone. pic.twitter.com/Ix8VJrEPTe

— VikingzFanPage (@vikingzfanpage) August 22, 2026

everybody is saying it was a bad miss, only you are laying blame at Price's feet.

It was the throw

JJ when there’s an open receiver 5 yards in front of him pic.twitter.com/K2umbTTxuj

— Freedom (@BigyWinning) August 22, 2026

Pygmalion Effect

This happens when you want someone to do well, so you mistakenly believe they are doing a great job even when they aren't. Because you expect them to be talented, your brain filters out their mistakes and only lets you see what you want to see.