J.J. McCarthy's Performance For The New York Giants Sparks Debate Between Vikings Fans

The Minnesota Vikings enjoyed their bye week, but a performance on Sunday has sparked debate within the fan base. No, it wasn't by division rivals Green Bay or Chicago, who both won on Sunday. It was from former first-round pick J.J. McCarthy, who relieved Jameis Winston, against the New Orleans Saints. 

McCarthy led a furious comeback, but ultimately fell short. Still, McCarthy threw for 243 yards in under 11 minutes with a touchdown and interception. For reference, that would have been the highest passing yard total on the season for any Minnesota QB. Even deeper stats show McCarthy led all quarterbacks in Week 6 in both yards per attempt and ADoT. 

His ADoT was over 16 yards, and his YPA was 11.6 yards. Considering being thrown into the fire, McCarthy was impressive in the fourth quarter. His first interception felt like a clear miscommunication with his receiver, and that is expected with limited time. After that, McCarthy was throwing it all over the yard and targeted TE Isaiah Likely and WR Malik Nabers frequently.

So, what does this mean for the Vikings? First, while the quarter of football was impressive, the Saints' defense didn't prepare for McCarthy, and their defense was relaxed in coverage with the huge lead. Credit to McCarthy for his play, but these are the circumstances. Second, overreacting to a quarter of play and saying the Vikings made a mistake seems premature. If McCarthy becomes consistent, then the conversation can resume, but it is much too early to come to that conclusion. 

Realistically, the Vikings are 5-0 with the best defense through five games. On the flip side, the Vikings' offense is literally bottom two. The frustration among fans centers on whether the offense is sustainable enough to lead the team to more wins and on the reputation of Kevin O'Connell as a "quarterback whisperer."

McCarthy is set out to prove he belongs as an NFL starter. His status as the starter is up in the air, but if the Giants want to see what they have, it is time to make the change. Winston has shown himself, but McCarthy could put enough good film out to force a competition with Jaxson Dart, who hasn't been able to keep himself healthy. 

At this point, the Vikings are undefeated. Let's settle in. The noise only grows if the Vikings offense continues to sputter and McCarthy plays well. If the Vikings want to silence the noise, the offense needs to get going and that is in their control. Hopefully, the bye week wakes up the offense and O'Connell.