Vikings at Bears GDT

[Wolvesfan21]

I think there is a lot of irrational exuberance here about JJ. I gave him a C-, which is a passing grade, because I think he passed the test. But you can't ignore the fact that only Tua threw for fewer yards this week than JJ, and JJ was going up against an already poor defense missing some key defensive players. His clock control out of the huddle, repeated batted down passes when a lofted pass would have worked and a telegraphed pass that led to a pick 6 are not the hallmarks of a very good QB performance...especially against a bad defense. We won this game because we dominated the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball after the first quarter...in many ways, that was how JJ won a lot of his games at Michigan. If we can continue to dominate the line play, we may be successful with a QB throwing for 143 yards. I see JJ as potentially a fine game manager, and that may be just what this team needs at QB.

I thought our Oline specifically Skule got schooled for 3 quarters. Even in the fourth JJ got rocked on the completion to Jets on the sideline pass when Skules man beat him. Look at our avg running too. Couldn't pass pro, couldn't run block TILL the fourth. Once the OLine started playing well in the fourth everything came together.

Again with the yardage. I just disagree. We just had far fewer plays then avg. Even 15 less. We had very good punt returns along with a punt block, some nice 3 and outs so we had good field position to get less yards. Sure you can say the offense/JJ had to do less. But it is a team game. Could he have done more with worse field position? Maybe? I can't lower a grade because special teams were great!

In the end, 3 TD's with one pick. That's pretty good and superb for a 1st start on the road in primetime without your really most important player (Darrisaw). Good never mind great LT play is a must in a good offense, we didn't get that to be frank. Plays were getting blown up way too much.

I think I've seen C- QB play and that was much of Ponders play. JJ was better then that.

[Wolvesfan21]

FNG’s “game manager” was named NFC’s Offensive Player of the Week…

C-

[FNG]

FNG’s “game manager” was named NFC’s Offensive Player of the Week…

Ha, that's outstanding! I probably would have gone with Mayfield (3TDs and no picks) or Stafford (245 yards and no picks) over JJ, but I'll take it. The kid was very good in the 4th quarter. But come on, guys, you gotta admit the jury is still out with this guy, right?

[Wolvesfan21]

FNG’s “game manager” was named NFC’s Offensive Player of the Week…

Ha, that's outstanding! I probably would have gone with Mayfield (3TDs and no picks) or Stafford (245 yards and no picks) over JJ, but I'll take it. The kid was very good in the 4th quarter. But come on, guys, you gotta admit the jury is still out with this guy, right?

Not for me, I wanted either Jaden Daniels or McCarthy going into that draft, but I also didn't like Nix so what do I know? He is like 26 though so he should be pretty good already. So saying that I'm all in on McCarthy, I only liked Jaden Daniels more and he was really unreachable for us.

Long term JJ is I believe 22, he's got a good 2-3 years before he even starts thinking about being in his prime. So I like his potential. If you're already solid now who knows?

Your mention of his throwing a fastball too much does resonate with me though. But he has time to learn to anticpate and off speed more arcing pass. That and his delivery is a bit long also, but again, he has years to tighten that up and maybe not always throw the high speed. Saying that it's better to have a fastball and be able to dial it back then try to make a QB throw harder.

[FNG]

FNG’s “game manager” was named NFC’s Offensive Player of the Week…

Ha, that's outstanding! I probably would have gone with Mayfield (3TDs and no picks) or Stafford (245 yards and no picks) over JJ, but I'll take it. The kid was very good in the 4th quarter. But come on, guys, you gotta admit the jury is still out with this guy, right?

Not for me, I wanted either Jaden Daniels or McCarthy going into that draft, but I also didn't like Nix so what do I know? He is like 26 though so he should be pretty good already. So saying that I'm all in on McCarthy, I only liked Jaden Daniels more and he was really unreachable for us.

Long term JJ is I believe 22, he's got a good 2-3 years before he even starts thinking about being in his prime. So I like his potential. If you're already solid now who knows?

Your mention of his throwing a fastball too much does resonate with me though. But he has time to learn to anticpate and off speed more arcing pass. That and his delivery is a bit long also, but again, he has years to tighten that up and maybe not always throw the high speed. Saying that it's better to have a fastball and be able to dial it back then try to make a QB throw harder.

I didn't watch him in college, but I'm guessing he was able to demonstrate touch on his passes. This might have just been a case of first game nerves and rushing things. Atlanta's defense wasn't much better than Chicago's last year, so I'd like to see JJ have a stellar game in front of a friendly crowd Sunday night.

[Wolvesfan21]

Ha, that's outstanding! I probably would have gone with Mayfield (3TDs and no picks) or Stafford (245 yards and no picks) over JJ, but I'll take it. The kid was very good in the 4th quarter. But come on, guys, you gotta admit the jury is still out with this guy, right?

Not for me, I wanted either Jaden Daniels or McCarthy going into that draft, but I also didn't like Nix so what do I know? He is like 26 though so he should be pretty good already. So saying that I'm all in on McCarthy, I only liked Jaden Daniels more and he was really unreachable for us.

Long term JJ is I believe 22, he's got a good 2-3 years before he even starts thinking about being in his prime. So I like his potential. If you're already solid now who knows?

Your mention of his throwing a fastball too much does resonate with me though. But he has time to learn to anticpate and off speed more arcing pass. That and his delivery is a bit long also, but again, he has years to tighten that up and maybe not always throw the high speed. Saying that it's better to have a fastball and be able to dial it back then try to make a QB throw harder.

I didn't watch him in college, but I'm guessing he was able to demonstrate touch on his passes. This might have just been a case of first game nerves and rushing things. Atlanta's defense wasn't much better than Chicago's last year, so I'd like to see JJ have a stellar game in front of a friendly crowd Sunday night.

The constant fastball was sort of a knock on him coming out, though he did pass for a NCAA best 72% in his last year demonstrating elite accuracy. The 3rd down percentage pickups to me were the telltale. Michigan was a heavy run team, but when the run failed and they had 3rd and 7 guess what? The defense knows they are passing and they relied on JJ to do his thing and he did it over and over to win the Natty (beat my Bama team in the semis).

I think that's as impressive as spreading a team out and mostly passing, maybe more so. He was put in high leverage spots and succeeded. 1st and 2nd downs it's easier to pass I think. Get in the 3rd and medium to long, then ask your QB to bail you out? That's tough.

Other "experts" said it was a knock. "His lack of carrying the team with big yardage". But I think it's a positive myself because of his 3rd down efficiency and teams knowing it was pass most of the time. The run mostly worked for them too, but had JJ not converted when it mattered most they simply don't win.

[Monster]

I’m over in Switzerland closing in on 2 am, but I am up and anxious to watch JJ McCarthy and the Vikings in their season opener!

I don’t expect much activity here, but wanted to acknowledge the Vikings and our high hopes for this season.

Tim you are going everywhere doing all the things. I loved Switzerland what all are you doing?

Sorry late to the party.

[Monster]

I will say though that I blame KOC more than JJ for his poor performance in the first half. Giving him so few snaps in preseason had a lot to do with his deer in the headlights performance early in the game. I'll never understand why he didn't get more real game time experience in preseason...could have cost us a win, but fortunately didn't. I expect we'll see a more relaxed QB this week against the Falcons.

Bingo. I expected the Vikings to look not the best this first games espcilaly missing Addison the starting left tackle etc. Remember 1 season when the Vikings sucked like the first 3 games with Cousins and then they found their footing and Cousins had a really good year? The Vikings pulled out a game and to do it they did enough to stay in it.

Let's think about this. How many quarters of NFL football had McCarthy played in coming into his first NFL game? Maybe a combined 4 quarters of preseason over 2 seasons and an injury in between? The joint practices were probably pretty significant reps too but yeah combined with an offense that didn't play many actual game reps together either.

I'm not saying McCarthy is HIM or that I actually disagree with your thoughts about him being around a C grade overall but there was quite a bit working against him.

I'll add that the fastball issue was a concern coming out of college. I'm not sure that was the issue with the balls that were batted down. Meanwhile he feathered in a couple nice throws one to Nailor and the one he lofted to Jones wasn't a fastball either and while it was under thrown and Jones is a very good receiver he was still throwing to a RB so a throw like that probably makes more sense in that context. He could also have easily overthrown that pass and in ultimately ends up incomplete.

I also want to say that Caleb Williams who had sort of the opposite performance should get some credit for doing some really posive things in this game. I think the Vikings could have done better rushing him but he is really good escaping in the pocket. That one escape and throw to the sideline is why anyone that is a bears fan should have some sort of hope with the guy. He had lots of pressure on him all game. Do I think he is really good? No. Do I think he has something to work with? Yes. Will he be able to put things together? Not sure.

[FNG]

Some good comments, monster. I think JJ's clock management issues out of the huddle and batted down passes had a lot to do with 1st game nerves. He has to be feeling much more confident after all the good press he got this week, so I expect to see a much more disciplined performance tonight. I still need to be convinced that he is going to be a good NFL QB, but a good showing tonight would get me more on the bandwagon.

[FNG]

I commented that the Bears defense looked rather porous to me last week. Well, today a Lions team that only put up 246 against the Packers last week, put up 511 yards against those same Bears...including 5 TD passes. I thought the Bears defensive backs looked inept last week, except for the pick 6. Just trying to provide some perspective to JJ's performance last week. I think he'll see a better defense tonight, and a competent performance might put one of my feet on the bandwagon. Let's go Vikings (and JJ...both of them)!