J.J. McCarthy highlights multiple standout performances vs. Cowboys, but one element is deeply concerning for the Vikings
J.J. McCarthy and Jalen Nailor highlight the Vikings’ best performances on Sunday, but Justin Jefferson’s performance highlights a major concern.
The Minnesota Vikings are now 6-8 after defeating the Dallas Cowboys 34-26. The game didn’t start off well, as quarterback J.J. McCarthy threw an interception on his first pass. After that, the Vikings outscored the Cowboys 34-19, getting their second consecutive win on Sunday Night Football in Dallas.
There were a lot of really interesting performances on Sunday night, especially when it comes to efficiency. There were three standouts in a positive way, as well as two in the other direction.
Winners from Minnesota Vikings’ win against Dallas Cowboys in NFL Week 15
QB J.J. McCarthy
The Vikings were hoping for their starting quarterback to take another step forward after a good game against the Washington Commanders. He struggled before that game, and those struggles surfaced at the beginning of the game when McCarthy threw an interception on a batted pass at the line of scrimmage.
After that, he settled down quite a bit and made some impressive throws. While McCarthy only completed 15 passes, he did so for a career-high 250 yards with two touchdowns through the air and one more on the ground. There are still issues with his mechanics, as we saw on the first touchdown pass to Jalen Nailor, but he’s playing good football, and that’s what matters most.
FB C.J. Ham
Over the last two weeks, the Vikings have been using heavy personnel significantly more often than they had previously, and it’s resulted in 30+ points in both weeks. One of the biggest reasons was fullback C.J. Ham, who is a monster blocker for the Vikings, and sprang multiple solid runs.
His presence also earned him a carry, which he scored on, something we’ve seen a lot of over his career. Using Ham more often has been a benefit for the Vikings.
WR Jalen Nailor
Has there been a single player on the Vikings who has made more money at wide receiver than Jalen Nailor? His film doesn’t do his numbers justice. He’s gotten wide open at a very high rate, including Sunday night’s game against the Cowboys, when he caught two touchdowns.
He’s developed good chemistry with McCarthy and has generated explosive plays in the process. He’s set to be a free agent after the season, and that will likely keep him from staying in Minnesota, but he can be an excellent No. 2 receiver for somebody next year.
Losers from Minnesota Vikings’ win against Dallas Cowboys in NFL Week 15
ST Coordinator Matt Daniels
There are no excuses anymore. This is a bad special teams unit outside returner Myles Price and kicker Will Reichard. They are committing penalties at a high rate, the punting game has been massively inconsistent, and they can’t stop good returners.
KaVontae Turpin had multiple nice returns on Sunday night, and the field goal block team’s aggressiveness cost them a stop, as the Cowboys used the old LSU fake field goal to get a first down.
Things are not going well for the Vikings on special teams this year, and it’s becoming increasingly likely that he will be replaced this offseason.
J.J. McCarthy and Justin Jefferson’s chemistry
There is no way to sugarcoat things. There is a real chemistry issue between McCarthy and Justin Jefferson. It’s not something that’s a massive red flag long-term, but it is concerning within the context of a 60-minute game.
McCarthy is finding an open Jefferson and throwing him the football, but the ball placement and speed of the football have stymied Jefferson. Some of that comes from McCarthy still throwing rocket balls consistently, and, in turn, from his poor mechanics causing the throws to sail high. They will get things under control in time, but it’s limiting the impact of this offense right now.
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