McCarthy

[psjordan]

Speaking of QB play, I hope the team has plans to address - and have dug into this with McCarthy - this *shocking* stat from last year:

From https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/460 ... -colts#min

“and [the Sam Darnold led Vikes] scored just two touchdowns across the 45 drives in which Darnold took at least one sack”

[CharVike]

Speaking of QB play, I hope the team has plans to address - and have dug into this with McCarthy - this *shocking* stat from last year:

From https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/460 ... -colts#min

“and [the Sam Darnold led Vikes] scored just two touchdowns across the 45 drives in which Darnold took at least one sack”

I wouldn't call it shocking. If you get sacked that's typically a big loss of yardage. The follow up play they will send more and not even worry about a running play unless the OL gives it away. This last SB showed the importance of blocking. Mahomes who many consider the goat and I won't argue that couldn't put anything on the board until the 4th after the Eagles emptied the bench. The Eagles dominated the point right from the start and it was game over. I hope Darrisaw is back game 1 otherwise it will be a bad pass blocking LT along with a rookie at LG which won't help any QB.

[Cliff]

Speaking of QB play, I hope the team has plans to address - and have dug into this with McCarthy - this *shocking* stat from last year:

From https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/460 ... -colts#min

“and [the Sam Darnold led Vikes] scored just two touchdowns across the 45 drives in which Darnold took at least one sack”

I wouldn't call it shocking. If you get sacked that's typically a big loss of yardage. The follow up play they will send more and not even worry about a running play unless the OL gives it away.[/b] This last SB showed the importance of blocking. Mahomes who many consider the goat and I won't argue that couldn't put anything on the board until the 4th after the Eagles emptied the bench. The Eagles dominated the point right from the start and it was game over. I hope Darrisaw is back game 1 otherwise it will be a bad pass blocking LT along with a rookie at LG which won't help any QB.

That was my first thought as well. It would be good to see what the stats for other teams in that situation were. A percentage of drives ending in TDs after a sack. I can't imagine it's very high in general. The only stat I could find was:

In situations where a sack occurs, the offense manages to convert a first down (which can eventually lead to a touchdown) about 16% of the time.

That stat is something like 8 years old so I don't know if it holds true now.

If the league average is still around 16% just on getting a first down after a sack, I'd have to think it's much lower than that in getting a touch down.

[VikingLord]

I would guess the conversion rate for 1st downs following any negative play, including penalties, is probably low across the league. Every OC has plays designed to pick up 1st downs regardless of distance, but any time an offense gets behind the sticks and has to make up more ground to get in front of them again the defense should have an advantage.

In Darnold's case last year, I suspect what explains that is the fact that defensive coordinators were more inclined to bring pressure in those situations which Darnold wasn't great at handling even earlier in the year. When Darnold and the offense avoided losing yards, the run threat remained in play and Darnold probably had more time to look for receivers as a result. When they got into negative yardage situations I don't think he did.

It will be interesting to see how McCarthy handles those situations.

[CharVike]

Carson Wentz is getting a workout

[makila]

Carson Wentz is getting a workout

Signed. And traded Howell to Philly.

2026 5th and 2027 7th to us.
Howell and 2026 6th to Philly.

Wonder if Brosmer or Rypien gets last spot.

[CharVike]

Carson Wentz is getting a workout

Signed. And traded Howell to Philly.

2026 5th and 2027 7th to us.
Howell and 2026 6th to Philly.

Wonder if Brosmer or Rypien gets last spot.

I would think Brosmer

[makila]

Signed. And traded Howell to Philly.

2026 5th and 2027 7th to us.
Howell and 2026 6th to Philly.

Wonder if Brosmer or Rypien gets last spot.

I would think Brosmer

Same

[VikingsFan12345]

Carson Wentz is getting a workout

Signed. And traded Howell to Philly.

2026 5th and 2027 7th to us.
Howell and 2026 6th to Philly.

Wonder if Brosmer or Rypien gets last spot.

Rypien has been cut and Carson Wentz has been signed

[VikingsVictorious]

I'm getting a little worried about Addison missing the first 3 games of the season. By all accounts, Addison has been an absolute beast so far in training camp. He's been uncoverable from what I understand, and he's not getting more favorable matchups because Jefferson is taking attention away from him due to JJ's hamstring injury.

And McCarthy has been going to him a lot. In the preseason game I think half of his attempts were to Addison. They've clearly got some chemistry between them.

When I heard that Addison would have to sit the first three games I thought it wouldn't be a big deal. Addison has been good to this point in his career, but not great, and I hadn't seen much that indicated Addison was going to take that next step as a pro. I also saw Nailor as a guy who could stand in for Addison without much of a drop off. At this point, I think both of those assumptions are proving to be false. Addison looks like a different player. He's still fast and shifty, but his route running seems more refined and precise, and he's playing with a sense of urgency on every down. He's playing like a receiver drafted in the first round. Nailor, on the other hand, has been pretty quiet. For a guy entering a contract year, I would have expected him to show up and show out, but he is being eclipsed by other Vikings receivers. I could see him very easily not making the roster. I thought that would not have been possible when training camp started, but the Vikings have a lot of young, hungry receivers. None of them are JJ or Addison (yet, anyway), but they are making plays.

Hard to say how this is going to shake out. JJ has to be healthy to start the season or I fear McCarthy is going to struggle to get out of the blocks.

Addison missing the first three is a pretty big deal, but a good QB can get production out of anybody. I expect McCarthy to do enough to win the first 3 games against weak competition without Addison.

[VikingsVictorious]

Getting back to McCarthy, I’m very nervous, plain and simple.

WRT his college days, he seems to get a lot of reviews like “well he CAN make those throws, he’s just never been asked to”. “Well he CAN dominate a game throwing the ball, he’s just never been asked to on a consistent basis”.

Well, I guess I’m asking now. He’s got very little on tape with the Vikes, and honestly what I’ve seen so far is underwhelming. Yeah he’s made a play here and there, but I have yet to see a throw where I say to myself “now THERE is why he was a top 10 pick”.

I’m also very underwhelmed with the preseason plan (to date) not to play him more than one series. Seems every other starter out there is getting a series or two in each game. Even wily, injury-prone veterans like Burrow.

Two things are making me hold my opinions in check however:

I was talking to an older UM grad who lived locally to UM for the McCarthy years. An absolute football junkie, attended every football event possible. His opinion after watching McCarthy do everything from hold a clipboard to beating Ohio State three times, was that 1000% McCarthy is the real deal and has all the tools to be an exceptional pro. The guy offering the opinion holds no special status other than seeing McCarthy play in person WAY more than I have.

And two, I’ll admit that maybe, just maybe KOC knows more about developing QB’s than I do.

So I am in wait-and-see mode, but I’d sure like some concrete proof - even if fleeting - that he can excel at this level. I’m certainly not trumpeting McCarthy in any conversations quite yet, but I'm also willing to wait 3-4 games into the season to at least be comfortable that he will be The Guy with time and patience.

You've been underwhelmed and I've been overwhelmed. McCarthy has looked great to me ever since we got him.

[VikingsVictorious]

Max Bros B4 Hoesmer for better or worse will make the team.