Souhan: J.J. McCarthy breathes life into a stale Vikings season
'After three starts and two clutch wins, McCarthy looks like he has the the ideal attitude and personality to be a franchise quarterback.'

https://www.startribune.com/souhan-jj-mc.../601448677

Can someone fact check that this is indeed Jim Souhan, local Minneapolis newspaper dinosaur and card-carrying curmudgeon?

5 of the last 9 are home games, but USB hasn't been the home-field I had hoped tbh
4 of the last 9 are division - so throw the records out! 
Some of these teams aren't as daunting as it looked in September

I would be hard-pressed to forecast a year ending w/l record for the purple right now...I have no idea what team is going to show-up week to week this season. 


Ravens
Bears
at GB
at Sea
Commodes
at Dallas
at NYG
Lions
Packers

EAGAN, Minn. -- A day after starter J.J. McCarthy's triumphant return to the field, Minnesota Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell said he is "pretty comfortable" with his team's quarterback depth as the NFL trade deadline approaches.

McCarthy accounted for three touchdowns in the Vikings' 27-24 victory Sunday over the Detroit Lions after missing the previous five games because of a high right ankle sprain. His return coincided with backup Carson Wentz's season-ending left shoulder injury. Minnesota placed Wentz on injured reserve last week, leaving undrafted rookie Max Brosmer as McCarthy's primary backup.

Veteran quarterback John Wolford has since signed to its practice squad, but ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that league sources believed the team might seek a more prominent veteran to pair alongside McCarthy via trade. Former Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins, now a backup with the Atlanta Falcons, could be available. 

The New York Giants, meanwhile, might be open to trading one of their veteran backups, Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston.

Monday, however, O'Connell talked extensively about Wolford -- whom he coached when both were with the Los Angeles Rams in 2020-21 -- and said he would like to add him to the 53-man roster at some point soon.

"I think with bringing John in," O'Connell said, "it was something where we wanted to make sure we had a third guy in the room, a guy I know very well. He immediately picked up where I remember being with John -- super smart, has a pretty high level of quickness and athleticism, quick twitch for a release and kind of a tight window thrower kind of guy that can activate a lot of different throw types. 

And he's got experience understanding how our pass offense works and how we want to operate. So as he said, he's the old man in the room now, and I think that's important for two young guys."

ESPN

Hall of Fame wide receiver Marvin Harrison Sr. doesn't like what he's seeing from the Arizona Cardinals offense right now.

"It's very hard for me to watch the Cardinals' offense," he told ESPN's Josh Weinfuss. "And you can quote me on that."

The former Indianapolis Colts star elaborated on his opinion.

"The style of offense that I am accustomed to, that I'm used to watching as a professional eye, as a wide receiver … I just can't relate to watching that [current] offense, that style of offense," he said. "Basically, I can't relate to what goes on there.

"I think that's just peacefully put, without pointing fingers or anything. It's just me. I'm giving you the professional eye. I can't relate to it. 

It don't add up to me. I can't deal with it."

The Cardinals have a bottom-half offense in both yards (310.3) and points (21.9) per game. They're also riding a five-game losing streak into Monday night's matchup with the Dallas Cowboys.

Wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. is on his way to a second year of underwhelming on-field returns. He has 24 catches for 396 yards and two touchdowns through seven games, which isn't bad production but below what a lot of people expected for a can't-miss prospect who was a top-five pick.

Bleacher Report

Vikings open at +4.0

https://www.bovada.lv/sports/football/nf...2511091300

I just saw GB TE Tucker Craft is out with ACL.

• Offensive Line won the battle up front.  defenders on the ground, huge holes for the RBs.  That mistake by JJM late in the game where he turned the wrong way, Mason had a massive hole to run thru and seal the game.
  
• JJM's feet give our offense that other dimension.  That TD run was beautiful.  Addison (not Nailor as I said elsewhere) played that well, taking his guy back inside giving JJ the corner.
  
• JJ isn't afraid to throw a tight window pass.  The TD to Jets and the final pass to Nailor.  Those were tight.  And perfect.
  
• Kudos to KOC for bringing the physicality.  The OLine, the RBs, the commitment to the run.  Something we haven't seen from KOC in the past.  That is a winning game plan.
  
• Defense played physical too.  None more that Wilson.  That sack where he just blew up Gibbs.  He looked like D Hunter coming thru there, he seemed massive and it was the determination.
  
• Tackling.  They brought the RBs down when they made contact.  Other than that first TD by the TE where everyone was trying to strip the ball rather than taking out his legs, our D tackled well.
  
• Wilson again.  Might be the FA signing of the year.  
  
• Smith showed up as well.  That edge blitz and knockdown.  Huge play at a huge time.
  
• Special teams: A blocked FG.  Been a while since we had one up the middle.  And the Price is right on the returns.  Seems our ST coach is hitting his stride as well.
  

https://www.freep.com/story/sports/colum...?gnt-cfr=1&gca-cat=p&gca-uir=true&gca-epti=z116654p119750c119750d00----v116654b0046xxd004665&gca-ft=64&gca-ds=sophi

Mitch Albom: "If you thought the Lions had an easy game upcoming with Minnesota, you don't know JJ McCarthy"

Its was a tough day for many Lions fans as they not that long ago rooted like mad for him at the University of Michigan. They love him....but now they have to hate him. And I think its bittersweet for them to see him as a Viking.

Who is the best running back in the NFL? I think Saquon Barkley and Jahmyr Gibbs would get a lot of votes. Against the Vikings, Barkley had 18 carries for 44 yards. Gibbs had 9 carries for 25 yards.