His arm strength. Honest to God, LMFAO. F-ing Greg Cosell, one of the biggest dipshits out there....and Colin Cowherd's buddy. Not sure any analyst could come to this conclusion unless they never watched 10 minutes of video on McCarthy, but that's the snake oil Cosell was selling. Was 1 MPH behind at the Combine of Joe Milton, who's a complete animal. All we hear now in Eagan is how JJM has to pull something off this fastball because the ball won't be catchable. 

Anyway, I mention it because its one of those crazy false narratives that get out into the universe and people glom on. 

I picked up last minute tickets for face value (plus Seat Geek fees) at 35-yard line, 13th row on Vikings sideline to catch the Cowboys-Vikings game with two of my adult sons.  Had a great time.  I must say that the Cowboys fans were great all round -- talking football and not smack, with appropriate good humor between fans of two teams going through disappointing seasons.  I don't love the stadium -- have been several times since moving to Fort Worth.  The screen is too big, the stadium lay out is odd and it is cavernous and not nearly as loud as US Bank.  I was texting a buddy occasionally during the game and it underscored that the TV and the live game action sometimes can leave different impressions.  I have not gone back to watch the broadcast, but here are a few impressions from the live action:

-- McCarthy looked comfortable all-around.  With a pick to start the game on a batted ball on the first drive, it didn't seem to rattle him at all.
-- McCarthy is improving his accuracy, but there were still some fairly egregious misses -- two throws to Jettas (one in end zone), severe underthrow to Addison, a completion to Hock he put in harms way where a better pass is a safe completion.  On the other hand, he hit others perfectly in stride -- a slant, the seam route to Hock, a pass to Jones...
-- I spent a fair bit of time watching Dallas Turner on defense.  I've got to say I was not impressed with his game.  Several times he was looking for a call or shifting at the snap so there was no ability to use his quickness off the ball.  I saw him loafing on a few plays and many pass rushes where he rushed straight into the tackle and was swallowed up.
-- The middle of the field is the Achilles heel of the Vikings defense.  We have stunning voids in the middle of our zone defense.
-- The run defense looked bad for the most part.  Javonte Williams was grabbing 10 yard chunks up the middle with little resistance.
-- You could see the frustration on Jettas after the dropped touchdown pass.  He was by himself for a lengthy period afterwards, pacing.

Nice moment at the end of the game when Aaron Jones came over and chatted up some of us fans and gave us a rendition of his first down move.

There were a TON of Vikings fans in the stadium.  Our section was about 30% Vikings fans and there was purple everywhere in the stadium.
__PRESENT

If JJM plays well the next 3 games? Shows continued upwards trajectory??

 I am going to be ok going into next season with him at QB1. Hell, I might even be excited about it...

At least I have a reason to turn on the remaining games in a lost 2025 season.

Focus on upgrading the D, younger/faster at RB and get a TE heir apparent to TJH...

https://www.espn.com/college-football/st...026-season

The weird thing is Manning is just one year younger than McCarthy.

Coach Kevin O’Connell announced Monday that the Vikings will play their final three games of the season without outside linebacker Jonathan Greenard, who will undergo season-ending shoulder surgery.

Greenard aggravated a left shoulder injury he originally suffered against Baltimore during Sunday night’s 34-26 victory over the Cowboys, exiting in the fourth quarter after the Vikings stopped Dallas on fourth down.

He appeared to wear a sling under his shirt as he exited the locker room after the game.

“I just want to say as a captain and a leader on our team, [Greenard’s] had a huge impact‚" O’Connell said during his news conference Monday. “I thought he played one of his best games yesterday before re-aggravating that shoulder. ... JG and his leadership and his commitment to being kind of a foundational player for us as a football team has been on full display.”

Greenard played 44 snaps against the Cowboys, his most since suffering his injury. He had four tackles and three quarterback hurries in the win and logged his third sack of the season.

Greenard, whom the Vikings acquired in March 2024 during free agency, has 97 tackles, 15 sacks and 34 quarterback hurries through two seasons in Minnesota.

With Greenard down, the Vikings will turn to second-year outside linebacker Dallas Turner, who has already seen a big leap in his usage because of Greenard’s injury and one to Andrew Van Ginkel earlier in the season. Turner is tied with linebacker Eric Wilson for the team lead in sacks with 5½.

O’Connell did not yet have additional updates on other injuries from Sunday night’s game but said he believes the team “avoided anything serious longer-term” with right tackle Brian O’Neill (ankle), defensive tackle Javon Hargrave (thigh) and center Ryan Kelly.

Kelly had not been among the players addressed as injured in O’Connell’s postgame news conference, though he has been working through a hip flexor issue.

Left tackle Christian Darrisaw missed his fourth full game of the season Sunday as he and the team navigate the recovery and management of his 2024 knee injury.

O’Connell said Darrisaw had swelling in his knee last week and his situation remains “week to week,” but the team hopes “to get him back in there at some point.”

Strib

Just think, your team had what was supposed to be a REALLY good draft by the punditry,  almost everyone gave them an A- to an A+.   Coming off an 11-6 playoff season.  Another year of experience under Jordan Love's belt.  The Packers start off by throttling the Lions and Commanders, 2 of the best teams in the NFC a year ago,   Stumble against the Browns but nonetheless start off 5-1-1 leading the division as the rest of the division stumbles around.   The front office goes ALL in trading away 2 first round picks and Kenny Clark for Micah Parsons.  Parsons has now suffered a torn ACL and is out for the season.   The Packers stand at 9-4-1 with a realistic chance of losing their next three games.   They are at Minny, a hungry Raven team in to Lambeau and at Chicago.  I don't think 9-7-1 is going to get them in the playoffs.   Both Dobbs and Watson are constantly injured.   I know some pretty rabid Packer fans and they are openly admitting Green Bay needs to blow it up as well.    We are certainly NOT alone.   Lions fans are also feeling the same thing we are.   To go from 15-2 to currently 8-6 is quite a let down.   

Going to be an interesting next month and a half and boy the offseason is going to be crazy if you ask me.   In the AFC the Chiefs are a mess, Kelce is washed, how long is Reid going to keep coaching?  The Bengals SHOULD be blown up, that roster is too far gone on Defense and way too Cap top heavy on offense.   Ravens?   I did not see them being as average as they are, the Steelers are aging fast too.  I see some massive changes coming for a lot of teams.

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/jayde...ommanders/

Same for Michael Penix Jr. as well, actually.