Commanders @ Vikings

[purplefaithful]

I guess what did you expect with a 22 year old QB? A coach that didn't show he could run his system around the young QB, but force his style when they weren't ready for it. You can blame whos fault is that and point fingers till you are blue in the face. 

It is what it is. I hope the Brosmer circus fiasco shed some light on what was really going on, something I questioned in week 2 and it really came to light in the Ravens game. Let the young ones play and not think as much. The way it seems, KOC was really big and drilled on running things his way with perfection and no mistakes. Well, you forgot that infants aren't great at following every steps. KOC has a system that really is complex. KOC himself has made some rookie areas IMO. It is time to see if he can change that and bring JJ up a bit different than what he was doing.

I like KOC a lot and (rightly or wrongly) believe the ship will be righted at some point. 

I've seen the offense dumb-down quite a bit the last mos, so its not like the Commander game is the first to simplify. But it might be the first to simplify it to the degree it needed to be for a 22 year old coming out of a run-heavy Michigan system. I think thats where my consternation and criticism lies. 

This year is lost and F'd...All I can hope for now is McCarthy starts giving himself and fans hope and they make changes that result in better performance in 26. 

For me, that has to include front office, coaching and players. 

Onward we go...

[MaroonBells]

I think we could see a mini-breakout of sorts for JJ in December. Next three opponents passing yards given up per game and where that ranks....

Commanders (254.9, 30th)
Cowboys (255.2, 31st)
Giants (231.5, 24th)

[BigAl99]

I like KOC a lot and believe the ship will be righted at some point. 

But it shouldn't have taken this late in the season for him to evolve managing the Qb and having this epiphany on doing it a different way. 

I've seen the offense dumb-down quite a bit the last mos, so its not like the Commander game is the first to simplify. But it might be the first to simplify it to the degree it needed to be for a 22 year old coming out of a run-heavy Michigan system. I think thats where my consternation and criticism lies. 

This year is lost and F'd...All I can hope for now is McCarthy starts giving himself and fans hope and they make changes that result in better performance in 26. 

For me, that has to include front office, coaching and players. 

Onward we go...

I bought into the whole "dirty hands" narrative with young QB's and was impressed with the wisdom and integrity of that position by the organization.  Last year and this off-season I bought the PR and believed a plan was in place to develop JJM into the QBOF.  Whether it was mal, mis or nonfeasance, if this was a legal issue it would be a crime.  As a lifelong fan, I feel totally betrayed by this organization.

[purplefaithful]

I think we could see a mini-breakout of sorts for JJ in December. Next three opponents passing yards given up per game and where that ranks....
Commanders (254.9, 30th)
Cowboys (255.2, 31st)
Giants (231.5, 24th)

If you dont have the QB right, you're pretty much in purgatory....And I think Gannon was right, expectations way too high for this 22 year old QB. I think this was true of the fans AND the Vikings both. 

============================

The Vikings have made the playoffs 10 times this quarter-century, tied for ninth best. But they’ve done it in consecutive seasons only once (2008-09). Since 2010, the Vikings, Washington, Jacksonville, Chicago and Cleveland are the only teams without consecutive playoff seasons.

“Is it just about getting your quarterback? I think it is,” said Brad Childress, the only Vikings coach to post consecutive playoff appearances this quarter-century.

Childress was in the losing locker room after the Vikings and Tarvaris Jackson were upset by the Eagles and Donovan McNabb as a No. 3 seed to open the 2008 postseason. Old friend and former boss Andy Reid, then coaching the Eagles, walked in with words that steeled Childress’ resolve to bring Brett Favre to Minnesota the following summer.

“Andy said, ‘If you ever get that quarterback situation straight, you got something,’” Childress said. Favre led the Vikings to the NFC title game the next season. 

Since then, the Vikings have started 20 quarterbacks in 16 seasons. Five of them went 2-6 in six playoff appearances over 15 seasons: Joe Webb (0-1), Teddy Bridgewater (0-1), Case Keenum (1-1), Kirk Cousins (1-2) and Sam Darnold (0-1) last season.

The hope — no, the expectation — for this year was a seamless transition with reigning NFL Coach of the Year Kevin O’Connell, McCarthy coming off a knee injury that wiped out his entire rookie season, and $300 million worth of veteran free-agent signings.

“It was the perfect storm,” said Rich Gannon, former Vikings quarterback and 2002 league MVP. “Sam plays great. It’s ‘Kevin’s the Quarterback Whisperer.’ ‘Throw anybody in there and he can make them Johnny Unitas or Fran Tarkenton.’

“I live in Minnesota. People asking me in the summer, ‘Can J.J. take them to the Super Bowl?’ I’m like, ‘Guys, you got no idea how hard this is.’ There were unrealistic expectations on J.J.”

STRIb

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I bought into the whole "dirty hands" narrative with young QB's and was impressed with the wisdom and integrity of that position by the organization.  Last year and this off-season I bought the PR and believed a plan was in place to develop JJM into the QBOF.  Whether it was mal, mis or nonfeasance, if this was a legal issue it would be a crime.  As a lifelong fan, I feel totally betrayed by this organization.

I personally find fault with their execution, I believe the intent to be from a good place.

[MaroonBells]

I bought into the whole "dirty hands" narrative with young QB's and was impressed with the wisdom and integrity of that position by the organization.  Last year and this off-season I bought the PR and believed a plan was in place to develop JJM into the QBOF.  Whether it was mal, mis or nonfeasance, if this was a legal issue it would be a crime.  As a lifelong fan, I feel totally betrayed by this organization.

You're dismissing the fact that JJ McCarthy, out of 29 possible starts, has missed 23. That's 23 out of 29 games where he was not getting reps, and in many cases, not in practice either. He's not just an unusually young QB; he's an unusually young QB who has missed 80% of his work. Just something to consider.

[BigAl99]

You're dismissing the fact that JJ McCarthy, out of 29 possible starts, has missed 23. That's 23 out of 29 games where he was not getting reps, and in many cases, not in practice either. He's not just an unusually young QB; he's an unusually young QB who has missed 80% of his work. Just something to consider.

Why did they put him out there with the C on his jersey and the weight of the team on his shoulders at the beginning of the season?  Did they have no clue if he was ready?  Did they know or expect him be successful anyway.  What point was KOC making when He made the "Dirty Hands" analogy?  I thought he was saying that the collective would avoid putting him out there if he wasn't ready and adapting things to his needs.   In hindsight what was done competently to do that ?  Letting Jones walk without allowing him to compete, Sam Howell, Wentz?   At best they have been incompetent at worst too prideful and arrogant to develop a strategy to help him.  Don't get me wrong, I have bled purple for the duration of the team's existence, and this is the last place I wanted this team to be in.  I just see the Wilf org. using this team as a real estate marketing tool, they have built a Potemkin Village not a winning team.  .

[supafreak84]

You're dismissing the fact that JJ McCarthy, out of 29 possible starts, has missed 23. That's 23 out of 29 games where he was not getting reps, and in many cases, not in practice either. He's not just an unusually young QB; he's an unusually young QB who has missed 80% of his work. Just something to consider.

You are right, but it's just another thing you have to throw onto the worry pile with McCarthy. Can he stay healthy or is he always going to be snakebit in that department? If you can't count on him to play well or stay healthy...then you have a major problem (which is what we have).

[Zanary]

I'm hoping that facing another one of his draft peers will be a point of competitive focus for JJM. The kid has my sympathy, because our fan base is brutal with QBs, and nothing can prepare a 22 year old for his first playing time, fatherhood, and a string of bad showings that have tens of thousands of complete strangers calling him a bust or worse.

Maybe, just maybe, this past week's forced time off did help him and KOC to find his stride, again. All he really needs to do to get kinder press/reaction is look competent for some consecutive quarters/games. As much as his opponent tomorrow has raised the bar to insane heights, their record is worse than ours and this game has to be seen as an opportunity.

Can JJ McCarthy FINALLY be the QB that ends our every-offseason "who's throwing for Minnesota next season?" questions? If he can at least show good progress to close this season, he could break that cycle.

[purplefaithful]

You are right, but it's just another thing you have to throw onto the worry pile with McCarthy. Can he stay healthy or is he always going to be snakebit in that department? If you can't count on him to play well or stay healthy...then you have a major problem (which is what we have).

No doubt its a concern until it isn't. It may never go away, hope thats not the case. 

80% time missed over 1 and 3/4 seasons is about as snakebite as you can get.  

It was hard enough for this fanbase to have patience with a young qb, let alone adding that major missed time to his development curve.

[StickierBuns]

Looks like Darrisaw is starting today, Donovan Jackson is a game time decision.