Strib's Souhan: McCarthy reminds me of Patrick Mahomes

[StickierBuns]

https://www.startribune.com/jj-mccarthy-.../601218576

Souhan: Look closely at Vikings’ J.J. McCarthy. See that resemblance to Patrick Mahomes?

"The Vikings have the right kind of quarterback to succeed in the NFL and the right formula to make it happen."

So the dinosaur sportswriters brigade in the Twin Cities have a major crush on JJ McCarthy, who'd a thunk? Judd Zulgad is also deeply in love with JJM. Being Fanboy #1 here on the board, I'm not willing to go to MahomesTown with a comparison, but he's got some similar attributes. I'd say more Josh Allen lite. PF, if you could post the entirety of the article, much appreciated. 

[MaroonBells]

That's a loaded headline just asking for trouble. 

Souhan's a little vague in his comparison. OK sure, McCarthy was a 1st round pick. Check. Does McCarthy have poise? Who knows? Poise at Michigan is a lot different than poise in the NFL. 

The tools compare though. JJ's probably faster, might even have the stronger arm. But what makes Mahomes great in my mind is his ability to create off script, his ability to find space outside the pocket and throw a side-arm pass, shortstop-like, on target 20 yards downfield. Can McCarthy do that? We'll see.

[StickierBuns]

That's a loaded headline just asking for trouble. 

At this point in Viking's fandom, what else can happen? We're chock full of curses and jinxes, a mere headline isn't going to bring any worse trouble this franchise hasn't faded or will fade moving forward. I know personally as a long disappointed fan I'm beyond superstition with this franchise. I say load the headlines, predict strongly and enjoy the ride: the other shoe is coming regardless of what is said. 

Until it doesn't. But the clock will have to read 0:00 in the 4th quarter of the Superbowl with Minnesota ahead for me to truly deep-down believe otherwise. But there's always hope at the bottom of that deep dark well.

[pattersaur]

I think he's gonna be awesome. I'm excited and I'm fine with others being excited too, even the media.

[Zanary]

That'd be better news a few days ago, though the inevitable is true of EVERY QB: if the defense gets him off of his rhythm, his game goes downhill. No QB is immune.

New Orleans gave Brady fits when he first got to Tampa, and actually got A-a-ron similarly flummoxed. We've certainly let our QBs be target practice forever.

[AGRforever]

At this point in Viking's fandom, what else can happen? We're chock full of curses and jinxes, a mere headline isn't going to bring any worse trouble this franchise hasn't faded or will fade moving forward. I know personally as a long disappointed fan I'm beyond superstition with this franchise. I say load the headlines, predict strongly and enjoy the ride: the other shoe is coming regardless of what is said. 

Until it doesn't. But the clock will have to read 0:00 in the 4th quarter of the Superbowl with Minnesota ahead for me to truly deep-down believe otherwise. But there's always hope at the bottom of that deep dark well.

I just assume at this point that JJM's arm or leg is going to fall off.  But not before he looks the part and is making me hopeful.

[TheWinterSKOLdier]

Soon people will be comparing the next big prospects coming out of college to JJ.

[purplefaithful]

The Vikings have the right kind of quarterback to succeed in the NFL and the right formula to make it happen.

First rule of NFL analysis: Never compare anyone to Patrick Mahomes.

Second rule of NFL analysis: Never compare anyone to Patrick Mahomes, unless you have a chance to cheer up the frustrated Vikings fan in your life.

Let’s remember exactly how Mahomes became the starting quarterback of the Kansas City Chiefs and perhaps the greatest quarterback we’ve ever seen.

The Chiefs were a perennial playoff team. Their quarterback, Alex Smith, had been the first pick in the draft for another franchise, and he thrived in the offense of a renowned offensive guru, but the Chiefs went 1-4 in the playoffs with him at quarterback.

So they used a first-round pick, the 10th, on an athletic quarterback who was projected to be taken later. Mahomes spent most of his rookie season watching from the sideline. The rest has been Mahomes rewriting history.

How does that compare to the Vikings’ current quarterback predicament?

The Vikings were a competitive team and frequent playoff participant. Their quarterback, Sam Darnold, had been the first pick in the draft for another franchise, and he thrived in the offense of a renowned offensive guru, but Darnold and the Vikings collapsed in the last game of the regular season and the first game of the playoffs.

The Vikings used a first-round pick, the 10th, on an athletic quarterback who was projected to be taken later. Because of a knee injury, J.J. McCarthy spent his first season watching from the sidelines or a safe place.

The parallels are not necessarily predictive, but they are fascinating.

Will McCarthy be the next Mahomes? Almost assuredly not.

Will McCarthy become the next multitalented young quarterback to thrive in a quality offensive system? That’s probably the way to bet.

Six quarterbacks stand above all others in terms of quarterbacks you would choose to build a franchise around right now, and one, Matthew Stafford, is nearing the end of his career. That leaves Mahomes, Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, Joe Burrow, Jayden Daniels.

What do the Fab Five have in common?

All were chosen in the first round by their current teams.

Yes, you can find someone like Sam Darnold or Baker Mayfield as an undervalued project, or you can trade one veteran for another, as the Rams and Lions did. In the Super Bowl on Sunday, Jalen Hurts, a second-round pick, will try to guide a superior team to victory over Mahomes’ Chiefs.

But in today’s NFL, the best way to build a winner is to draft and develop your own first-round quarterback.

And have him be able to run.

That’s the other common denominator among the Fab Five. All five can pass efficiently from the pocket, scramble to create big passing plays and run for first downs and touchdowns when given the chance.

McCarthy projects to be that kind of player.

The other requirement for high-level quarterback success in the NFL is poise. McCarthy faced as much pressure as he ever will while guiding Michigan to a national championship, and making big plays in the fourth quarter. Poise will not be a problem.

Nor will coaching. Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell won the NFL Coach of the Year award Thursday, and he appears set to retain offensive coordinator Wade Phillips and quarterbacks coach Josh McCown. Assistant quarterbacks coach Grant Udinski left to become Jacksonville’s offensive coordinator, a remarkable leap that speaks highly of O’Connell’s ability to hire promising young coaches.

McCarthy is set up to succeed with the Vikings. Will he break their Super Bowl drought? No one can predict that, not when the likes of Dan Marino, Jim Kelly, Burrow, Jackson and Allen have failed to win one.

But if O’Connell can win 14 games with Darnold, the Vikings will be a postseason threat with McCarthy.

Startribune

[greediron]

Too bad Mahomes resembled Darnold in the superbowl. Turns out even the best QBs don't like getting hit.