6 days from a nationally televised preseason games against Las Vegas

purplefaithful wrote:

I'm making an exception too...

We're attending our 1st pre-season game in 5+ years. Normally they go to one of the kids in our season tix group to go to a game with the friends.

I didnt know this was a national game? Interesting choice by the networks to pick this one with 2 teams out of the playoffs in 23.

Hey bud, get your arms around that this guy will be a face of the NFL. Guaranteed.

purplefaithful wrote:

Man, wouldn't it be great if the franchise lucked-out with QB5 and he turned out to be the best of the bunch?

Burrows, Allen good?

Fingers crossed....

He's the 1st QB I can remember Minnesota drafting with the 'it' factor. His arm talent is so good.

Vikergirl wrote:

I don't understand why it's nationally televised either lol but oh well. We'll see how he does. I just hope the hype machine leaves him alone. I don't want hype, I want results

Hype is all we have for awhile. JJ won't be in anything meaningful for quite some time.

1VikesFan wrote:


Same, any success they have will be a pleasant surprise.

For 2024, this is exactly how I feel. My eye is on 2025. But I'm very much looking forward to seeing this team evolve, to see a Plan come together, and have real optimism for a window starting in September of next year. Not wishing the season away by any means, too many interesting and important things to watch here starting next month. And hey, maybe we'll be surprised with some wins we aren't expecting.

lol, Flores' D getting this boy prepared!

Will Ragatz
@WillRagatz
·
18m
J.J. McCarthy on what he’s most eager to see in his first preseason game: “A vanilla defense, honestly.”

Finally not facing Flores on Saturday lol"

Good snippets below:

https://x.com/Vikings/status/1821256406965559658

https://x.com/Vikings/status/1821256616005489000

https://x.com/Vikings/status/1821257034299535845

purplefaithful wrote:
[b][size=large]Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy prepares for his first NFL game, hoping for ‘a vanilla defense’[/size][/b] [i]Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell has not said yet how much quarterback J.J. McCarthy will play against the Raiders on Saturday, but the preseason schedule could be valuable for the rookie.[/i] Asked what he’s most eager to see in his first NFL game at U.S. Bank Stadium on Saturday afternoon, J.J. McCarthy needed little time to think of the answer. ”Just a vanilla defense, honestly,” he said. When the Vikings took McCarthy with the 10th pick in the draft in April, the quarterback landed in the spot he said all six first-round QBs wanted to be: an offense filled with weapons, a coaching staff stocked with former NFL QBs ready to teach, a spacious home stadium and a six-year-old practice facility still viewed as the class of the NFL. It also meant he would begin his NFL indoctrination facing a defense coordinated by Brian Flores, whose taste for eclectic coverage schemes and exotic blitzes would not be dulled to make things easier for a rookie. “Every defense has their own individual tell, and their own player that will be a key for you to un-disguising their defense,” McCarthy said Wednesday. “But going against one that’s always moving and running a bunch of different coverage and blitz variations, it’s nice to get the 400-level training before you go down to the 100, 200 level. It’s gonna be a lot easier [on Saturday], I can already tell you right now, and it’s very fun watching film, just understanding the simplicity of it that’s coming my way.” Coach Kevin O’Connell has not said yet whether McCarthy will start or how much he will play against the Raiders in the Vikings’ preseason opener, but the exhibition schedule could be valuable for McCarthy, especially if the Vikings remain committed not to rushing him into the starting job. He shares the No. 2 quarterback job with Nick Mullens, behind Sam Darnold on the Vikings’ first unofficial depth chart, and seems unlikely to take over the top job at the start of the regular season barring a four-week stretch that convinces O’Connell and the team’s offensive staff there’s no reason to wait. The 21-year-old McCarthy has embraced the Vikings’ emphasis on process for now, turning to coaches for immediate feedback after a practice snap and critiquing film of himself to identify habits he needs to refine. He credited Flores with reminding him to use his pre-snap cadence “as a weapon” that can unnerve defenders or lure them into revealing plans, and has copied the tactic Mullens once taught Kirk Cousins, recording play names into his phone and listening back to voice memos so he can mimic hearing O’Connell‘s call in his headset. McCarthy’s practice last Friday was his roughest of the Vikings’ camp; McCarthy said he was rushing through his footwork and reads, forgetting the advice Peyton Manning gave him before the draft to “respect the NFL, but don’t over-respect it.” To move on from it, he turned to the practice that started as an accident his freshman year at Michigan but has since become a habit. “I have this thing whenever I have a bad practice: I keep my tights on the whole night,” he said. “It’s a little dirty, but it’s a good metaphorical way for me to let it go. Because at the end of the night, standing in front of the mirror, I’ll just kind of debrief how the day went, what I did in the morning, what was different from the [previous] days that were successful, and just the overall feeling and vibe of that day. And once I go through that, I look myself in the eye and say, ‘That’s all gone. We’re letting go and moving on to the next day.’ I take those tights off, and don’t think about it ever again.” His fiancée, Katya Kuropas, ”actually never knew” about the habit, he said — “and never knew until now, probably,” he added with a smile at the news conference the Vikings were broadcasting on social media. It’s become part of a routine McCarthy says he will lean on as he begins his NFL career. “I think the thing I’ve been most proud of is, that one bad day I had, it wasn’t an ideal outcome, but I learned so much,” he said. “And then I came out the next day and had a really good, solid performance.” The defenses he faces on Saturday figure to be simpler than what he’s seen in camp. His task will be to manage the excitement he knows will come with his first game. https://www.startribune.com/minnesota-vikings-jj-mccarthy-rookie-qb-preseason-game-raiders/600939875

He's got a process for handling the mental aspect of the game, good for him. Lots of pressure playing for a high profile program and a national championship, then the NFL. He needs another bad practice to learn from, I'm sure he'll have them....in fact, I think yesterday was a lesser-than practice for JJ.

Interesting to see Drake Maye got what, 1 series? Threw 2 dump off passes. Why even play him? And Joe Milton is now getting the 'he's a stud' treatment because he played against garbage and looked ok hitting a guy that was wide open.

Prepare for JJM being The King or The Bust come Saturday night. My guess? Typical preseason football: mistakes, decent plays, fire drills, blitzes, etc. all causing chaos and you're left wondering what can I take from this as a fan, lol?

Knucklehead wrote:
I only ask for no additional season ending injuries to any of our starters. The game itself is irrelevant.

Yep. Always the best outcome. Looking forward to watching some QB action today in Vikingland.

This is the beginning of something different in Minnesota. We might not see it exactly today, but you will see it. In time. Remember where you heard it first. When you see the first time he does swag in the NFL, then you'll know. He'll be comfortable and then it's on. His upside is Joe Burrow with a better arm. Real optimism here.

[img]https://media.tenor.com/b20ybpjlpQMAAAAM/jj-mccarthy-michigan.gif[/img]

MAD GAINZ wrote:
I like how the media headlines are "Caleb Williams is outstanding in first action" (4-7 for 95 yds and led two FG drives) and "Jayden Daniels impressive in first start" (2-3 for 45 yds a 3 yd rushing TD). Meanwhile, JJ actually had extended time and looked impressive but the headline is "McCarthy throws interception and 2 TDs in Vikings win"... Uh, why not put the two sweet TD passes first instead of highlighting his one rookie throw?  I mean he led 3 TD drives...  Who cares if it's 2nd string guys. Fuckers...

Yep, the media is something. No rookie QB looked more impressive than JJM yesterday. CJ Stroud on his very FIRST throw in preseason last year threw an INT almost exactly like McCarthy did....a little worse actually. JJM threw for first downs on a 3rd and 9 and on 4th down, both pressure throws on the spot. [hr]

supafreak84 wrote:
I don't think you could have scripted a better first preseason game for the Vikings. No significant injuries, rookies made plays, and we actually won for a change. A few thoughts; - Our rookie quarterback overcame a little adversity and looked outstanding.  Arm was as advertised and looked the part. I'll be shocked at this point if he isn't starting coming out of our bye week. - I said last January that Dallas Turner was the best defensive player in this draft and he has all the tools to be a force and one of the best players in the league. He's as advertised. Still in disbelief that he inexplicably ended up in Minnesota. - Kudos to some of the other young guys. LDR made a few plays. Rouse is a mountain at either tackle spot and looks like he belongs. Reichard hits the game winner. Jurgens was moving people at both guard and center. Super encouraging all the way around for the rookie class. - Negatives were I thought the Raiders controlled the physicality of the game in the first half. Outside of Turner beating Peat a couple times, our starting defensive line got pushed around and it was pitch and catch for Jacoby Meyers. Coverage needs to get better. These will be the two big areas of needed improvement next offseason; defensive line and cornerback.

Pretty good assessment here. [hr]

purplefaithful wrote:
The hype meter is about to go off the charts... Seeing JJ play live for the first time I was probably most impressed with his poise out there, he's got a cannon - those big throws look effortless, [b]he's a big guy,[/b] showed some good pocket movement, he had a couple rookie moments too. 

I was waiting for someone that went to the game and saw him live to say this: he's bigger than you think he is. Thicker. My guess is he'll land close to 225 lbs. for his playing weight in a year or two....he's still only 21. He's more strapping when you see him in person. There's definitely going to be hype now. He's got a game under his belt. Its just preseason, but not sure you can't watch him in that game and not see a NFL QB. SO important he got this so early for his confidence.

MaroonBells wrote:
Chase Daniel @ChaseDaniel The 2 Rookie QB’s who look the most pro-ready thru the first week of preseason games & it’s not really close…. Caleb Williams & JJ McCarthy

[img]https://media.tenor.com/m4QV6NtkCokAAAAM/yoda-you-will-see.gif[/img]