The Athletic: JJ McCarthy's moment begins

He's special. Special in a one-of-a-kind way. And oh yeah: 6'3", 220 lbs., runs a 4.48 forty and one of the biggest arms in the league.

hogjowlsjohnny wrote:


If you add fast processing and accuracy to that description, he certainly will be special.

....we can only hope. Needs a year of NFL play under his belt and then watch out.

Montana Tom wrote:


Pretty damn big stage.
It's going to set the media tone for the rest of the season.

Well, we know what the media will do.....exaggerate positively or negatively both Caleb and JJ's play from that MNF game. Honestly, JJ should be bulletproof from a negative perspective from this game for obvious reasons (first NFL game, on the road, bright lights). Caleb will either be 'a bust' or 'the lightbulb has gone on for the #1 overall pick in the Draft'. However if JJ plays well? You'll need an insulin shot before bedtime to handle all the sweet talk in which they'll go way overboard.

MaroonBells wrote:


I'm actually hoping the Vikings can profit this year from starting a QB who has nothing on film. It's not unusual to see a 1st year starter play well only to hit a little wall in his 2nd season. He's more experienced, and the expectations are through the roof, but now DCs have film on him. It's kind of a wash.

You could be right, but IMO JJ is the kind of kid that will not take a step back. He's going to make his mistakes this year and then be better next year and moving forward. I don't see him as a Sophomore Slump kind of QB, which I know is a little rare in recent times. But its not the way it used to be. I'm not saying he's going to play poorly this year, that won't be the case....but he's going to learn this year and that's what KOC wants him to do. 

He's the type that doesn't repeat mistakes generally, but he has to make some to begin with to know what he can and can't get away with in the NFL. When he's scrambling, he loves to use that big time arm....and he's going to KILL teams by throwing the football 35 yards on a rope running to EITHER side of the field. But he's also going to throw some INTs, he's got gunslinger DNA. But he needs a year to learn what's possible and what's less than optimal to do with that big gun. And he will learn. 

He'll be a better QB next year than this......and when you see him THIS year everyone will realize what we have in him. My comp 2 years ago for JJM was Josh Allen lite with a smidge of Joe Burrow thrown in. Heady stuff if true. But the team is going to play hard for him this season, they want him to succeed. He's got crazy equity in that locker room.