Dwight McGlothern talking to trainers and KOC, just left the field. Hope he’s alright. pic.twitter.com/XCqkE22eLO

— Jason Harmon (@JasonHarmonNFL) August 22, 2026

"I just decided to wear his jersey to show him a little bit of love." - @NoExcuses_23 on @Prez

📺: @FOX9 | @NFL+ https://t.co/c8JYA4UGXx pic.twitter.com/pWOaaCoGYv

— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) August 22, 2026

Hi @Cbanks22_ and @orangedomonique 👋

📺: @FOX9 | @NFL + pic.twitter.com/EsyhuvJeRc

— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) August 22, 2026

Caleb Banks sheds the block for a nice run stop. 🧱 #SKOL pic.twitter.com/YdcgCfah1g

— Vikes\/erified (@VikesVV) August 22, 2026

Brosmer throws a pick and fans start streaming for the exits with about four minutes left in a 13-3 game.

— Will Ragatz (@WillRagatz) August 22, 2026

Preseason game No. 2 is complete. Vikings lose. Thought DL Ty Ingram-Dawkins looked good early. S Jacob Thomas impressed throughout. The story, though, is the QB situation behind Kyler Murray.

— Alec Lewis (@alec_lewis) August 22, 2026

Ravens 13, Vikings 3. The football game has ended.

A recap of the action and a look at a handful of Minnesota players who stood out in a good way: https://t.co/mF3WTNzdEZ

— Will Ragatz (@WillRagatz) August 22, 2026

After a pair of competitive joint practices with the Ravens in Eagan this week, the Vikings chose to rest all of their starters for Saturday’s preseason game at U.S. Bank Stadium. J.J. McCarthy and Carson Wentz each played a quarter in the first half and Max Brosmer handled the entire second half at quarterback.

Offense was a bit of a struggle for the Vikings as a collective. The Ravens had five sacks and two takeaways and used a Joe Fagnano touchdown pass in the third quarter to leave Minneapolis with a 13-3 victory in the second exhibition contest for both teams.

The main story and talking point coming out of this one is the play of McCarthy during the opening quarter. The former No. 10 pick flashed his ability with a 50-yard bomb to Tai Felton and had a few other positive completions, but his day was marred by a handful of misses, most notably a ball that he rifled too high for a wide-open Myles Price on a fourth and goal from the Baltimore 1. He was 5 of 10 for 81 yards.

JJ McCarthy misses a wide open throw on 4th downpic.twitter.com/I9QQAKrf5c https://t.co/LBGEMC4Kz2

— Underdog NFL (@UnderdogNFL) August 22, 2026

Wentz then came into the game in the second quarter and looked solid for the second straight week. He completed 9 of 11 passes for 92 yards, with six of his completions going for first downs. A great 36-yard catch by Jeshaun Jones was the highlight. A pair of sacks kept Wentz and the Vikings from getting the ball in the end zone, but he did lead their lone scoring drive when Will Reichard hit a 52-yard field goal to end the first half.

Defensively, the Vikings’ second unit did a lot of good things in the first half, forcing four three-and-outs and one Ravens field goal drive on five possessions. The third and fourth-stringers allowed a touchdown and field goal in the second half.

Brosmer was unable to mount a comeback or even generate any points. The Vikings turned it over on downs late in the third quarter on a woeful overthrow by Brosmer. They lost the ball again on a fumble by Jones, who was having a strong game until that point, and then saw their final scoring chance end on a Brosmer interception.

Here are a few players who stood out in a good way for the Vikings.

QB Carson Wentz

Wentz didn’t do anything spectacular; Jones did much of the work on the 36-yard connection between the two. But once again, Wentz’s experience showed up in the way he calmly ran the show and found completions. It continues to feel very fair to wonder if the veteran will end up as the Vikings’ No. 2 QB when the regular season begins.

DT Caleb Banks

After a rough preseason debut, Banks looked much better in his second opportunity, at least to the naked eye. He had had a quarterback hit and a run stop early on. Watching the tape will be required to get a full idea of how the first-round pick performed.

LB Jake Golday

Golday, the Vikings’ second-round pick, was active and productive in his first preseason game last week. It was a similar story on Saturday. Playing both at inside linebacker and on the edge, Golday was all over the field and recorded five tackles.

S Jacob Thomas

Thomas has been one of the best stories of Vikings training camp and preseason action this year. The undrafted free agent from James Madison has made all kinds of plays and seems to have a great chance to be included in the 53-man roster. After an interception last week, Thomas had a game-high six tackles in this one, a pass breakup, and a big hit over the middle that was negated by a teammate’s penalty. He’s good.

WR Dillon Bell

Bell led the Vikings with six receptions for 51 yards. After a strong showing in OTAs and minicamp, the UDFA from Georgia has been a bit quieter during training camp, so this performance was nice to see. Bell seems unlikely to make the 53 but should be close to a lock for a practice squad spot.

OLB Kenny Dyson

Dyson, a former UFL standout who the Vikings just signed this week, made a strong first impression with his new team. He used a great swim move to record Minnesota’s lone sack late in the third quarter, then added another QB pressure early in the fourth.

New Vikings OLB Kenny Dyson, who starred in the UFL this spring, beats the left tackle for the Vikings' first sack of the day. pic.twitter.com/YoUcuF0Xen

— Will Ragatz (@WillRagatz) August 22, 2026

The Vikings will wrap up their preseason slate next Friday night in Denver.

Observation #20 - Ravens at Vikings: Vikings lose in a glorified scrimmage. Plenty looked good, especially on D. These games are brutal to watch after HT. KOC saw what he needed to. While Brandel did not play today, we need a Center. This team has talent, in tough North. pic.twitter.com/W7OfNzRF6E

— VikeFans (@VikeFans) August 22, 2026

Final pic.twitter.com/KPOQ0jDBMN

— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) August 22, 2026

#Vikings S Jacob Thomas today:

• 6 Total Tackles
• 1 PD
• 1 Reception Allowed
• 5 Yards Allowed pic.twitter.com/V3melIu8TR

— VikingzFanPage (@vikingzfanpage) August 22, 2026

#Vikings QB’s stats today:

JJ McCarthy: 5/10 Passing, 81 Yards, 77.5 QBR

Carson Wentz: 9/11 Passing, 92 Yard, 101.5 QBR

Max Brosmer: 11/17 Passing, 98 Yards, 55.5 QBR, 1 INT pic.twitter.com/3hLddLX6Zc

— VikingzFanPage (@vikingzfanpage) August 22, 2026

Max Brosmer throws a pick, and that should just about do it here in Minnesota. pic.twitter.com/uV1LI2Ra4h

— VikingzFanPage (@vikingzfanpage) August 22, 2026

Williams Wall 2.0 pic.twitter.com/foApRVmACo

— VikingzFanPage (@vikingzfanpage) August 22, 2026

That'll do it from U.S. Bank Stadium. Not many offensive highlights from the 2nd- and 3rd-team players that populated a 13-3 loss to the Ravens. Some concerning misses from J.J. McCarthy in the first quarter. Training camp resumes Monday.

— Kevin Seifert (@SeifertESPN) August 22, 2026

Immediate reaction to the Vikings' 13-3 preseason loss to the Baltimore Ravens @AtoZSportsNFL https://t.co/GQRB6THoNp

— Tyler Forness (@TheRealForno) August 22, 2026

The Minnesota Vikings opened up U.S. Bank Stadium against the Baltimore Ravens for their only preseason contest at home. They lost the game 13-3 with a lot of interesting elements.

We didn’t see the majority of the starters on Saturday afternoon due to the nature of joint practices, but it allowed us to see more from the depth players, which is always a good thing when it comes to the evaluation process.

What stood out on Saturday afternoon? Let’s break it down.

J.J. McCarthy has a bizarre afternoon

There was some excitement for the beginning of the game with young quarterback J.J. McCarthy getting the start. The thinking was that McCarthy would play extensively, as development is still on the minds of the Vikings. Where things got weird is McCarthy played the first quarter.

Sure, you want to get Carson Wentz and Max Brosmer some snaps on the day, but they don’t have the first-round pick investment in them like McCarthy does. During the game, McCarthy threw the ball 10 times, completing five of them for 81 yards, including a 50-yard deep ball to Tai Felton.

Unfortunately, his day will be remembered for two things: being pressured and throwing rocket balls. His rocket balls to Felton in the back of the end zone and to Myles Price in the front on fourth down. The same issues continue to hinder him, and that’s a big problem, as it doesn’t feel like McCarthy is getting better.

Even so, why aren’t you giving him more reps? It’s not a great process to only give him a quarter when he needs to get as many snaps as possible.

If your name is Jacob, you’re playing well

Both safety Jacob Thomas and linebacker Jacob Roberts both had really solid games for the Vikings for the second consecutive week. Against the New York Giants, both players had an interception and looked like rising players coming out of the game.

Saturday brought more success for both players. Thomas got himself a pass batted down on a deep ball, and Roberts had a couple of really nice tackles in space. The big thing for both guys was showing consistency and doing it for a second consecutive game. Thomas has already worked with the first team, and it will be interesting to see if Roberts gets a chance to jump up.

Other tidbits

• Defensive tackle Caleb Banks played every snap in the first half and was effective throughout in multiple roles on the day.

• Wide receiver Jeshaun Jones had a fumble on the day. With the depth at wide receiver, it’s not great for earning him a roster spot.

• Quarterback Max Brosmer played the entire second half and did okay. He made some good throws, but airmailed a couple badly, and it cost them two series.

• The tight end battle didn’t see a lot of separation on the afternoon. That will likely go down to the wire.

ATXVIKE wrote:

Well me and my longtime Vikings travel companion decided the Miami game this yr. I always want an early season home game that seems winnable. Did I choose the right game?

Definitely winnable.

Cricket wrote:

https://x.com/SeifertESPN/status/2091253083443540002?s=20

TBH he's the backup QB now and most team's media pools don't spend a lot of time talking about those guys. It's just the local yokel's need to keep the eyeball counts up because so much of the fanbase has a boner about it one way or the other.

https://www.vikings.com/news/ravens-preseason-game-observations-2026

Vikings vs. Ravens Game Observations

MINNEAPOLIS — Waves of reserves competed for roster spots and roles as Minnesota hosted Baltimore in the second preseason game of 2026 to conclude a productive week packed with purple.

The Ravens prevailed 13-3 by keeping the Vikings off the score board in three separate quarters and taking advantage of a drive that was extended by a roughing-the-passer penalty in the second half.

Vikings Head Coach Kevin O'Connell and Ravens Head Coach Jesse Minter opted to rest starters Saturday after having those groups take the brunt of practice reps on Wednesday and Thursday during joint sessions.

J.J. McCarthy opened and experienced a couple different ups and downs, playing only the first quarter behind an offensive line of Henry Byrd, Joe Huber, Michael Jurgens, Vershon Lee and Ryan Van Demark from left tackle to right tackle.

The opening possession started at the 12 after a special teams penalty on the opening kickoff. McCarthy's first throw on an out to Myles Price was high and hot. A false start penalty put Minnesota in second-and-15 from the 7, and McCarthy worked his way out of that with back-to-back 8-yard completions to Tai Felton and Price for a fresh set of downs.

The run game, however, didn't start as fast as it did in Minnesota's preseason opener.

Rookie Demond Claiborne was stuffed for no gain on his first carry and a loss of 3 a play later. The Vikings were unable to convert third-and-13 on a pass to Felton that gained 8.

McCarthy's second series featured the highlight of his day but ended with a lowlight. On second-and-7, he navigated through the pocket, evading a rusher and launched a 50-50 ball to Felton, who secured the catch for a gain of 50 to the Baltimore 10-yard line.

McCarthy followed by working through the progression over to Claiborne for a catch-and-run of 7.

A pass on second-and-goal at the 3 screaming toward Felton (it needed to be a hard throw) was not secured, and a Claiborne run on third down gained nearly 2. Minnesota opted for a shotgun formation pass on fourth down, and McCarthy had Price open but missed him. A little less mustard would have done the trick.

The Vikings had two more series with McCarthy at QB. One play after a sack by Mike Green, McCarthy drilled a pass to Jeshaun Jones for a gain of 19 despite taking a hit. It would have converted third-and-14, but Byrd was flagged for holding, creating a third-and-23 on which Claiborne ran for 9 before a punt.

The Vikings committed a false start on their fourth possession. McCarthy took a hit for the fourth time but was accurate with a pass to Price on third-and-13, but Chandler Rivers was credited with a pass defensed.

McCarthy finished 5-of-10 passing for 81 yards and a 77.5 passer rating before he was replaced by Carson Wentz in the second quarter.

Here are four more observations:

1. 2-minute drill

Wentz played two series, including a 2-minute drill to close the first half.

He picked up third-and-8 during the drive with a 9-yard pass to Dontae Fleming before firing to Jones for a gain of 35. Jones completed the catch despite an initial bobble and contact that sent him to the turf.

Vikings Offensive Coordinator Wes Phillips, who called plays the entire game (O'Connell normally does), dialed up a beautiful tight end screen to Gavin Bartholomew. Walter Rouse got down the field from the left guard spot and absolutely pancaked defensive back Amani Oruwariye to spring Bartholomew for a gain of 16.

A sack on second-and-8 from the 27 led Minnesota to opt for a 52-yard field goal by Will Reichard to tie the game at halftime.

Wentz finished 9-of-11 passing with 92 yards and a passer rating of 101.5.

2. Punter comparison

The Vikings continued evaluating veteran punter Johnny Hekker and rookie Brett Thorson, who held for the long field goal by Reichard.

Thorson did not hold at Georgia, so this is the first time he's been tasked with that role, by the way. He punted two times for a gross average of 41.5 with a long of 42 (which means his other was 41), pinning Baltimore inside its 20-yard line with both punts.

Hekker punted three times for a gross of 165, averaging 55.0 and uncorking a long of 65 to help flip field position when Minnesota was backed up.

3. Turnovers shortchange opportunities

Many parts of the box score were not too dissimilar, but the turnover margin was Minnesota at minus-2.

The Vikings lost a fumble after a short catch on the third play of a possession that spanned the late third quarter and start of the fourth. Baltimore capitalized on getting the ball on the Vikings side of the field and added a field goal to make it 13-3.

Max Brosmer was leading the offense down the field in the fourth quarter but a possession that covered 57 yards ended on the 11th play when Brosmer was intercepted by Silas Walters.

Brosmer finished 11-for-17 with 98 yards and a passer rating of 55.5.

4. Lack of explosives in ground game

Both defenses bottlenecked the run game.

The longest run allowed by the Vikings went for 8 yards on a scramble by QB Joe Fagnano.

Minnesota reserve RB Jermar Jefferson produced the game's only run of 10 or more yards when he got loose for a gain of 15.

LIVE: Head Coach Kevin O'Connell talks to the media following today's preseason game against Baltimore https://t.co/uFgxtL152p

— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) August 22, 2026

Wrapped up a good week of work with the Ravens. pic.twitter.com/64rYvwQbL4

— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) August 22, 2026