Week Two in the NFL was a brutal reality check for the Minnesota Vikings. After the unlikely come-from-behind victory against the Chicago Bears in Week One, the team tried to ride the moment of that 21-point fourth quarter. They headed home to host the Atlanta Falcons in a battle of the 2024 NFL quarterback draft class. Head coach Kevin O’Connell has been the QB whisperer over the last few years, but has gotten just one quarter that wasn’t abysmal over the first two games from his young star, J.J. McCarthy.
Despite only scoring two field goals in the game, the Vikings were down just six heading into the fourth quarter. Last week’s fourth-quarter magic regressed in this one, losing the final frame 10-0. While not embarrassing, the defense has performed inferior to last year’s. After years of Super Bowl hopes, are fans ready for some growing pains to stick with the young man?
It’s hard to blame the poor start solely on McCarthy. His WR2 is serving a suspension, while the starting center and left tackle missed time due to injury. The quarterback has been sacked nine times and has seen a lot of pressure this season. While all of this is true, that doesn’t mean he’s been making the best decisions.
McCarthy has thrown for two touchdowns and three interceptions to open his NFL playing career. The sack totals can’t be placed on him, but the team still expects better ball control, with three fumbles thus far. While boos were heard from the home crowd, the fans need to learn to be patient. This was his second game in the league, and he is coming off an injury that forced him to miss his rookie season.
Last year’s 17th-ranked defense has slipped to 21st after two games this year. This is nothing overly alarming in a vacuum, but it can’t be paired with this bottom-ten offense for an entire season. Fans and management hope the defense can keep the team afloat until the team becomes whole, but so far, they aren’t matching the bill.
The Vikings are at serious risk of missing the playoffs. The Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions appear superior using the eye test, while Minnesota is yet to find its form. Teams cannot make the playoffs only a few weeks into the season, but fans of the team just hope not to slip from contention.
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