***2026 Minnesota Vikings***

[Clonefan94]

How do you know this? Because you say so? Preseason snaps are nothing compared to an actual meaningful game, on the road at a division rival for your first game. If he would’ve played more in the preseason and still looked like the first half, then what? It’s literally one game, one half actually, of football. KOC has a great history with quarterbacks, so maybe we give him the benefit here?

Exactly this. I always defer to John Elway's rookie season when people complain about a first year QB and how they perform, especially in the first half of his first game. Do I think JJ will be John Elway? No, probably not, but to start attacking everything and everyone about the way JJ started the game, gets pretty annoying. I think that pic 6 actually helped him in this game. It was the slap in the face he needed to realize that this isn't Big 10 football anymore. He seemee to quit trying to force things and let the game come to him.

 

[Cyhig]

Agree with all of this.... BUT KOC did not prepare him well enough. That is 100% on KOC.
Duante Culpepper went through the same thing but fared much better in his debut.

KOC is one of the best coaches in the NFL. Was the first half terrible? Of course. Lots of factors went into that. But to expect a 22 year old QB to come out in their first NFL game looking like a seasoned QB is unrealistic.

McCarthy will make mistakes this year. He will show glimpses of greatness as well. The biggest thing Vikings want to see this year is the potential for McCarthy to be the franchise QB for 10+ years. But expect bumps along the way

 

[Cy4Lifer]

Also, we might’ve found a punt returner. Myles Price was electric back there tonight

Best since Kene!

 

[Cy4Lifer]

I must confess, I was not a very good fan during the first half last night! (Just ask my wife!) but I was a much better fan in the second!

How ‘bout you other Vikings fans? Feel free to confess here, it’s a safe place, no judgement, and you’ll feel better afterwards!

SKOL!

 

[stuclone]

I must confess, I was not a very good fan during the first half last night! (Just ask my wife!) but I was a much better fan in the second!

How ‘bout you other Vikings fans? Feel free to confess here, it’s a safe place, no judgement, and you’ll feel better afterwards!

SKOL!

I just kept saying in the first half that I need to be patient and this might be a rebuilding/developing year. I wasn't going to judge JJ off of one half, just wanted to see improvement throughout the year. I think it was also important to realize how poor the run game was and some of the drops the receivers had. Was just a bad operation overall

 

[Letterkenny]

I must confess, I was not a very good fan during the first half last night! (Just ask my wife!) but I was a much better fan in the second!

How ‘bout you other Vikings fans? Feel free to confess here, it’s a safe place, no judgement, and you’ll feel better afterwards!

SKOL!

I was more upset with the O-line than McCarthy in the first half. Chicago wasn't even blitzing and seemed like they were in the backfield immediately with the pocket collapsing very quickly. They cleaned it up in the second half, then McCarthy finally settled down in the 4th quarter. It didn't help that a couple of the good plays he made early ended in drops by Jefferson and Thielen.

 

[Clonefan94]

I must confess, I was not a very good fan during the first half last night! (Just ask my wife!) but I was a much better fan in the second!

How ‘bout you other Vikings fans? Feel free to confess here, it’s a safe place, no judgement, and you’ll feel better afterwards!

SKOL!

I wasn't a good fan, but I didn't resort to saying JJ was the worst decision and needed to be replaced immediately. I'm coming into this year expecting some growing pains. I was definitely doom and gloom in the first half though and expecting the Vikes to lose by 20+.

 

[stuclone]

I wasn't a good fan, but I didn't resort to saying JJ was the worst decision and needed to be replaced immediately. I'm coming into this year expecting some growing pains. I was definitely doom and gloom in the first half though and expecting the Vikes to lose by 20+.

After the first touchdown to JJets, I was just happy that he got the TD and showed he could move the offense down the field. After the 2nd TD, I started to believe. After the read-option TD, I was downright giddy while also accepting the fact the Bears would somehow wake up and score on our defense and still make it a little nervous at the end of the game

 

[MeowingCows]

I must confess, I was not a very good fan during the first half last night! (Just ask my wife!) but I was a much better fan in the second!

How ‘bout you other Vikings fans? Feel free to confess here, it’s a safe place, no judgement, and you’ll feel better afterwards!

SKOL!

I was pretty patient with it, but did admit that it looked like McCarthy isn't ready yet. I had this down as a .500-ish, maybe playoff year, going into the game - and that's still where I'm at now. There will be plenty of headaches to come, but he definitely put some potential together for a clutch quarter. 21 points in the 4Q is not an easy feat for any QB.

I wasn't terribly impressed with the playcalling first half, nor with the receiver drops on reasonable-to-well-thrown balls, either. JJM wasn't playing great and also wasn't getting much help from his other skill players. Then factor in how back the OL was that half... yeesh.

Complete opposite during the second half. OL was playing better and most noticeably was allowing the RBs to break a few good runs, which was the real game changer. The field opened up for JJM when the rush game got established, which is something MIN couldn't do hardly at all last season (I'm super happy with the acquisition of Jordan Mason, by the way...). Another thing they didn't really do was run read option, which I find odd with how mobile Darnold is also, but still. Not something they will want to use a lot, but deadly in the correct circumstances -- that playcall was excellent and JJM made the correct read. We know he can do plenty of that from college days.

Still was not happy with how quickly the defense folded after MIN went up 27-17. Saw that a lot last year too. What do they need to do to not get torched over and over in these late half, late game situations?

Sidenote: as for the Bears... Williams looked great in the first half using his feet well and getting rid of the ball quickly and taking what's there. He completely abandoned the easy passes in the second and it showed, especially against a pressure defense like MIN. Can't hold the ball against us - he had the right formula to beat MIN early on and they went away from it. Unsure if that's on coach, or on Caleb.

 

[Clonefan32]

I must confess, I was not a very good fan during the first half last night! (Just ask my wife!) but I was a much better fan in the second!

How ‘bout you other Vikings fans? Feel free to confess here, it’s a safe place, no judgement, and you’ll feel better afterwards!

SKOL!

Told my 7th grade son to go to bed midway through the 3rd. He was just sure they had a comeback in them so he talked me into letting him stay up. Glad he did!

 

[CycloneVet]

I must confess, I was not a very good fan during the first half last night! (Just ask my wife!) but I was a much better fan in the second!

How ‘bout you other Vikings fans? Feel free to confess here, it’s a safe place, no judgement, and you’ll feel better afterwards!

SKOL!

I thought we were ****** for the season and the franchise was setback for years.

 

[Texbudman]

That's why you play him more in the pre-season, so his first reps ever in the NFL aren't against a division rival, on the road, on Monday Night Football. It all worked out, mostly because the defense was incredible and somehow kept them in it for three quarters.

Right or wrong, nobody plays their starting QBs much in preseason, rookie or not. And we should be able to rely on this defense to keep us in games. I thought it was a huge win and thought JJ really kept his poise

 

[Letterkenny]

Right or wrong, nobody plays their starting QBs much in preseason, rookie or not. And we should be able to rely on this defense to keep us in games. I thought it was a huge win and thought JJ really kept his poise

I get it if you've got an established guy. I don't get it for a QB that's never played before. Maybe it wouldn't have made a difference, I don't know.

 

[jbhtexas]

Over his first two seasons, Aikman averaged 0.8 TD/game, 1.4 INT/game, and had an average RTG of 61 (26 games). I can be good with 2/1/98.5 for a rookie.

 

[drmwevr08]

Over his first two seasons, Aikman averaged 0.8 TD/game, 1.4 INT/game, and had an average RTG of 61 (26 games). I can be good with 2/1/98.5 for a rookie.

These numbers are irrelevant today. There are HOF qbs with career numbers that would not fly today.

 

[stuclone]

Really nice debut for Donovan Jackson. Should only get better, and it will get easier when Darrisaw gets back

 

[somecyguy]

Cashman goes to the IR. That sucks

Cashman suffered the injury while chasing Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams down the sideline Monday night. He is likely to be replaced in the starting lineup by veteran Eric Wilson, whom the Vikings signed as a free agent this offseason.

 

[Al_4_State]

Wilson looked really good in relief.

 

[BigJCy]

Going to catch a good break next week it looks like not having to face Burrow.

 

[Cyclones_R_GR8]

Lucky to be down only 6