Vikings Coach Kevin O’Connell Calls Out JJ McCarthy After Mistake-Ridden Loss
The Minnesota Vikings have a real issue at the quarterback position, namely that J.J. McCarthy can’t get his interception troubles under control.
Head coach Kevin O’Connell spoke to media members after yet another two-INT game from his second-year signal-caller, the third such outing McCarthy has posted in five starts this season. O’Connell was clear that the turnovers cost Minnesota a crucial win at home against the Chicago Bears, and he didn’t let McCarthy off the hook for his mistakes.
We knew coming into the game that this team had won all of their games by winning the turnover margin, and we lost that 2-0 and did a lot of things as a football team to try and battle and continue to overcome the adversity that we kind of faced in many cases caused by ourselves.
We did a lot of the things that we talked about not doing, and the main thing being the turnovers. Gotta take a look at them, obviously. But I was proud of the way we ran the ball, tried to stick with it as much as we could. … for the most part the guys up front, I felt like we protected. We limited the negatives for the most part, we just felt like we were a play away all day.
Felt like we one or two pitch and catches away from maybe having a little bit of a different dynamic to the game throughout.
JJ McCarthy Has Thrown 8 Interceptions in 5 Starts During NFL Career
GettyQuarterback JJ McCarthy of the Minnesota Vikings.
McCarthy finished the day 16-of-32 for 150 passing yards, one TD and two INTs. It was the second consecutive week that McCarthy completed 50 percent of his passes or less, and his completion percentage coming into the game was just 53.7%.
In five starts, McCarthy is now 2-3 and has thrown eight interceptions against just six touchdown passes. That said, O’Connell has limited options with veteran Carson Wentz out for the season due to surgery on his non-throwing shoulder. Wentz was also 2-3 as the starter this year, as the Vikings are now 4-6 and firmly in last place in the NFC North Division.
Undrafted rookie Max Brosmer is the QB2 and has yet to start his first NFL game.
Kevin O’Connell Stresses JJ McCarthy’s Youth Amid Struggles
GettyHead coach Kevin O’Connell of the Minnesota Vikings.
O’Connell did offer some praise for McCarthy, referencing his youth and the necessary development to come.
“He was frustrated,” O’Connell said. “I thought he did some nice things checking the ball down a couple of times. Yeah, we might have missed some chances down the field … or missed some chances maybe to convert on some third downs and get a new set of downs and continue with the rhythm. But it’s just about the next play in that moment.”
“I will say I was very proud of the way he finished that [last] drive,” O’Connell continued. “With a young quarterback, there’s going to be a lot of things that we’ll pinpoint and try to highlight.”
Falcons Hit with Crushing Injury News on Michael Penix Jr. After Week 11 Loss
A bad afternoon for the Atlanta Falcons grew even worse after Michael Penix Jr. suffered a knee injury midway through the third quarter. It was concerning to see Penix exit the game with the issue that caused him to miss the Week 8 loss against the Dolphins, but the worst nightmare of fans everywhere came to life when he didn't return.
When the second-year quarterback exited the clash against the Carolina Panthers, the Dirty Birds led 21-16, but that momentum exited the building as soon as Penix went down. When Kirk Cousins replaced him, the Atlanta offense sputtered before falling 30-27 in another overtime heartbreaker.
And to make matters even worse, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported that Penix re-aggravated the knee injury suffered back in Week 7 against the 49ers. Back then it was a mere bone bruise, but this time, Rapoport also added there is concern that the 25-year-old "will miss some time" with the issue.
Michael Penix Jr. will miss time with knee injury suffered in Week 11
Prior to his exit, the 2024 first-round pick completed 13-of-16 pass attempts for 175 passing yards with no touchdowns or interceptions. Despite the average numbers on the stat sheet, Sunday would have likely marked one of the most impressive starts of Penix's short career if he was able to close it out.
He was throwing the ball around with zip and touch all afternoon long, as he was carving Carolina's secondary. Drake London surpassed 100 receiving yards for the third straight game with a knee injury of his own, while Darnell Mooney had a few nice plays (but also a couple of costly drops).
With Penix sidelined, it means it'll be Cousins likely drawing the start in Week 12 against the Saints. The 37-year-old made one start in 2025 back in Week 8 that ended in total disaster against the Dolphins, so while he's a welcomed insurance option, it's no secret that the veteran has lost a step.
The four-time Pro Bowler completed just six of 14 passes for 48 yards after replacing Penix, as defenses are clearly more scared of his successor. It also saw the run game suffer, but Cousins is equipped with enough talent to hopefully lead the Falcons to victory next Sunday afternoon.
Not a lot of information is known regarding the state of his injury at this time, but any scenario that sees Cousins take the field is a complete and utter disaster. His 2023 Achilles tear still affects him, and he threw a career-high 16 interceptions in 2024, so this update has fans rightfully worried.
