The Minnesota Vikings look to take advantage of a Dallas Cowboys defense that gave up 44 points to the Detroit Lions in Week 14. After scoring 31 points against the Washington Commanders, the Vikings are hoping to carry that momentum forward.
Quarterback J.J. McCarthy, returning from a concussion, completed 16 of 23 passes for 163 yards and three touchdowns, keeping the offense turnover-free with no interceptions.
While the numbers aren’t eye-popping, they highlight McCarthy’s growth and the importance of sustaining that progress. The Cowboys’ defense struggled against the Lions, but they’ll be eager to rebound and put pressure on McCarthy.
As the second-year quarterback looks to build his confidence, Justin Jefferson stated that his teammate can do so, especially knowing the game against the Cowboys is in primetime.
“There are a lot of great things that he did out there on the field, and he led us to a 31-0 victory, which is definitely something very difficult to do in this league, especially as a first-time quarterback,” Jefferson told reporters on December 11.
“Of course, there’s still a lot to learn and a lot to fix and clean up, but when you really look at it, you see how he comes to practice, the confidence he carries himself with, the poise, and the focus. He’s a great quarterback with the potential to be way bigger than what people think.”
What J.J. McCarthy Must Improve Against the Cowboys
While Jefferson didn’t hesitate to praise McCarthy for how the quarterback performed against the Commanders, he also offered constructive criticism that the Vikings quarterback can improve on, beginning with the Cowboys game.
“He just needs to stay focused and maintain that consistency throughout the year, having strong games back to back instead of one-off performances,” Jefferson added.
“It’s about keeping that focus, continuing to work on footwork and mechanics we’ve refined over time, and going out there with the mentality to be consistent.”
With only four games remaining, the young quarterback is under the spotlight, tasked with showing the front office he can lead the franchise.
Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy Must Impress to End the Season
Former NFL quarterback Kurt Warner weighed in on what he hopes to see from McCarthy in these last matchups, highlighting the traits that could cement his role as the team’s top starter next season.
“I think you want to continue to see steady growth,” Warner said on the latest “One on One” published on December 10. “The biggest thing is that you want to try to use these last four games to build into next year. And, you know, that doesn’t mean you’re giving up on this year and you’re not saying, ‘Hey, let’s try to win them all and see if we can get in the playoffs.’
“But the idea is simply, let’s keep getting better. Let’s keep building. Let’s go into the offseason with everybody feeling really good about where we’re at, or in this specific case, let’s get everybody feeling really good about the quarterback that’s in our room and what he can be for us…
“We want him going into the offseason feeling really good that we’re putting him in a position to play his best football and to help us win. And so that, to me, is kind of the underlying thing that you’re trying to accomplish in these last four games: play good football, be competitive.”
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