Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy would be the first to tell you that growth isn’t a linear journey — but Week 11 against the Chicago Bears was a new low for the 22-year-old quarterback.
McCarthy struggled with his accuracy for a second straight week in an eventual 19-17 loss to the Bears. He completed 16 of 32 passes for 150 yards, a touchdown and a pair of interceptions late in the first half.
After sailing a pass over the head of Justin Jefferson in the third quarter, fans had reached their limit. McCarthy was met with a downpour of boos coming from fans in attendance at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Asked what went through his mind when he heard boos from fans in his home stadium, McCarthy admitted that they were not unwarranted.
“We got the greatest fans in the world, they expect a lot more out of us, rightfully so,” McCarthy said after the game. “It’s just a reminder to us that we better get going, better figure this out.”
JJ McCarthy Takes Blame for Worst Start as a Viking
GettyVikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy responded to what was the worst game of his young career.
Falling to 2-3 as a starter, McCarthy tallied his worst passer rating of his career of just 47.4.
A 10-play, 85-yard drive late in the game, capped by a 15-yard touchdown connection with Jordan Addison, salvaged what was largely an awful day for McCarthy.
However, that drive gave the Vikings the lead with 50 seconds left in regulation before the Bears returned the ball across midfield and sealed the game with a field goal as time expired.
While things seemed to click for McCarthy and the offense on that final drive, it’s not enough when seven of the eight other drives in the final three quarters of the game did not surpass two minutes of possession.
McCarthy took full blame for the struggles in his postgame news conference.
“I need to do a better job with my decision-making, accuracy — it needs to be better — and the overall execution of the offense. I need to be better on doing my job at a higher level,” he said.
‘We’re Sick of Losing:’ JJ McCarthy Gets Honest After Bears Loss
The Vikings, currently 4-6, have little margin of error if they want to play meaningful games in December.
McCarthy, who went 27-1 in college and had lost just three games since high school entering this season, addressed his handling of the unfamiliar feeling of losing through his first five games in the NFL.
“Adversity is one of the greatest things for growth. It can separate teams or bring them tighter together. This team is being brought tighter together,” he said, adding that the desire to succeed has helped the Vikings push past licking their wounds after a loss.
“We’re just sick of losing, we want wins every single week, and we’re just going to do everything we can to get those,” McCarthy added. “Adversity is inevitable in this league, I understand that coming into it. It’s just about how you respond.”
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