Daily Norseman
It’s a great time of year!
I realize that most of the hesitation from media types and “analysts” about the potential of the Vikings is based on how JJ McCarty is going to play. It is fair to be cautious in your assessment but there is way too many folks who are simply assuming he is going to be “average”. You do not see many of these folks comparing what JJ might do to what the rookie QBs last year were able to do. I think it is very fair to predict that JJ will have a similar season and that is without comparing the supporting casts. I am not a homer but the narrative that has been presented seems lazy to me. Our favorite negative Nancy had something to say again.
‘C quarterback’: Colin Cowherd takes another dig at J.J. McCarthy
Colin Cowherd’s strange obsession with publicly doubting J.J. McCarthy reared its ugly head again when he
“J.J. McCarthy, you’re going to see it very quickly. Is not what people think,” Cowherd said. “J.J. McCarthy is a C quarterback. You ever seen J.J. McCarthy’s fourth quarter college stats and playing from behind fourth quarter stats in college, with Michigan and Harbaugh and that O-line.? They’re terrible.”
Okay. Let’s go look at Michigan’s 2023 undefeated season and find the games where fourth quarter play really mattered: against Ohio State late in the regular season and versus Alabama in the national semifinals. Here’s what you’ll find:
4Q vs. Ohio State: 5-of-5 passing on two drives that ended with field goals
4Q vs. Alabama: 5-of-9 for 87 yards and a touchdown
Minnesota Vikings News and Links
One of camp’s most interesting players is second-year OLB Dallas Turner. The change in his physique from the end of last year to Day 1 of camp is noticeable.
“He came back from the jump in the off-season program, just his body, the shape he was in just looks so strong,” O’Connell said. “I think he’s gained a lot of strength.”
Where does Turner fit in though? With Jonathan Greenard and Andrew Van Ginkel both turning in star performances in 2024, there doesn’t seem to be a clear-cut job for him. Apparently they like it that way.
“We’ve got three starters, we really feel like that,” O’Connell said. “That’s a testament to the work Dallas has put in, and he’s going to get a lot of opportunities, different personnel groupings.”
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“Aaron Jones can run in between the tackles, he can catch the ball, he can block in protection, he can line up anywhere in the formation,” O’Connell said. “Jordan Mason has proven already to be well ahead of new players in the system from a protection standpoint. And clearly, he’s got the body type to be a physical presence. So, I really see those guys playing off of each other, where we can keep them both fresh, keep them both in attack mode when they’re in there.”
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