Daily Norseman
Since I uploaded this, some breaking news:
The Recap: Oops.
To err is human. To err like this is glorious.
Yes, I thought our beloved Vikings would lose a close one in Soldier Field by a score of 23-21. My fears were unfounded. I leaned too heavily on past failures, close calls, and the dreaded ghosts of Soldier Field past. I fully deserve to be ridiculed in the DN public square for such an act of foolishness.
Please keep in mind that I had us going 12-5 this year, and I predicted J.J. McCarthy’s nationally televised coming-out party would take place against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday Night Football in Week 2. To say I’ve been bullish on McCarthy would be an understatement. See here and here.
However, for three quarters, it seemed as though I was being too optimistic. Indeed, I was going over this article in my head, thinking of clever and witty ways to reinforce the message: “Relax. Don’t overreact. It’s only one game. Sure, it was ugly, but…it’s a marathon, not a sprint, dammit!” Yada, yada, yada.
It was the perfect storm for such a scenario to unfold. Rust was evident across the entire offensive system. The fact that McCarthy hadn’t taken a snap in a game that actually mattered in over 19 months was exacerbated by early KOC play-calling that did him no favors. Right before the pick-six early in the third quarter, the Vikings averaged a putrid eight yards to go on third downs. Uncharacteristic drops by Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen added to the “WTF am I watching here!?” shock of it all.
Then it all changed. The confidence. The poise. The moxie. Everything our already sky-high expectations had built up about McCarthy came to fruition in the span of one fourth-quarter burst of magic. He went six for eight for 87 yards, with a laser TD pass to Jefferson. Then another 27-yard beauty to Aaron Jones. And for the dramatic conclusion, a refuse to be denied, Lamar Jackson/Josh Allen-like 14-yard TD run. Just like that: 27-17. Ballgame.
The DN’s Christopher Gates was all over the history we witnessed. McCarthy was:
The first starting QB with a 10+ point fourth-quarter comeback in a debut since Steve Young in 1985. Oh, and the only QB to do so on the road since…1950.
The first quarterback to have two passing touchdowns and a rushing touchdown in his NFL debut since Cam Newton did it for the Carolina Panthers in 2011.
The first QB ever to account for three fourth-quarter touchdowns in his NFL debut.
And then there’s KOC. Words escape me at this point. I’m so grateful we have...
