The Minnesota Vikings entered this game hoping to establish their relevance. J.J. McCarthy entered this game looking to prove he was worthy of being labeled QB1. Everyone got the job finished for now. The Vikings beat the Detroit Lions, 27-24, in Detroit in an upset fashion.It didn’t come easily. Jared Goff doesn’t ever go away, not with the cast of weapons on the Lions roster. However, the Vikings managed to keep their lead despite Detroit’s outstanding fourth-quarter efforts. I think the NFC North has become a very open division with four excellent teams. Kevin O’Connell kept the offense friendly to J.J. McCarthyThe Vikings made sure to get Aaron Jones going at the beginning of the game. Minnesota got T.J. Hockenson open underneath. And they set up McCarthy to play from the lead so that he didn’t have to press or force throws or make bad decisions.Now, McCarthy still made plenty of bad decisions. He took risks. He had a lot of early luck on batted balls and timely penalties. It was better to have luck than be good in this game. McCarthy did have his moments. He had an excellent first quarter. Not only because of his two touchdowns, but also because of how he set up the other touchdown by connecting deep downfield to Jordan Addison. And then in the third quarter, McCarthy rushed for a touchdown, showing the athleticism that made him a dual threat at Michigan.McCarthy can’t live up to his first-round draft status in one game. That’ll take years. But he does need to urgently justify the Vikings’ decision to make him QB1, especially given that Minnesota let Daniel Jones and Sam Darnold leave this offseason. McCarthy’s start was good enough.J.J. NFL Highlights 2.| NFL Highlights 2. All the early coddling set up McCarthy for a key late completionO’Connell’s philosophy on quarterbacks is to keep them from hurting themselves. To keep them from difficult situations. To protect them from harsh exposure.That’s all well and good, but stuff happens and quarterbacks get thrust into those big moments whether a coach likes it or not. McCarthy faced a third-and-5 situation, and if the Vikings were confident in their young QB, they could throw it down. If they didn’t trust him, they could run the ball (accepting that they probably wouldn’t convert a first down) and see if their defense could win it.So, what did O’Connell do? He trusted his quarterback. And McCarthy delivered, hitting wide receiver Jalen Nailor with a back-shoulder throw for a third-down conversion and a first-down pickup.McCarthy’s former teammates and coaches will tell you again and again that he’s clutch. That he’s built differently. It’s worth more to his work than his personality. Well, here’s a play that proves those folks right.3. Jared Goff can’t beat Brian Flores’ blitzWithout the blitz, Goff was 17-of-23 for 210 yards, two touchdowns, no interceptions, a 130.7 passer rating and 9.1 yards per attempt. What about the blitzing? He was 8-of-14 for 74 yards with a 71.7 passer rating and 5.3 yards per attempt, per Next Gen Stats.Translation: He just wasn’t the same guy against an extra rusher.It was a similar story against pressure. Goff completed 6 of 15 passes for 71 yard with a passer rating of 55.1 and 4.7 yards on each attempt. His completion percentage above expected was -6.9.Translation: Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores made him look bad.Anyone who knows ball knows that Goff is among the league’s best and most consistent pocket passers, but even Tom Brady (who was calling the game) occasionally had trouble with an elite pass-rush like the Vikings threw at Goff. Mobile throwers have become so popular in the NFL. Goff needs a pocket, whereas someone like Josh Allen doesn’t.Flores’ unit was tailor-made to stop Goff, and it threw the entire Lions offense for a whirl. The Vikings were able to block the Lions’ rare field-goal attempt. Flores was one of the best defensive minds in NFL. The NFC North looks wide open.The Packers were defeated. The Bears won. The Vikings also beat the Lions. So, here’s an updated look at what is probably the NFL’s most competitive division:Packers: 5-2-1Lions: 5-3Bears: 5-3Vikings: 4-4Which team is most talented? Which team has a better coach? Which team is the best coached? Which team is best?If you ask four different people, you might get four different answers.4 ½. What’s next?The Vikings have a matchup upcoming against a team whose season has gone eerily similar to how their year has gone. An injured QB1. And a lackluster start — despite playoff expectations. Yup, I’m talking about the Ravens. Lamar Jackson will travel to Minnesota to contend with this impressive defense — and this young QB. Both teams will be desperate to win. Both have teams that can compete in the playoffs. It’s just that their records are yet to show it.The Lions have the Commanders next week, and it’ll be interesting to see how Washington’s Sunday night matchup goes against the Seahawks. Jayden Daniels hasn’t played since Oct. 19 and returns on Sunday night. The Commanders will be hungry for their Week 10 game. Before joining FOX Sports, Henry McKenna covered the Patriots as a reporter and columnist for USA TODAY Sports Media Group. He also worked at Boston Globe Media. Follow him on Twitter at @henrycmckenna. Want to receive great stories in your email? To receive daily personalized emails, create or log into your FOX Sports Account, and follow teams, leagues, and players.
2025-11-02 21:49:28
4 Takeaways From the Vikings’ Win Over the Lions
