Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy had a rocky start to his preseason debut, but the rookie settled in as the game wore on.
The No. 10 overall pick entered Saturday's preseason win over the Las Vegas Raiders on the second drive after Sam Darnold made the start.
McCarthy's first pass was a dart to Jalen Nailor for 18 yards in which the quarterback showed off his arm talent. However, three plays later, McCarthy evaded pressure, stepped to his right, and put the ball behind Trishton Jackson. It was an easy interception for Raiders cornerback Jack Jones, who stepped in front of the target.
The play was a learning moment for the rookie, who needed to put the ball in front of his receiver toward the boundary.
McCarthy showed some flashes on Saturday, including a natural sense of pressure and the ability to get out of the pocket and make plays. The rookie displayed a great arm, dropping the ball between the corner and safety for a 21-yard gain to Jackson deep in the second quarter.
A two-play sequence to open the third quarter underscored the youngster's extreme upside. On a third-and-9, McCarthy whipped a pass over the middle to tight end Nick Muse for 15 yards. On the next play, the rookie uncorked a deep dime to Jackson for a 45-yard touchdown down the left sideline. It's the type of explosive play that made scouts drool over the Michigan product.
Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell gave the rookie plenty of reps, keeping him in the game well into the third quarter. McCarthy finished 11-of-17 passing for 188 yards with two TDs and an INT over six drives. He also added two rushes for 18 yards.
"Clearly, everybody can see the arm talent," O'Connell told reporters after the game, per SI.com. "I loved seeing him come right back after the interception and still be aggressive."
McCarthy never looked overwhelmed, but some missed throws and reads indicated the rookie still has parts of his game to develop. However, as the game wore on, McCarthy settled in and made plays. The question is whether he can do it consistently against top defenses -- not just third-stringers in the preseason.
With Darnold in line to start Week 1 against the Giants, McCarthy will have time to learn and continue to improve, just as he did on the field Saturday.
