J.J. McCarthy has played eight quarters of football in his career thus far with the Minnesota Vikings.
One was absolutely brilliant, that flamethrower of a fourth-quarter comeback in Week 1 against the Bears. The other seven have been brutal.
McCarthy played four such quarters on Sunday night as the Vikings failed to score a touchdown and lost to the Atlanta Falcons.
MORE: NFL's 5 bird teams pulled off a historic feat in Week 2
Three stats stood out from McCarthy's sheet, two old school and one from the new age.
First, McCarthy took six sacks. The Vikings made a Falcons pass rush that has been dormant for so many years finally look like it has hope.
McCarthy threw two interceptions, as well. Both were picked off by Atlanta rookies.
And the third stat: McCarthy had a 24% off-target rate, according to ESPN. The league average in 2024 was 15%, so McCarthy was definitely misfiring.
When added together, these stats don't paint a pretty picture. They show the difficulty in QB development, especially for a guy coming off a year missed due to injury.
MORE: Revisit Derrick Henry's absolutely unfathomable high school stats
They also raise the question: Would the Vikings ever bench McCarthy?
They're clearly invested in his future as the No. 10 overall pick in 2024, and they let Sam Darnold go in the offseason so this could be McCarthy's team.
They also signed Carson Wentz just before the season started to give them a solid veteran backup.
The Vikings have a good football team. They need their quarterback to play up to that standard.
McCarthy likely will keep the job the whole season, but if he struggles again, the whispers from the fanbase will pick up. Is he ready to lead the Vikings where they're going?
MORE NFL NEWS:
- Seahawks score an unprecedented kickoff touchdown that you've never seen before
- Dolphins, Patriots combine for history not done since Deion Sanders and Desmond Howard
- Tyreek Hill snaps a long personal drought for the Dolphins
- Ravens wanted to draft Shedeur Sanders, but he told them no
- Giants' James Hudson had an incredibly miserable drive of penalties
- Patriots legend Tom Brady teases a comeback to play with Gronk