Through the Head Coach's Eyes: Kevin O'Connell

Breaking Down Key Plays by J.J. McCarthy vs. the Lions from his Head Coach's Perspective

It wasn’t a perfect day by any means for J.J. McCarthy. He threw for just 143 yards, tossed an interception, and took 5 sacks.

But the NFL isn’t always about gaudy numbers. It’s often about a handful of plays in key situations that make the difference between winning and losing. And in that area, McCarthy made just enough plays in his return to the lineup to help the Vikings pull off a huge upset on the road against the Lions.

This first play was a 3rd-and-9 on the Vikings’ second drive of the game with the score tied at 7. Minnesota came out in a trips bunch to the left with Justin Jefferson aligned in the middle of the bunch. The Lions responded by playing cover-1 (man) and doubling Jefferson:

With two defenders accounting for Jefferson and Jalen Nailor taking his route across the field (bringing the deep safety with him), there was a lot of space for Jordan Addison’s route back to the left:

According to Vikings Head Coach Kevin O’Connell, McCarthy did a good job navigating the rush. He made this throw “off some pocket movement, […] kept his base, and gave J.A. a chance to make that play.”