The Minnesota Vikings have a system that works and they’re going to make sure every quarterback that goes under center follows suit. The Vikings are giving J.J. McCarthy the same treatment they did with Sam Darnold and Kirk Cousins before him. They don't want McCarthy to be a superhero.
According to a story in The Athletic, they want McCarthy to play as bland as possible. They don’t want him to get too fancy or force any throws, simply take what’s there. That’s what made Cousins respectable in Minnesota. But it also didn’t translate to many playoff wins. It’s a philosophy that works really well in the regular season... but that may be it.
The difference in why the Vikings haven’t gone on a playoff run hinges on not having a quarterback who can win a game himself. That’s paramount in the playoffs. In trying to keep things simple, the Vikings are essentially looking for the same thing from McCarthy they already had; pretty good.
The Vikings plan for J.J. McCarthy is proof the Kirk Cousins era taught them nothing
The Kirk Cousins era in Minnesota was anti-climatic. Despite productive regular seasons, it yielded no results in the playoffs. If that’s the ceiling the Vikings are putting on McCarthy, they’re going to corrupt him before he ever gets a chance to test his potential. I understand the Vikings’ offensive system has largely worked and kept the team competitive in the regular season.
But in the playoffs, the team has failed to pose a threat to any team they’ve faced. That’s because they get put in unfamiliar situations and crumble against top competition. The Vikings’ simple offense ruined Cousins in a way. He went to Atlanta and said the offense was more complicated than the one he used most of his career in Minnesota.
Darnold, for as good as he was in the regular season, fell apart in the two most important games of the season. It has less to do how talented the player is and more on how the player reacts to certain situations. Putting limitations on a young quarterback is only going to hinder them down the road.
Look at Justin Fields. He’s practically been hindered his entire professional career. His lone season in Pittsburgh, he was on borrowed time so Arthur Smith simplified the offense and didn’t let him be the signal-caller. In Chicago, his coaches tried to turn him into a pocket passer even though his mobility was what made him dangerous in the first place.
Kevin O’Connell alluding to having McCarthy become a check-down artist is only going to keep him from properly developing. I am all for keeping things simple, especially when you’re dealing with a young quarterback. But they have to learn to fail to know how to address adverse situations.
Cousins was never reliable in the postseason and it looks like the Vikings are doing everything they can to keep McCarthy from being reliable in meaningful games too.