The Minnesota Vikings played host to the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday Night Football in Week 2. After a come-from-behind win over the Chicago Bears, quarterback JJ McCarthy looked to lead his team to a win in their home opener. Unfortunately, McCarthy and the Vikings did not put their best foot forward against Atlanta.
McCarthy completed 11 of 21 pass attempts for 158 yards on Sunday. He did not throw for a touchdown in this game. However, he threw two interceptions, including one with less than three minutes remaining in the game. In the end, the Falcons came away with a 22-6 victory. Both teams moved to 1-1 on the season after this result.
After the game, McCarthy faced the media. Despite the loss, he still has very high hopes for the future of the Vikings. And he's not letting this loss set him back in any way.
“There's a lot of things we gotta clean up. And there's a bright future ahead in that locker room. Just being able to all be on the same page and just attack tomorrow, attack the mettings, attack the lift, and get back to the 1-0 mentality every single day,” the Vikings quarterback said in a clip shared by Minnesota on social media.
Vikings' JJ McCarthy still learning NFL style
McCarthy has been immensely successful in his football career. In fact, this loss to the Falcons is just his fourth loss since high school. He entered this game with a 64-3 record since his high school days. On Sunday, he admitted that he still has a lot to learn.
“We got a lot to do, and I got a lot to do personally. There are things about this game that show up, and it's awesome to be apart of such a great group. I know we're going to learn together, I know we're going to grow together, I know there's a lot of love in that locker room. That's what it comes down to. This is a long season,” the Vikings quarterback said.
McCarthy has shown that he can lead his team in the biggest moments. But he is still a young signal caller getting his first taste of NFL action. There will be growing pains and things to overcome. He has a chance to bounce back in Week 3 at home against a potentially Joe Burrow-less Cincinnati Bengals team.
