Quarterback JJ McCarthy turned a shaky start into pure theater on Sunday night. After opening the game with an interception, the Minnesota Vikings rookie regrouped and ended up torching the Dallas Cowboys in a 34-26 road win, piling up 250 passing yards, two touchdown throws, and a rushing score on a fourth-down keeper that completely fooled the defense and swung the game’s momentum.
As described by the New York Times, the play was all sleight of hand. McCarthy took the snap under center, extended his left arm like he was handing the ball to Jordan Mason, and tucked the real thing away with his right. Dallas crashed into the fake, McCarthy slipped out untouched to the edge, and jogged into the end zone.
The only thing more audacious than the call was the celebration: he broke into a full Griddy, ball swinging in his right hand, even though the Vikings were far from putting the game away.
Afterward, McCarthy admitted he was doing it against orders. “I did that in practice, and I was told not to do it,” he said. “So, just me being who I am, it’s like, ‘Oh, now I’m more enticed to do it.’”
That little act of defiance, The Times noted, is exactly the kind of youthful edge that has made this Vikings season maddening at times, but also so full of promise.
McCarthy has now stacked two statement games together, following up a clinical three-touchdown outing in a 31-0 win over the Commanders with this primetime performance in Dallas.
And it wasn’t just McCarthy bringing the swagger. Kicker Will Reichard drilled a 53-yard field goal with just over a minute left to effectively ice the game, then flashed a three-to-the-head celebration straight out of Carmelo Anthony’s playbook.
Between a rookie QB hitting fake handoffs and forbidden dances and a first-year kicker stealing NBA material, the Vikings suddenly look like a team building an identity around confident, unbothered playmakers.
If this is what McCarthy looks like at 22, ignoring the “no Griddy” memo and still delivering in the biggest moments, Minnesota’s future might be a lot closer than the standings suggest.
