Vikings Storm Back In 4th, Pay Off O’Connell’s Faith In J.J. McCarthy

The kid quarterback came through when it mattered most.

The Minnesota Vikings were on the short end of the score for three quarters as Caleb Williams was running and escaping from the pass rush and the Chicago Bears appeared to be on their way to a season-opening victory against the division rivals.

But J.J. McCarthy was not about to accept defeat. After looking like an overmatched rookie in his NFL regular-season debut and throwing a pick-six before a raucous crowd at Soldier Field, he rose to the occasion in dramatic fashion. He threw a pair of spectacular touchdown passes early in the fourth quarter and then ran for another score late in the game that turned out to be the clincher in the 27-24 triumph.

This is exactly what Kevin O’Connell pictured when the Vikings made the decision to let Sam Darnold walk away after what appeared to be a spectacular 2024 regular season. He knew there was something special about McCarthy and that he was the quarterback the team needed if it was ever going to make a championship run.

The Vikings are one game into a season that may or may not turn out to be championship worthy. But the McCarthy-led victory over their division rivals has given the Vikings a boost of rocket fuel that should help them get off to a brilliant start this season.

O’Connell had no illusions about having an easy game in the season opener against the Bears. They were going up against the creative play-calling of first-year head coach Ben Johnson and a the strong arm and game-changing legs of Williams (9.7 yards per carry, one rushing TD), and they would clearly have their moments.

But there was no way the Vikings were about to accept defeat and move on to their Week Two home opener against the Atlanta Falcons. The switch got flipped in the final quarter as McCarthy took charge, the offensive line asserted itself and the running game got hot.

Vikings overcome adversity with big finish

“What we preach is that when it gets hard, when it gets really hard, lean in even more, and you’re going to figure it out,” O’Connell said after the game. “When you’re bringing along a young quarterback on the road in the NFC North, and the place is absolutely electric, you’ve got to find a way to weather the storm.”

McCarthy fired the first shot when he hit Justin Jefferson with a 13-yard touchdown pass less than three minutes into the final quarter. That created belief and the defense came through in spectacular fashion on the ensuing series with a three-and-out, thanks in large part to a sack by Javon Hargrave and a pass deflection by Andrew Van Ginkel.

The Vikings had the lead almost immediately after that. McCarthy paid off a three-play, 50-yard drive when he connected with running back Aaron Jones on a 27-yard TD pass. It was the kind of throw that winning quarterbacks make and he followed with a two-point conversion to Adam Thielen.

Another failed Chicago possession followed and the Vikings clinched the game when McCarthy paid off a nine-play, 68-yard drive with a 14-yard TD run that sucked the life out of Soldier Field. The Bears were able to get a window-dressing TD that made the final score close, but the Vikings registered a late-round knockout.

O’Connell had full faith in McCarthy (13 of 20 for 143 yards with 2 TDs) prior to the comeback, but watching it happen from the sidelines was transformative.

“For a while there,” O’Connell said, “it felt like everything that could go wrong, did. Many, many times, teams will wilt in those circumstances. Ours did not.”

This is a victory that should pay multiple dividends for the Vikings as the season progresses. Their young quarterback has shown the ability to lift his team with a spectacular fourth quarter performance. There is more … much more to follow.