While the Minnesota Vikings were getting usual rookie ups and downs from J.J. McCarthy in the two games he started prior to suffering yet another injury, some fans who are more into instant gratification were demanding that the former No. 10 overall pick take a seat on the bench.
Those who believed that McCarthy was already a lost cause may not want to tune into McCarthy's third NFL start against Jared Goff and the rival Detroit Lions in enemy territory. Back in the state of Michigan, McCarthy turned the clock back to his college days as a Wolverine.
McCarthy threw two touchdown passes in the first quarter, the first of which was aided by a tremendous Justin Jefferson catch and the second of which was eventually whipped to an open TJ Hockenson in the end zone. McCarthy helped the Vikings put up 14 points in a game where many left them for dead.
Those on social media and within the media that were seemingly begging Kevin O'Connell to make the switch to the since-injured veteran Carson Wentz instead of rolling with McCarthy appear to be on as little firm ground for argument as ever before, as McCarthy has turned on the jets.
J.J. McCarthy silences doubters with two first-quarter ID passes vs. Lions
McCarthy looked overwhelmed in seven of his first eight professional quarters, but starts like this are why players can't be discarded after every bump in the road. McCarthy has protection and confidence in his arm, and he's slicing up the Lions as a result.
McCarthy may be going up against a Lions secondary that is one of the thinnest in the league, but the fact he has been able to put together such a tremendous performance against arguably the best team in the NFC should make those who called for Wentz to start look even more foolish than they already were.
Even though the Lions managed to tie the game back up with a few touchdowns of their own, the fact that McCarthy appears calm and composed should be more than enough to get Vikings fans who jumped off the McCarthy train begging for a ticket back on.