J.J. McCarthy has officially been handed the keys to the Minnesota Vikings, and the franchise is a very expensive car. In fact, former NFL quarterback Chase Daniel referred to the team as a Ferrari. On a recent episode of The Facility, the analysts were asked if the Vikings are putting too much faith in their young quarterback. While praising Minnesota’s construction as a team, Daniel argued the team is giving him the right amount of trust.
Daniel argued the Vikings don’t have a weakness from the coaching staff, down to the roster, and that’s why he categorizes them as a Ferrari. With McCarthy being the 10th-overall pick a year ago, the former quarterback believes McCarthy has the talent and support to receive the faith he’s getting from Minnesota right now.
It’s hard to dispute anything that Daniel said, and that’s why McCarthy doesn’t just have faith being placed in him, he has pressure being put on his shoulders as well.
Praise for the Vikings’ roster only puts more pressure on J.J. McCarthy
When analysts like Daniel are saying if McCarthy can deliver, Minnesota can do something special this season, everyone is essentially saying the Vikings’ season will come down to how well the quarterback plays. That’s a lot of pressure for any quarterback, but especially for a first-time starter in his second NFL season after missing his first year with a knee injury.
To be fair, though, this pressure would be on McCarthy whether analysts stated it or not, because everyone witnessed what happened last season. With Sam Darnold at quarterback, the Vikings went 14-3, dominating throughout the year, and transforming Darnold from a bust to a Pro Bowl quarterback. However, Darnold moved on to the Seattle Seahawks this offseason, and Minnesota moved forward with McCarthy.
If the young quarterback isn’t prepared to help the team pick up where they left off, there will be a ton of criticism headed McCarthy’s and Minnesota’s way.