For the first time this season, J.J. McCarthy looked comfortable as the starting quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings during the team's Week 14 shutout victory over the Washington Commanders on Sunday.
Minnesota walked off the field with a 31-0 win, and McCarthy finished his day completing 16-of-23 passes (69.6 percent completion rate) for 163 yards, three touchdowns, and no interceptions to earn an impressive 129.2 passer rating.
It was arguably the best performance of the 22-year-old McCarthy's season and one that will hopefully be a preview of what's to come during the rest of his 2025 campaign with the Vikings.
J.J. McCarthy shined, but the Minnesota Vikings defense also dominated the Washington Commanders in Week 14 win
While McCarthy was busy helping Minnesota's offense up and down the field on Sunday, the Vikings' defense also delivered an impressive performance of their own.
Given the final score, Minnesota obviously didn't allow Washington to score a single point in the matchup, and part of that result was due to the Vikings forcing the Commanders to turn the ball over three times.
Minnesota edge rusher Andrew Van Ginkel had a vintage interception on a screen pass thrown by Washington quarterback Jayden Daniels in the third quarter, Vikings All-Pro safety Harrison Smith added another pick to his career total a little later, and Minnesota defensive lineman Javon Hargrave came up with a fumble recovery in the fourth quarter.
It was truly a complete game for the Vikings in all three phases (offense, defense, and special teams) as kicker Will Reichard even managed to convert a field-goal attempt from 45 yards away midway through the third quarter on Sunday.
With the win over the Commanders, Minnesota's record now sits at 5-8, and even though the playoffs are still highly unlikely for them this season, the victory is something that McCarthy and the rest of the team can build on heading into a big matchup against the Dallas Cowboys next weekend.