Despite finding out earlier in the day that they were eliminated from competing in this season's playoffs, J.J. McCarthy and the Minnesota Vikings didn't let that prevent them from putting together one of their best performances of the 2025 campaign against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday night.
Thanks in part to McCarthy completing 62.5 percent of his passes (15-for-24) for 250 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception, in addition to adding another score with his legs, the Vikings walked off the field on Sunday with a 34-26 victory over the Cowboys.
With the win, Minnesota improved its record to 6-8 this season, and even though they are unable to compete in the postseason in a few weeks, Sunday's win is definitely something the team can use as a building block for the future.
J.J. McCarthy leads Minnesota Vikings to Week 15 win over Dallas Cowboys
As crazy as it might seem to some reading this, it appears that McCarthy is starting to head in the right direction as he continues to get more and more reps on the field. It's almost as if that's typically what happens during the early stages of development for a young NFL quarterback.
McCarthy looked incredibly comfortable running Minnesota's offense under the bright primetime lights inside Dallas's AT&T Stadium on Sunday. He had a fluke interception on his first throw of the matchup, and after that, he easily outperformed the guy who has been one of the best quarterbacks in the league this season in Cowboys signal-caller Dak Prescott.
McCarthy was decisive, he actually put some touch on a few passes, and he didn't look like a deer in the headlights when a free rusher was heading toward him.
The Vikings have three games left on their 2025 schedule, and then they will quickly shift into figuring out what they need to improve in the upcoming offseason. But if McCarthy continues to play like he did on Sunday during the next three weeks, then Minnesota's quarterback decision for 2026 might turn out to be much easier than many had previously anticipated.