The Minnesota Vikings are licking their wounds after a 23-6 loss to the Buffalo Bills on Monday night. The good news is that the Vikings are still in good shape to make the playoffs with a 6-2 record. The bad news is that the NFC North has gotten so competitive that the Vikings may not win their division and would have to go on the road as a wild card team in the playoffs.
If the season ended today, that would bring an interesting scenario. The Vikings are currently the sixth seed in the NFC after the Chicago Bears took over first place by virtue of Monday’s loss, and they would travel to take on the third-seeded New York Giants, who have J.J. McCarthy as their starting quarterback.
The playoffs are a long way away – especially for a team that makes getting a first down look like a seismic achievement – but the potential for drawing a revenge game in the playoffs is another thing that could add to a promising season that is quickly becoming a buzzkill.
J.J. McCarthy could have his revenge on the Minnesota Vikings in the playoffs
A potential Vikings/Giants matchup in the playoffs would be an NFL scriptwriter’s dream. Selected with the 10th overall pick in the 2024 draft, McCarthy was supposed to be the first franchise quarterback in Minnesota since Fran Tarkenton was slinging passes in the 1970s, but several things got in the way.
McCarthy missed his entire rookie season due to a torn meniscus and was thrown into the fire as a starter for the 2025 season. The Vikings didn’t help matters by letting Sam Darnold leave and turning down Aaron Rodgers and McCarthy suffered more injuries, including a high ankle sprain, a concussion and a fracture in his right hand that limited him to 10 starts.
Things were even worse behind the scenes as Kevin O’Connell blasted his fundamentals and questioned his maturity after he did “The Griddy” as he ran into the end zone during a win over the Dallas Cowboys last December. By the time the season ended, it was clear that the relationship between the head coach and the quarterback had soured, and it led to the addition of Kyler Murray in free agency.
While McCarthy and Murray had a quarterback competition, it was clear who the winner would be before Murray was declared the starter on Aug. 11. McCarthy continued to slide down the depth chart from there, suffering another ankle injury in the Vikings’ second preseason game against the Baltimore Ravens on Aug. 22 and entering the season as the team’s No. 3 quarterback behind Murray and Carson Wentz.
The writing was on the wall, and the Vikings traded McCarthy to the Giants in exchange for a 2027 fifth-round pick on Sept. 28. Since then, Murray has struggled to grasp O’Connell’s offense, and Wentz had a horrific start against the Giants, leaving the Vikings in turmoil and putting them in a rough situation.
Vikings could meet McCarthy and the Giants in the NFC playoffs
A lot of things could happen between now and a potential playoff matchup. McCarthy’s health could derail a revenge game, as he’s dealing with a hip injury after Sunday’s win over the Philadelphia Eagles. The Vikings could also be in trouble and miss the playoffs altogether if they can’t figure out what’s wrong with their offense.
There’s also the chance the Vikings could turn things around and go on a run in the second half of the season with three games remaining against the NFC North, including next week’s matchup against the Packers. But there would just be something fitting about watching the decision to trade McCarthy come back and bite the Vikings and, more specifically, the coach who sent him to New York.
That won’t scare some Vikings fans, who are still angry over the things McCarthy did during his time in Minnesota. But it might be something that creeps into O’Connell’s mind as a playoff matchup could be on the table.
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