Souhan: No pressure, J.J. McCarthy. Just save the Vikings’ season

Less than two months ago, the Vikings looked like a model franchise.

Immensely popular locally, intensely respected nationally, the Vikings seemed to be succeeding on every front — ownership, facilities, front-office decision-making, coaching, roster-building, player contentedness, even game-day presentation.

As the Vikings prepare to play the Lions in Detroit on Sunday, that reputation is as much in peril as their season.

This is a tipping-point game.

Win, and the Vikings will remain in contention for a playoff spot.

Lose, and they will, realistically, be out of the running, which would mean a sixth straight season without a playoff victory.

Win with J.J. McCarthy playing well, and there will be a rational form of hope that he can become the young, franchise quarterback the Vikings have craved since Fran Tarkenton retired.

This is a reminder that NFL teams can change directions faster than Jahmyr Gibbs.

On Jan. 5 of this year, the Vikings went to Detroit for the last game of the 2024 regular season.

The Vikings had won nine straight. They were 14-2. Quarterback Sam Darnold was, at least theoretically, an MVP candidate. Kevin O’Connell was on his way to being named coach of the year. Defensive coordinator Brian Flores was looking like a combination of Tony Dungy and David Copperfield.

Virtually all of the trades and veteran free-agent signings by General Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah looked brilliant, and he even had one of his first-round draft picks, Jordan Addison, playing well.

The Vikings lost that game — their last tipping-point game — 31-9.

In three of those six losses — at Detroit, in the playoffs against the Rams, and last Thursday against the Chargers — they have looked pathetic.

Even what worked for them in 2024 isn’t working in 2025.

Adofo-Mensah signed an exceptional group of veteran free agents last season; this season, the same approach has failed.

Among the Vikings’ questionable acquisitions and decisions:

Even some of Adofo-Mensah’s previously-praised moves are failing. He traded for tight end T.J. Hockenson in 2022. The Lions received two draft picks and replaced Hockenson with Sam LaPorta, who is better, younger and cheaper.

This is an old team that is built to win now, and it’s also waiting for McCarthy to develop into a winner while not getting help from many recent draftees.

What looked like a winning formula in August looks like drunken Jenga now.

The players may be noticing.

Their effort against the Chargers was embarrassing.

The Chargers had lost three of four and were missing their top two running backs, and they ran at will against the Vikings’ expensive defensive front.

O’Connell’s answers when asked about Darrisaw’s tentativeness have done nothing to quell concerns that Darrisaw is unhappy with the way the Vikings have handled his playing time.

So: No pressure, J.J.