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One of the trickiest parts of saying you want to improve is that by doing so you are simultaneously making an investment in a better future while also recognizing shortcomings in your past.
That’s essentially what Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell is doing this week, as evidenced by how he answered a question Wednesday about what he wants to see from young QB J.J. McCarthy over the final five games of a disappointing season.
“It’s purely about decisionmaking at this point,” O’Connell said. “I want him to have a clear head and a clear mind to just go play, but play with an understanding of the decisions that I make ... have to be of the utmost importance, because we learned our turnover number is where it is. It’s not a winning formula. I don’t want him overthinking or worrying about if the fundamentals need to be changed. Let’s just make the throws. Let’s just throw and catch. Let’s just play with great rhythm and understanding of the plan.”
I read that as: McCarthy is has been overthinking things. The Vikings (and particularly O’Connell) have been overloading him with refinements to his fundamentals at a time when too many other things are on his plate. The result has been a quarterback who often looks paralyzed during the 2.5 seconds he has to throw the ball, and the results have shown it.
You can hear more analysis on Thursday’s Daily Delivery podcast.
Before we move onto the rest of today’s 10 things, let’s ask a few questions about McCarthy’s development first.
- Shouldn’t this have been the plan all along, or at least much sooner than the 13th game of the season (and McCarthy’s projected seventh start)? It sure does seem like simplifying things and making sure McCarthy was focusing on throwing the ball while making good decisions would have been a better approach than loading him up with complexities and adjustments. We’ll probably never know how much of this is a real fundamental shift vs. a tweaked approach. But again, any attempt to improve is a reflection on the past and a hope for the future. And we only have any semblance of control over one of those.
- Is there a difference between dumbing down the offense and wanting McCarthy to simplify things? I hope so. The Vikings are talking about scaling back on the volume of things in their playbook, which is fine. But I do hope McCarthy is still given a robust menu of plays to show he can make good decisions in reasonably complex environments without worrying so much about his fundamentals.
- How important is this week? It feels pretty important. While the Vikings are basically out of the playoff race at 4-8, they’re facing a Washington team (3-9) that is struggling even more. The Commanders have Pro Football Focus’s No. 29-graded defense. These aren’t the Packers that shut down McCarthy two weeks ago or the Seahawks who blanked Max Brosmer. The Vikings are at home and should be able to move the ball.
- What if this game and the rest of the season continue to go poorly. Who might take the fall? La Velle E. Neal III and I talked about that on Thursday’s podcast.
- If you’re craving more Vikings analysis, the Star Tribune’s Ben Goessling will be my guest on Friday’s Daily Delivery podcast.
- I started Thursday’s show talking about the Gophers men’s basketball team’s stunning win over Indiana in Niko Medved’s Big Ten debut.
- Plus La Velle and I got into the Byron Buxton conundrum and P.J. Fleck’s recruiting class.
- Steelers QB Aaron Rodgers thinks his new target, former Viking Adam Thielen, has “a lot left in the tank.” It’s more likely that they’re two guys trying to remember the glory years that are fading fast.
- The Lane Kiffin fallout and drama continues.
- Giannis Antetokounmpo suffered a calf strain on Wednesday while trade speculation about the Bucks star intensifies.
