Scoggins: This J.J. McCarthy performance might have been the most alarming of all

J.J. McCarthy uncorked a wildly inaccurate pass in what became a series of them Sunday and immediately put both hands on his helmet in the universal sign of frustration. As boos reverberated inside U.S. Bank Stadium, the young Vikings quarterback sprinted off the field to the sideline.

That singular moment — an off-target pass to Justin Jefferson, followed by McCarthy’s exasperated reaction — told the story of a 19-17 loss to the Chicago Bears on Sunday.

“I just can’t miss those,” McCarthy said afterward. “This league is too hard. There were three or five decisions, plays, that I want back more than anything. That’s one of them.”

Outside of a desperation drive that produced a go-ahead touchdown in the final minute, McCarthy’s passing resembled a teenager just learning to drive. He threw the ball all over the place.

His misfires to open receivers were an alarming sight that left McCarthy visibly frustrated in his postgame news conference.

He completed only 16 of 32 passes for 150 yards with two interceptions and a 47.7 passer rating.

“I need to be better in doing my job at a higher level,” he said.

The concerning thing about McCarthy’s performance Sunday was that he benefited from solid pass protection and an effective running game. He had open receivers. He just threw the ball like a baseball pitcher who can’t locate the strike zone. Or a golfer who suddenly has the yips.

Throws that should be routine — even for an inexperienced quarterback — missed the mark by feet, not inches.

The first possession of the game was a tone setter. Jordan Addison gained separation down the field, but McCarthy badly underthrew him. He overshot Jefferson two plays later.

Then came back-to-back nightmarish series in the third quarter. One drive ended on the incompletion to Jefferson that drew a round of boos.

Next possession, McCarthy threw an ill-advised ball up for grabs to Addison into traffic and was fortunate the ball was dropped as two Bears defenders collided.

Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell stuck with McCarthy rather than give rookie Max Brosmer a shot. McCarthy collected himself to produce a drive that ended with a touchdown pass to Addison for the brief lead, but his accuracy issues are a recurring theme that require a deep dive into the root cause.

“He was frustrated, and I just kept telling him, ‘Feet and eyes, feet and eyes,’” O’Connell said, referring to his mechanics. “The thing that we saw throughout the week on the practice field, making it about that.”

McCarthy said the minor injury he suffered on his throwing hand last week against the Baltimore Ravens had no effect.

He is completing only 52.9% of his passes this season. O’Connell has talked extensively about the focus in practice on McCarthy’s mechanics and fundamentals, indicating that something tends to go haywire on gamedays.

“When he has great posture at the top of drops, he throws the ball really well,” O’Connell said.

Two things stand out watching him operate: He throws every pass as if he’s trying to register 100 mph on a radar gun, and his accuracy is erratic. Some good, some not so.

“There are a lot of things that I have to improve on, and accuracy is one of them,” he said. “I promise you I’m going to wake up tomorrow and get ready to go to work on that.”

McCarthy called himself “obsessed” with the process of learning and seeking improvement. He’s also not one to hide his emotions on the field, and one can’t help but wonder whether that is somehow contributing to his accuracy problems, along with mechanics. He always looks revved up to the red line in his intensity. Just a theory anyway.

His misfires Sunday were compounded by drops by his receivers, two by Addison. That cannot happen with a young quarterback struggling to find a rhythm.

“I feel like he’s doing a great job,” Addison said. “He’s a young quarterback in this league. It’s a tough league to win. It’s on the supporting cast around him to help this thing go.”