1. Dueling drops for Addison, Nailor
Jordan Addison and Jalen Nailor dropped two of J.J. McCarthy’s first eight passes in the Vikings’ 16-13 victory at the Giants. Addison dropped a 25-yard touchdown pass on third down while Nailor’s drop was intercepted. According to Pro Football Focus, it was Addison’s eighth drop of the season, one behind Jerry Jeudy and CeeDee Lamb for the league’s worst. Per PFF, it was Nailor’s first drop.
Through eight passes, McCarthy had four completions for 45 yards, no touchdowns, one interception and a 27.6 passer rating. However, had Addison and Nailor done their jobs, McCarthy would have been 6-for-8 for 75 yards, one touchdown, no interceptions and a 143.2 passer rating.
Nailor’s rookie contract is up this year. Addison’s is up next year. The assumption is the Vikings can’t afford both and will choose to invest in Addison over Nailor. Is that the right call? It’s not the slam dunk it was eight Addison drops ago.
2. Put everything on the table in 2026
My patience for preaching patience for McCarthy as he develops on the field is gone because he can’t be trusted to stay on the field. He will get the victory over the Giants and go to 5-4, but he missed the second half because of an injured throwing hand, and he seems unlikely to play against the Lions on Dec. 25. He has played 8½ of a possible 33 games while being injured four times as an NFL player.
I didn’t object to the Vikings not re-signing Sam Darnold last spring. Too expensive for a team with too many other holes caused by weak drafting. But I overestimated McCarthy and underestimated Darnold when it comes to what Bud Grant ranked as a player’s No. 1 ability: durability. Suffering the same kind of pressure and big hits, Darnold has started 33 of 33 games — 18 for the Vikings (14-4) and 15 for Seattle (12-3) — since the first of McCarthy’s massively disappointing total of four injuries.
The Vikings shouldn’t give up on McCarthy. But they would be fools not to bring in someone with experience (and, oh yeah, don’t forget durability) to compete with him for the starting job in 2026.
3. Jones could have tapped out, but didn’t
Here is some of what Aaron Jones Sr. did after he hurt an ankle in the first quarter of a game with no playoff implications: Ran 3 yards up the middle on fourth-and-1; ran 15 yards from inside his own 15; bulled 5 yards on second-and-4; muscled 6 yards on third-and-1; and willed his team 9 yards to clinch the win on third-and-8. Once fellow running back Jordan Mason went down with an early injury, Jones ignored the fact he was 31 and dog tired and carried the run game with season highs for carries (21) and yards (85).
This is the time of year when it’s no secret that some players on teams with nothing to play for make “business decisions” to avoid injury or further injury. Jones has another year on his contract. His days as a feature back are long gone, but he showed against the Giants that his days as a valuable Viking might have one more go-round.
