J.J. McCarthy is back.
In his first game action since the 2024 preseason opener, the Vikings quarterback took 12 snaps against the Texans.
The drive ended with a field goal, giving the Vikings a 3-0 lead.
McCarthy completed four of seven passes for 30 yards, with four targets (three catches) going to receiver Jordan Addison.
The second-year signal-caller also ran for eight yards on fourth and four from Houston’s 43.
McCarthy missed all of 2024 with a knee injury that happened in the preseason opener against the Raiders — even if it wasn’t obvious when it occurred.
“I love the fact that we were able to, you know, execute [and] hit an explosive [play] in the [play-action passing] game,” coach Kevin O’Connell told reporters after the game. “I love the fact that we converted some third downs. I love the fact that on the fourth down, he used his legs. . . . And I think there’s just a level of composure and poise to how he ran the show, that was exactly what I was looking for, and now we go back to work.”
And the work culminates 30 days from now, in the Week 1 finale on Monday night at the Bears.
“It’s obviously a checkpoint for our whole team, but clearly, J.J., as we got a chance to kind of have our first chance since last year — headset communication and real-time play clock, you know, all of us coaches on the sideline, him running the show, and I thought he did a really, really nice job of that, and, you know, would have loved to play him all day long, but wanted to have him in there with some of the guys he’s going to be in there with and did not want to play that full group very long with such significant work coming up on Wednesday and Thursday.”
The Vikings will spend Wednesday and Thursday practicing with the Patriots. Next Saturday, they’ll host the Pats for the second game of the preseason.
