With Harrison Smith (“The Hitman”) getting his flowers, it was cool to see “The Hammer” get his moment, too.
- 141 career games — third all-time among undrafted Vikings offensive players
- Passed Leo Lewis, now behind only Mick Tingelhoff (240) and Adam Thielen (146)
- One carry. One yard. One TD.
- Wild stat: he scored on both his first and final career carries
That’s a storybook ending you rarely see in the NFL.
McCarthy: promise, but the concern is real
J.J. McCarthy showed legit flashes:
- Started hot (6 straight completions)
- Good pocket movement, extended plays with his legs
- Chemistry with Justin Jefferson, who:
- Tied Randy Moss for six straight 1,000-yard seasons to start a career
But the downside is exactly what you said:
- Hand injury
- Leaves the game favoring his throwing hand
- That’s now another durability red flag
For a young QB, availability matters just as much as upside.
Losing Harrison Smith hurts leadership, instincts, and communication — stuff you can’t just replace with athleticism.
- McCarthy has tools
- The offense has stars
- But durability + veteran losses = thin margin for error
If McCarthy can’t stay healthy, it doesn’t matter how promising the flashes are — and you’re right to question that now rather than later.
If Brian Flores stays, that’s a huge win. If he gets a head-coaching job, you tip your cap and say well deserved.
What he did with the Minnesota Vikings defense this year — especially in the second half of the season — was nothing short of outstanding:
- Creative pressure packages, not just vanilla blitzing
- Guys playing fast and confident, even without elite personnel everywhere
- Situational football improved big time (3rd downs, red zone, late-game stands)
- Clear adjustments as the season went on — that’s elite coaching
That defense kept this team competitive while the offense was still finding its footing and the QB situation was unsettled.
If Flores leaves, the worry isn’t just scheme — it’s:
- Losing accountability
- Losing identity
- Losing that edge and aggressiveness that showed up late in games
So yeah — hope he stays.
But if he’s a head coach next year, nobody in Minnesota should be bitter. He earned it.
Defense like that is why this season felt real despite all the uncertainty.
I think the tools and flashes shown by McCarthy provide quite a bit of juice and encouragement as development continues the multi-year path that is required. I also think he’s learned more about the importance of balancing self-preservation efforts with intense play. His mental toughness is a bit underrated at this point, in my opinion.
If Flores leaves, he might try to have multiple assistants go with him, so that could further create the need to rebuild on that side of the football, but I do think a core of accountability and identity — the kind that enables a five-game win streak as a team is being eliminated — will remain.
