OTL: Monday Morning Quarterback Talk

McCarthy Struggles to Find Success

It was a long afternoon for young Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy, facing pressure and unable to maintain consistent success through the air. The lack of accuracy, along with eight false starts from the offensive line, resulted in Minnesota playing from behind on multiple second-half occasions. McCarthy has been limited in his NFL career, missing all of his rookie season with a knee injury, and missing five games this year due to a high-ankle sprain. The limited chemistry with star receiver Justin Jefferson was on full display, as McCarthy was held to just four completions on 12 pass attempts to the former Offensive Player of the Year.

The Ravens pass rush produced 24 pressures, leading to a lone Travis Jones sack. McCarthy looked rattled and rushed throughout the second half, leading to multiple ugly incompletions. The former first-rounder entered Sunday struggling to protect the ball. With four interceptions in his previous three starts, McCarthy added two more to his total Sunday afternoon, tossing turnovers to rookie Malaki Starks and Marlon Humphrey. It’s been a complete 180 for a team that fought for the top seed in the NFC just a season ago. The offensive line play has been rough in front of McCarthy and the rest of the quarterbacks, allowing the third-highest sacks in the league (33) through nine games. Sitting at 4-5, Minnesota is dead last in the NFC North, and 10th overall in the NFC following their Week 10 loss.

Their season isn’t over, but it’s going to take a turn around in McCarthy’s play, if the Vikings have any expectations of sniffing a playoff spot.

Defense and Special Teams Lift a Quiet Offense to Victory

It wasn’t the most eye-popping performance on the stat sheet for Lamar Jackson and the Ravens offense, but for a team entering at 3-5, a win is a win. If there was a true highlight to the Ravens’ point production, it was off the leg of rookie kicker Tyler Loop, who bailed the stalling offense out on multiple occasions. Loop finished the afternoon 4-for-5 on FG attempts, and 1-for-1 on XP attempts.

Jackson and the passing game struggled to get momentum going, with multiple key drops from open targets early in the game. Four dropped passes is the highest team total this season, as Isaiah Likely, Mark Andrews, Zay Flowers, and Rashod Bateman each finished with one. It kept Baltimore from maintaining the rhythm needed to put that game away earlier than they eventually did. Jackson finished the contest 17-for-29, for just 176 passing yards and a solo touchdown to tight end Mark Andrews. The Vikings’ high blitz rate also played a large factor in Balitmore’s inability to maintain consistently. It was clear Brian Flores’ game plan was to limit Jackson’s time in the pocket and disrupt timing on intermediate routes. Lamar was blitzed on 58% of his dropbacks Sunday, the 5th-highest rate of his eight-year NFL career.

It wasn’t only the Ravens’ passing game that lacked consistency, but the run game as well, as holes were hard to find throughout. The team rushed for 152 total yards, with Derrick Henry totaling 75 of those yards on 20 carries, averaging just 3.8 YPC. It’s the second straight week Henry was unable to find the end zone, as the red zone struggles have limited his effectiveness close to the goal line. You can only hope things will pick up on the ground for Henry, Jackson, and Keaton Mitchell, as the Ravens look to continue their momentum, and pick up their fourth straight win and move to 2-0 in the division with a win over Cleveland next weekend.

Look Around the AFC North

Dillon Gabriel

Dillon Gabriel put up some respectable numbers in the Browns’ loss to the Jets, in what appears to be a battle for the number one pick in the 2026 draft. It’s the second game for the rookie quarterback with two or more touchdowns and no interceptions and first since his first career start against the Vikings in Week 5. Gabriel finished the afternoon 17-for-32 for 167 yards and two touchdowns, along with 54 rushing yards on five carries. The third round pick had a long day however, getting sacked six times by a Jets defense a week removed from trading away defensive tackle Quinnen Williams. The Browns fall to 2-7 on the season, and turn their focus to Baltimore, who comes to town for a 4:25 kickoff next Sunday.

Joe Flacco

Bye Week

Aaron Rodgers

Rodgers played on Sunday night, which was after this article was submitted. A quick glance at the box score shows, however, quite a poor night in the Steelers’ 25-10 loss in Los Angeles to the Chargers. Rodgers was 16-for-31 for 167 yards and a lone touchdown with two interceptions. He was sacked three times, and Pittsburgh managed just 11 total first downs, while going 2-for-11 on 3rd down attempts, and 0-for-1 on fourth down. The game was basically over, with the Chargers leading 25-3, when Rodgers threw that single touchdown pass, a 27-yarder to Roman Wilson with just under three minutes to play.

Now 5-4, the Steelers sit just a game ahead of the 4-5 Ravens as they prepare to host Joe Flacco and the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday at 1:00.

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