J.J. McCarthy Development Emerges After Cowboys Game

McCarthy’s highlights included a brilliant play in the second quarter, when he rushed for a touchdown to tie the game 14-14. In the second half, he found wide receiver Jalen Nailor twice in the end zone on touchdown passes that helped seal the win.

According to OptaSTATS, this marks the third time in McCarthy’s young NFL career that he has thrown multiple touchdown passes and rushed for a touchdown in the same game, a feat no other player in league history has done three times within his first eight career games.

McCarthy’s 2025 season has been a mixed journey in his first year as the Vikings’ starting quarterback. After an impressive debut in Week 1, where he threw two touchdown passes and rushed for another in a comeback win over the Chicago Bears, McCarthy suffered a high-ankle sprain that caused him to miss five games and later a concussion that sidelined him for another contest. Despite those setbacks, he has shown flashes of franchise quarterback potential that Vikings brass will evaluate closely as they head into the offseason.

Even with Sunday’s victory, Minnesota’s hopes of reaching the postseason ended with the Bears’ 28-3 win over the Cleveland Browns earlier in the day, a disappointing conclusion for a team that entered 2025 with high expectations after a 14-3 season in 2024.

The Vikings now turn their attention to Week 16 on the road against the New York Giants (2-12), who are also already eliminated. Minnesota (6-8) will look to finish the year with a winning record and momentum to build on for the 2026 campaign. Kickoff is set for 1:00 p.m. ET on Sunday, with the game televised on Fox.