Kevin O'Connell's praises J.J. McCarthy after comeback win in NFL debut

J.J. McCarthy got off to a slow start to his NFL career. The offense failed to gain much ground in the first half, and a pick-six early in the second half wasn't a good omen.

Then, Kevin O'Connell took the training wheels off and it all changed. The Minnesota Vikings' head coach coached circles around Bears defensive coordinator Dennis Allen, once again showcasing his sharp offensive mind.

McCarthy made plays left and right in the second half. He finished the game with 143 passing yards on 13-of-20 passing with two passing touchdowns and one pick. He also rushed twice for 25 yards and a touchdown.

His coach tipped his hat to McCarthy after such an impressive turnaround

“There’s no way to deny that we don’t win this game unless J.J. plays the way he did in the second half, and, most importantly, kept the belief of his football team behind him,” O’Connell said after the game.

While O'Connell acknowledged that they don't want to be in a position to have to come back from double digits and score three touchdowns in the fourth quarter, he now feels like that's a possibility with McCarthy.

“And now we know it’s possible. We hope to not be in these circumstances very often, but this team’s made of the right stuff. Players have built something special within that locker room and on that sideline. I’m just very, very proud of them.”

That speaks volumes about the level of confidence he has in his first-year starter.