How did J.J. McCarthy perform in his NFL debut? Stats, highlights, more
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Minnesota Vikings rookie kicker Will Reichard nailed a game-winning field goal as time expired to give his team its first preseason victory, but it was a different rookie who stole the show on Saturday.
Quarterback J.J. McCarthy, Minnesota’s first-round pick in this year’s draft, was the highly anticipated first-year player starring in Saturday’s 24-23 win over the Las Vegas Raiders. After veteran Sam Darnold started the game, the rookie out of Michigan officially made his NFL debut late in the first quarter as he took the field for the Vikings‘ second drive.
Between the two teams, six quarterbacks attempted at least one pass in the game. McCarthy finished the game as the leader of them all in almost every statistical category: He had the most passing yards, passing touchdowns, pass attempts, completions, average yardage and the highest passer rating.
By the time the rookie gave way to third-string quarterback Jaren Hall late in the third quarter, he had solidified his strong first impression on an NFL stage.
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J.J. McCarthy preseason stats
Through one preseason game, these are McCarthy’s stats:
- Passing: 11 of 17 passing (65.7%) for 188 passing yards (11.1 yards per attempt) and two touchdowns to one interception (116.8 passer rating)
- Rushing: Two carries for 18 yards (9.0 yards per carry)
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J.J. McCarthy preseason highlights
Here’s a look at all of McCarthy’s dropbacks from his NFL debut on Saturday:
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When does J.J. McCarthy play next?
McCarthy and the Vikings will play their second preseason game against the Browns in Cleveland on Saturday, Aug. 17 at 4:25 p.m. ET.
They’ll open the regular season against the Giants in New York at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday, Sept. 8.
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