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Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy remains undefeated in the state of Michigan, coming off a triumphant win over the defending NFC North division champion Detroit Lions. It was a long-awaited return for McCarthy, who missed the previous five games with a high-ankle sprain. For over a month, the Vikings faced scrutiny for letting Sam Darnold and Daniel Jones walk in free agency as they floundered below .500 entering Week 9. Read more: Concerns Grow After Justin Jefferson’s Behavior on Vikings Sideline It was just one game McCarthy proved the Vikings right to bet on him in last year’s draft, scoring three touchdowns in a 27-24 win in Detroit — Minnesota’s first win against the Lions since 2022. It was the largest upset of the season, with the Vikings deemed 9.5-point underdogs at kickoff. After the game, McCarthy took to social media after Sunday’s win to poke fun at the Lions and head coach Dan Campbell. Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy trolled Lions coach Dan Campbell after a Week 9 win in Detroit. On Monday, McCarthy posted a carousel of photos from the game on Instagram with the caption: “Knee caps are intact,” a reference to Campbell’s infamous introductory news conference as the Lions head coach in 2021. View this post on Instagram A post shared by 9 (@jjmccarthy) McCarthy’s post was a genuine hat tip to the Lions, who brought an immense amount of pressure to McCarthy. According to NFL Next Gen Stats, the Lions generated 18 pressures and five sacks on McCarthy and tied for the second-highest pressure rate (58.1 percent) by a defense in a game this season. Read more: Vikings Get Major Jordan Addison News Ahead of NFL Trade Deadline However, McCarthy delivered under duress, completing 7 of 11 pass attempts for 91 yards and a touchdown when blitzed. It was just McCarthy’s third start of his career, but an encouraging sign for a Vikings team that needed to keep its postseason hopes alive. Minnesota is 4-4 entering a Week 10 matchup against the Baltimore Ravens (3-5). For more on the Vikings and NFL, head to Newsweek Sports.
