But Sunday's schedule was dotted with matchups that pitted top teams against one another, creating a distinct sense of heightened stakes even as franchises still have time to sort themselves out down the stretch.

Vikings had to make J.J. McCarthy 'sacrifice' in lieu of backup QB Max Brosmer originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here. No one said the Minnesota Vikings ' quarterback journey would be a straight line.

McCarthy managed to lead Minnesota to a late TD to take the lead, but his inaccuracy throughout the game played a big role in the loss to Chicago.

In Week 1, McCarthy rebounded from a rough three quarters to lead the team to a win. On Sunday, the Vikings trailed 16-3 entering the fourth quarter and McCarthy was 10-of-22 with many of his incompletions missing by wide margins.

While Johnson has given Williams some tough love, O'Connell has been particularly protective of McCarthy during a bumpy start to his career.

The Browns, Chargers, and Jets were three of the worst offenses in the NFL in Week 11. What does that mean for fantasy fooball owners moving forward?

The Minnesota Vikings entered the 2025 season with playoff aspirations and a first-year starting quarterback in J.J. McCarthy — a dynamic still rare to be realized in the NFL. Since the 1976 merger, 19 rookie quarterbacks who have played five or more ...

McCarthy struggled again on Sunday, and now the Vikings should be focused on finding out if the young quarterback can be the guy in 2026.