It’s not often you’ll see a preseason NFL game momentous enough to lead a starting quarterback to pause for a moment of reflection, but that’s exactly what J.J. McCarthy plans to do before the Vikings’ first exhibition game against the Texans on Saturday afternoon.
“Everyone throughout that journey has just been amazing, and I think it did a lot more good for me than bad,” McCarthy said Wednesday. “Just being out there again, it’s going to be really special. And I can’t wait to go do it.”
The quarterback’s return to the field, for however many snaps he plays on Saturday, will be the big headline from the Vikings’ preseason opener. The Vikings plan use many of their starters on Saturday, and McCarthy’s work will kick off a pivotal week for him that includes two joint practices against the Patriots.
“There’s going to be a bunch of things that he will personally feel that we can build upon,” coach Kevin O’Connell said. “There’s going to be a bunch of things as a team that hopefully we can build upon. And there’s going to be some coachable moments as well, that are all part of the process getting him ready to go towards towards the season.”
Here are five other storylines to watch at U.S. Bank Stadium on Saturday (3 p.m., Fox 9):
1. Can the offense produce against a different defense?
We’ve watched the Vikings’ defense command practices in training camp, and it’s common for defenses to be ahead of offenses during practices — especially when the Vikings’ unit contains so many veterans, while McCarthy is taking some or all of his snaps without three of his most important teammates (wide receiver Justin Jefferson, left tackle Christian Darrisaw and center Ryan Kelly). Jefferson is unlikely to play Saturday, and the Vikings might keep their linemen out as Darrisaw continues rehab from last year’s knee surgery while Kelly recovers from an elbow injury. Regardless of who’s on the field, though, it could be a confidence boost if the Vikings’ offensive starters can string together productive drives against another team.
2. Battle for WR spots continues