**1\. McCarthy with a dime in the red zone; Brosmer leads 2-minute drill**
J.J. McCarthy's final rep in 7-on-7 ended with the ball in his hands. He was disappointed to have not uncorked a throw and resigned that holding the ball that long would not likely be ideal if the defense also had a pass rush involved.
He didn't hang his head. He clapped once and moved on to the next opportunity. It just so happened that his next pass play involved perfectly playing the ball with velocity and accuracy where only receiver Thayer Thomas could make a play on the ball. Thomas completed the play with a diving catch on second-and-goal from the 8.
An attempt to double dip by McCarthy with a throw to Lucky Jackson on the following snap, however, was covered by Jeff Okudah.
Sam Howell, Brett Rypien and Max Brosmer also attempted multiple passes in the red zone.
Kahlef Hailassie, who switched to safety from cornerback during camp and recorded two picks in the preseason opener, nearly high-pointed a pass Howell intended for Tai Felton.
Howell and Rypien connected on passes to rookie Dontae Fleming, and Myles Price also caught a pass from Rypien.
Brosmer got the call to lead Minnesota's only series in a 2-minute drill and capped the drive with a 1-yard touchdown to Price. He took the offense from its 45-yard line with 1:25 on the clock to the defense's 5 with 20 seconds remaining. Brosmer completed seven passes, including a 20-yarder to Fleming to efficiently move into striking distance.