MINNEAPOLIS (AP) J.J. McCarthy’s return was quick and strong for the Minnesota Vikings.
The quarterback, who missed all of his rookie season after tearing the meniscus in his proper knee in final 12 months’s preseason opener, led a scoring drive in his solely sequence towards the Houston Texans on Saturday.
McCarthy completed 4 of seven for 30 yards on a 13-play, 58-yard scoring drive that was capped by Will Reichard’s 48-yard discipline objective. The tenth general select of Michigan final 12 months additionally scampered 8 yards for a primary down on fourth-and-4 on the Texans 43 to maintain the drive going.
The efficiency got here a day shy of the one-year anniversary of McCarthys ill-fated Vikings debut. In that recreation, he threw for 188 yards and two touchdowns earlier than struggling the harm that required season-ending surgical procedure.
With Sam Darnold beneath heart, the Vikings completed the common season 14-3 earlier than falling to the Los Angeles Rams within the wild-card spherical of the NFC playoffs. However Darnold departed for the Seattle Seahawks this offseason in free company and head coach Kevin OConnell has turned the offense over to McCarthy.
The quarterback acquired a rousing ovation from the house crowd as he stepped beneath heart for the primary time Saturday.
The Texans then took a 10-3 lead on a 14-yard landing go from Davis Mills to Braxton Berrios on their first possession.
McCarthy was changed by backup Sam Howell when Minnesota’s offense took the sector for its second possession.
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
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