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J.J. McCarthy Leads Vikings Comeback With 21-Point Fourth Quarter to Stun Bears

J.J. McCarthy made a statement with a three-touchdown performance in a comeback win over the Bears.

Eva Geitheim

J.J. McCarthy turned it on in the fourth quarter to lead the Vikings to a thrilling comeback win.
J.J. McCarthy turned it on in the fourth quarter to lead the Vikings to a thrilling comeback win. / Patrick McDermott/Getty Images
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The start to J.J. McCarthy's NFL debut wasn't pretty.

With McCarthy at the helm for the first time, the Vikings offense went three-and-out on four of their first five offensive possessions. They managed a pair of field goals in the first half, but were not able to get much going. Things didn't look much better when McCarthy began the second half with a pick-six followed by two drives that ended in punts.

Meanwhile, Caleb Williams and the Bears got off to a hot start in their first game under head coach Ben Johnson, starting the game with a touchdown drive. That momentum proved short-lived though, as they did not score another touchdown until the final minutes of the game.

Despite a rough first three quarters, McCarthy turned it on when the game mattered most. Under the lights of Monday Night Football, McCarthy shined in the fourth quarter, leading three touchdown drives to take a two possession lead and ultimately win the game.

McCarthy first connected with Justin Jefferson on a 13-yard touchdown pass, and then hit running back Aaron Jones on a 27-yard touchdown throw on the ensuing drive.

After the Bears punted again, McCarthy made a statement, running for a 14-yard touchdown on a QB-keeper. That third touchdown drive had McCarthy patiently leading the Vikings on a drive that both gave them an insurmountable lead and ran significant clock.

The Bears made a valiant effort to get back in the game after McCarthy's three-touchdown fourth quarter, but the Vikings pulled out the 27-24 win.

There will be plenty for McCarthy to learn from after this win and room for much greater consistency, but like at Michigan, he proved one of his greatest strengths is he is still a winner.

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Eva Geitheim
EVA GEITHEIM

Eva Geitheim is a contributor to the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. Prior to joining SI in December 2024, she wrote for Newsweek, Gymnastics Now and Dodgers Nation. A Bay Area native, she has a bachelor's in communications from UCLA. When not writing, she can be found baking or re-watching Gilmore Girls.

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