McCarthy shines, chemistry issues with Jefferson among 5 takeaways from Dallas

The QB delivered his best performance yet, but missed opportunities with Justin Jefferson stood out in the win over Dallas.

Dec 14, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson (18) celebrates with quarterback J.J. McCarthy (9) after a Vikings touchdown during the second half against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images | Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

J.J. McCarthy was outstanding as the Minnesota Vikings overcame the bitter pill of being eliminated from playoff contention earlier in the day to put the Dallas Cowboys on the brink of elimination with a 34-26 victory at AT&T Stadium in Arlington on Sunday night.

Here are five things that stood out from the win.

1. The McCarthy-Jefferson connection

Do the football gods not want McCarthy and Justin Jefferson to find a rhythm? Jefferson had a touchdown wiped out by an illegal formation penalty in the first half, and in the second half, he had a McCarthy fastball zip through his hands when he was wide open in the back of the end zone. Jefferson also had a ball bounce off his chest in tight coverage, while McCarthy missed him high when he was wide open in the third quarter. Jefferson finished with two catches on eight targets for 22 yards.

pic.twitter.com/1B7Mhxef4O

— downloadpikkit (@bad_beats__) December 15, 2025

Justin Jefferson touchdown called back.

His griddy was interrupted by the flag he saw just as he started it 😂 pic.twitter.com/h7s1AO6yhP

— SM Highlights (@SMHighlights1) December 15, 2025

2. Tale of two McCarthys

Dec 14, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (9) celebrates after a touchdown during the first half against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

McCarthy has started eight games, and the Vikings are 4-4 in his starts. When they win, McCarthy has been fantastic. When they've lost, McCarthy has been horrible. Look at his win-loss splits:

Result	CMP%	YDS	PASS TD	INT	SACK	RUSH TD
Wins	63.0	699	9	3	12	3
Loss	51.7	643	2	8	12	0

He's beaten the Bears, Lions, Commanders, and Cowboys. His losses were to the Falcons, Ravens, Bears, and Packers.

3. Javon Hargrave injury and future

Hargrave was ruled out of the game after suffering a groin injury in the third quarter. The severity of his injury is unclear, but soft-tissue injuries can take time to heal, and with only three weeks to go, his season very well could be over. If so, the question is whether he'll be back with the Vikings next season.

The Vikings signed Hargrave to a two-year, $30 million deal ahead of this season. With a $21.5 million cap hit next season, the Vikings could cut him and eat $10.5 million while saving $11 million. They could also try to trade him, which would save them $15 million while chewing on $6.5 million in dead money, according to Over The Cap.

4. Taking advantage of Brandon Aubrey misses

Aubrey, who has the strongest leg in the NFL, missed from 51 and 59 yards, respectively, and the Vikings turned those misses into points both times.

After his first miss, the Vikings got the ball at their own 41-yard line and used the short field to kick a field goal for a 17-14 lead in the second quarter. After his 59-yard miss in the fourth quarter, the Vikings took over at their own 49-yard line and scored a touchdown five plays later for a 31-23 lead.

Aubrey was 9 of 11 on field goals from 50+ yards before Sunday night, with his two misses on attempts from 68 and 51 yards, respectively.

5. Winning isn't necessarily good for the Vikings

Already eliminated from playoff contention, the Vikings might be better served by losing games to finish with the best draft pick possible. Instead, the win gets them to 6-8 this season, tied with the Kansas City Chiefs with three weeks to go. Miami, with a loss Monday night to the Steelers, would also fall to 6-8. Here's the current order for the top half of the draft:

1. NY Giants: 2-12
2. Las Vegas: 2-12
3. Tennessee: 2-12
4. Cleveland: 3-11
5. NY Jets 3-11
6. Arizona: 3-11
7. New Orleans: 4-10
8. Washington: 4-10
9. Cincinnati: 4-10
10. Atlanta (LAR): 5-9
11. Kansas City: 6-8
12. Minnesota: 6-8
13. Miami: 6-7
14. Dallas: 6-7-1
15. Baltimore: 7-7
16. Carolina: 7-7

A top-10 pick is still within reach, but the Vikings might find themselves picking closer to 15 or 20 if they keep winning.