Big game tomorrow! I think it is just as important as the Lions game. It will be a very good test. The Ravens are also battling to stay in the hunt. A loss will put them three games behind the Steelers unless the Steelers lose which leave them two games behind. The Packers play the Eagles om Onday night which esasily could be another loss for them (so sad eh?). The Lions play the Commandos and the Bears play the Giants. It would be very nice to see all three teams in the division lose.
No news on Asante Samuel Jr. Apparently, he did not meet with the coaches or Kwesi and staff. Okudah is out this week so the Vikings really need someone else. Myles Bryant was on the Texans practice squad buthe was elevated yesterday. Not sure if there are any other worthwhile practice squad candidates. Zemaiah Vaughn is still on the Vikings practice squad.
Minnesota Vikings News and Links
Vikings’ J.J. McCarthy Draws One Major Worry From NFL Analyst
Despite this performance against Detroit, which keeps the Vikings in the middle of the playoff race, FOX Sports broadcaster Daryl Johnston shared his one important concern he has over McCarthy.
“The one thing that we need to see more from J.J. McCarthy is consistency throughout the game,” Johnston said on the latest edition of ‘One on One.“ “Two wins on the road in the division are very impressive. Chicago is a much different team this year than last year, and that was an impressive win, especially with how it started. To be able to hang in there and have your teammates believe you’re the guy who can still get it done after struggling says a lot.
“He played at a high level in the back end of the game in Chicago and started really well in Detroit. I just want to see J.J. become a little more consistent with his play. He has great people to lean on, and that’s one of the big things for a young quarterback — getting in sync with the Justin Jeffersons and the other guys on offense, while also being able to rely on the run game a bit.”
J.J. McCarthy Still Has Doubters
Johnston isn’t the person who wants to see more from McCarthy. Nonetheless, the NFL analyst doesn’t appear to be a doubter of the Vikings quarterback, unlike FS1 host Colin Cowherd. On the November 3 episode of “The Herd,” Cowherd shared a blunt assessment of how he sees Minnesota’s young signal-caller heading into Week 10.
“He’s like the UPS driver,” Cowherd said about McCarthy. “I don’t know who he is, but they always deliver on time. The package is never screwed up. I love the delivery system. I don’t know if the UPS driver is any good. Seems like a nice guy.
“So it just felt a lot like the Michigan J.J. McCarthy, which is I love the coach at Michigan and the tight end and the defense. And that’s what I felt yesterday. It was fine. He was good on script, but it’s not a script league.”
Why Kirk Herbstreit is bullish on the McCarthy-led Vikings
J.J. McCarthy may not have blown people away with his numbers on Sunday, but — in leading the Vikings to an upset win over the Lions — he did provide a spark of hope that this season can be competitive. With the Vikings now residing just a game-and-a-half back of the top spot in the NFC North, it’s not just fans who are thinking the second half of the season could get interesting.
“You look at the pieces they have around him, yeah I do,” said ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit on Thursday when asked whether the Vikings could go on a run with McCarthy at the helm.
Speaking on The Pat McAfee Show, Herbstreit said he expects McCarthy will “get better every single week” and that he thinks we’re “just seeing the beginning” of what the 22-year-old QB can do in Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell’s system.
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“I’m still bullish on what I think he’s going to do. I think it has as much to do with the system,” continued Herbstreit. “The guy hasn’t played a lot of football. You think about the injuries, really, this year hasn’t been able to practice a whole lot to be able to get the timing, the rhythm down. So, to me, what you’re seeing right now is just glimpses, and eventually, through more weeks, and more reps, and more opportunities, I think you’re going to start seeing the timing get better and better.”
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“The game’s slowing down for him. But you can see how the team responds to him. I think that’s the thing… when he was playing in Ann Arbor, it wasn’t just him executing, it was how… you can just see, whether it’s a lineman, receivers, everybody is naturally drawn to him,” Herbstreit continued. “I think it’s because he has a very selfless approach, and I think that goes over big in the locker room when you play that position.”
…
“I think each week, they’re going to become a bigger story, as we get into December and January,” said Herbstreit.
Week 10 Vikings score predictions for battle with Lamar Jackson, Ravens
Will Ragatz: Ravens 27, Vikings 20
As fun as it would be to pick the Vikings, I can’t quite bring myself to do it. Jackson is 24-3 against NFC teams in his career, including an OT win over the Vikings in 2021. He’s arguably the best pure passer in the league right now, in addition to being the greatest rushing quarterback in NFL history. The Ravens also happen to have a guy named Derrick Henry. So for as well as the Vikings’ defense played in Detroit, this is a massive challenge.
On the other side of the ball, I need to see more from J.J. McCarthy before I fully buy in. His upside is obvious, but he struggled with accuracy and decision-making and overall production after Minnesota’s scripted early drives in Detroit. Three starts into his career, he hasn’t thrown for 160 yards in a game yet. The Vikings absolutely can win this game if McCarthy plays well, but I would need a little more proof of concept in order to predict a win over a hungry Ravens team.
Joe Nelson: Vikings 34, Ravens 27
Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry are scary, but the bigger deal about the 2025 Ravens is their lousy defense. According to PFF, the Ravens rank 26th in overall defense, which takes into account the 27th-ranked run defense and the 29th-ranked pass rush. If J.J. McCarthy was able to go on the road and lead three touchdown drives against a Detroit defense that has a top-five PFF run defense and pass rush, then he should be able to have a big game at home against Baltimore. I’m sure Lamar and King Henry will keep things close, but I’m taking the Vikings at home.
Tony Liebert: Vikings 31, Ravens 26
Jonathan Harrison: Vikings 24, Ravens 21
Amid 16 different lineup combinations, a Vikings position group gets a big shoutout
“Adversity over the course of an NFL season, it’s going to hit at some point,” O’Connell told Tice. “I’ve been a part of a team that won the Super Bowl and we didn’t win a game in the month of November, and went through some real adversity, trying times, and really had to stay together and stay the course.”
Tice applauded Minnesota’s resolve and then gave O’Connell a chance to put the offensive line in the spotlight for successfully navigating injuries.
“At one point, I don’t know where the track is right now of keeping score, but I think at one point we were up to 16 different O-line combinations,” O’Connell said. “As you know, coaching the position and being around that room, so much of it is about chemistry. So much of it is about pre-snap and post-snap communication. Understanding how the guy next to you plays.
“The original intent was to fortify and strengthen the interior of our offensive line with two veteran players at center and right guard that we signed in Ryan Kelly and Will Fries, and then draft a first-round pick in Donovan Jackson, who we loved, to pair those guys with Christian Darrisaw and Brian O’Neill. We have yet to see that group in its entirety together, but Ryan Kelly’s doing well, and hope to see him back sooner rather than later.”
…
In all, the Vikings have used 10 offensive linemen because of so many injuries. Here’s a player-by-player breakdown of the injury adversity Minnesota has had to navigate.
Christian Darrisaw: Played in 6 of 8 games, but missed the fourth quarter of one game and left in the first quarter of another.
Donovan Jackson: Missed two games after undergoing wrist surgery
Ryan Kelly: Missed five of eight games due to multiple concussions
Will Fries: Only starter to play in all eight games
Brian O’Neill: Missed two games with an MCL sprain to his right knee
Justin Skule: Made four starts and played in seven of eight games
Blake Brandel: Played left tackle, left guard, and center, including one start at left guard and four starts at center
Michael Jurgens: Played in four games, including one start at center
Walter Rouse: Played 88 snaps in four games as an injury replacement at left and right tackle
Joe Huber: Undrafted rookie started at left guard in Week 5
All of that was happening with McCarthy out for six weeks (five games) with an ankle injury, forcing backup quarterback Carson Wentz to step into the starting role. Wentz also played through significant pain from a nasty shoulder injury that will result in season-ending surgery.
“I think that dynamic with the O-line will only continue to gel more and more and more, the more snaps that they get together,” O’Connell said. “[Offensive line coach Chris Kuper’s] done a great job, and under these circumstances, this is where you’re fortunate to have a guy with not only coaching experience doing it, but personal experience to be able to tap into to help these guys go play.”
Kuper played eight years in the NFL, all with the Broncos. He started 79 of 90 games in his career, and his last two seasons, in 2012 and 2013, were with Peyton Manning at quarterback. Manning won the MVP award in 2013 as the Broncos reached the Super Bowl, where they were blown out by the Seahawks. But that experience playing with Manning no doubt helps Kuper when he’s coaching the O-line with a young quarterback behind them.
As the offensive line continues to gel, O’Connell wants to see the rest of his team clean up their act.
“I’m still waiting for our most complete game yet of the season, where there’s no let-up, there’s very limited mental errors, limited penalties, no turnovers, and we just play clean football,” O’Connell said. “Now, at this point in the season, I’d like to take a look at what that looks like and see where we end up on a day like that.”
Andrew Van Ginkel’s return has Blake Cashman, Vikings D breathing easier
Vikings starting linebacker Blake Cashman, in a Friday appearance on Good Morning Football, said he loved getting Pro Bowl edge rusher Andrew Van Ginkel back against Detroit.
“He adds a little calmness to our defense,” said Cashman. “It makes my job a lot easier.”
Outside of eight snaps in the Vikings’ blowout win over the Bengals in Week 3, Van Ginkel has been out since the team’s Week 1 win over Chicago while he recovered from a neck injury. In his return on Sunday, Van Ginkel registered three total tackles, one for a loss, and one QB hit, helping the Vikings turn in one of their best rush defense performances of the year.
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“We just have such great appreciation for him, because I don’t think he gets enough credit for just how smart of a football player he is. His football IQ is at an all-time high level. He adds a lot of value in what he sees and his communication,” Cashman said. “So, we’re a better football team with him out there.”
Kyler Murray rumor is intriguing news for Minnesota Vikings, Pittsburgh Steelers
Thanks to the current situation, ESPN’s Adam Schefter is reporting that Murray and the Cardinals are expected to have a discussion about his future with the team after this season.
Adding to that, Schefter is hearing that, when it’s all said and done, Murray and the Cardinals separating is the most likely outcome.
The Cardinals must decide by this offseason whether to try to trade Murray, release him, or opt to pay another $19.5 million in guaranteed money that becomes due on the fifth day of the new league year in mid-March.
The Cardinals and Murray are expected to have extensive discussions to help determine whether to move forward together or go their own ways. Many sources believe the latter is the likely outcome, with one source saying this week that “a separation is imminent.”
While Murray has indeed struggled this season, he’s still an above-average starter, at worst, in the NFL.
He will almost certainly draw interest if he’s made available via trade. We would not count on the Cardinals cutting him, though, as doing so would incur a much bigger dead-cap hit.
That said, two teams that could have interest are the Pittsburgh Steelers and Minnesota Vikings, both of whom have an uncertain future under center.
Note: Slow news day apparently.
12 p.m. | No. 5 Georgia at Mississippi State | ESPN
Christen Miller | Georgia | DL3T | 6’4” | 305 | RJR
C.J. Allen | Georgia | OLB | 6’1” | 235 | JR
Daylen Everette | Georgia | CB | 6’1” | 190 | SR
Raylen Wilson | Georgia | OLB | 6’1” | 235 | JR
Zachariah Branch | Georgia | WR | 5’10” | 175 | JR
Daniel Harris | Georgia | CB | 6’2” | 195 | JR
Oscar Delp | Georgia | TE | 6’5” | 245 | SR
Earnest Greene III | Georgia | OT | 6’4” | 320 | RJR
Lawson Luckie | Georgia | TE | 6’3” | 240 | JR
Monroe Freeling | Georgia | OT | 6’6” | 315 | JR
Colbie Young | Georgia | WR | 6’3” | 215 | RSR
Drew Bobo | Georgia | OC | 6’5” | 305 | RJR
Noah Thomas | Georgia | WR | 6’5” | 200 | SR
Brett Thorson | Georgia | P | 6’2” | 235 | SR
Isaac Smith | Mississippi State | S | 6’0” | 205 | JR
Will Whitson | Mississippi State | EDGE | 6’5” | 295 | SR
Jayven Williams | Mississippi State | CB | 6’1” | 185 | RJR
12 p.m. | No. 7 BYU at No. 8 Texas Tech | ABC
Chase Roberts | BYU | WR | 6’4” | 210 | RSR
Keanu Tanuvasa | BYU | DL3T | 6’3” | 300 | RJR
Isaiah Glasker | BYU | EDGE | 6’4” | 235 | RJR
David Bailey | Texas Tech | EDGE | 6’3” | 250 | SR
Romello Height | Texas Tech | EDGE | 6’3” | 240 | RSR
Lee Hunter | Texas Tech | DL1T | 6’4” | 320 | RSR
Jacob Rodriguez | Texas Tech | ILB | 6’1” | 230 | RSR
Skyler Gill-Howard | Texas Tech | DL5T | 6’1” | 290 | SR
Terrance Carter | Texas Tech | TE | 6’2” | 239 | RJR
Cole Wisniewski | Texas Tech | S | 6’3” | 218 | RSR
Howard Sampson | Texas Tech | OT | 6’8” | 325 | RJR
Brice Pollock | Texas Tech | CB | 6’0” | 195 | JR
12 p.m. | No. 2 Indiana at Penn State | FOX
Fernando Mendoza | Indiana | QB | 6’5” | 225 | RJR
D’Angelo Ponds | Indiana | CBN | 5’9” | 170 | JR
Elijah Sarratt | Indiana | WR | 6’2” | 209 | SR
Mikail Kamara | Indiana | EDGE | 6’0” | 265 | RSR
Amare Ferrell | Indiana | S | 6’2” | 200 | JR
Omar Cooper Jr. | Indiana | WR | 6’0” | 204 | RJR
Carter Smith | Indiana | OT | 6’5” | 308 | RJR
Tyrique Tucker | Indiana | DL3T | 6’0” | 298 | RJR
Louis Moore | Indiana | S | 5’11” | 200 | RSR
Kahlil Benson | Indiana | OT | 6’5” | 319 | RSR
Riley Nowakowski | Indiana | TE | 6’2” | 249 | RSR
Aiden Fisher | Indiana | ILB | 6’1” | 233 | SR
Roman Hemby | Indiana | RB | 6’0” | 208 | RSR
Pat Coogan | Indiana | OC | 6’5” | 310 | RSR
Dani Dennis-Sutton | Penn State | EDGE | 6’4” | 266 | SR
Drew Allar | Penn State | QB | 6’5” | 235 | SR
A.J. Harris | Penn State | CB | 6’1” | 193 | JR
Olaivavega Ioane | Penn State | OG | 6’3” | 348 | RJR
Kaytron Allen | Penn State | RB | 5’10” | 220 | SR
Zane Durant | Penn State | DL3T | 6’1” | 288 | SR
Nick Singleton | Penn State | RB | 6’0” | 226 | SR
Amare Campbell | Penn State | ILB | 6’0” | 230 | JR
Nick Dawkins | Penn State | OC | 6’3” | 298 | RSR
Zakee Wheatley | Penn State | S | 6’2” | 198 | RSR
Nolan Rucci | Penn State | OT | 6’7” | 308 | RSR
Drew Shelton | Penn State | OT | 6’5” | 307 | SR
3:30 p.m. | No. 9 Oregon at No. 20 Iowa | CBS
Dante Moore | Oregon | QB | 6’3” | 206 | RSO
Matayo Uiagalelei | Oregon | EDGE | 6’4” | 270 | JR
Isaiah World | Oregon | OT | 6’8” | 309 | RSR
Dillon Thieneman | Oregon | S | 6’0” | 207 | JR
Kenyon Sadiq | Oregon | TE | 6’3” | 235 | JR
Iapani Laloulu | Oregon | OC | 6’2” | 325 | JR
Emmanuel Pregnon | Oregon | OG | 6’5” | 320 | RSR
Bryce Boettcher | Oregon | ILB | 6’2” | 225 | RSR
A’Mauri Washington | Oregon | DL1T | 6’3” | 330 | JR
Evan Stewart | Oregon | WR | 6’0” | 175 | SR
Alex Harkey | Oregon | OT | 6’5” | 335 | RSR
Bear Alexander | Oregon | DL1T | 6’3” | 315 | RJR
Devon Jackson | Oregon | ILB | 6’2” | 230 | RJR
Gennings Dunker | Iowa | OT | 6’5” | 316 | RSR
Logan Jones | Iowa | OC | 6’3” | 293 | RSR
Max Llewellyn | Iowa | EDGE | 6’4” | 263 | RSR
Beau Stephens | Iowa | OG | 6’5” | 315 | RSR
Aaron Graves | Iowa | DL3T | 6’4” | 300 | SR
T.J.Hall | Iowa | CB | 6’0” | 190 | SR
Xavier Nwankpa | Iowa | S | 6’2” | 215 | SR
3:30 p.m. | No. 3 Texas A&M at No. 22 Missouri | ABC
Cashius Howell | Texas A&M | EDGE | 6’4” | 245 | RSR
Kevin Concepcion | Texas A&M | WR | 5’11” | 187 | JR
Taurean York | Texas A&M | ILB | 5’11” | 235 | JR
Ar’Maj Reed-Adams | Texas A&M | OG | 6’5” | 330 | RSR
Chase Bisontis | Texas A&M | OG | 6’5” | 320 | JR
Le’Veon Moss | Texas A&M | RB | 5’11” | 215 | SR
Albert Regis | Texas A&M | DL3T | 6’1” | 310 | RSR
Will Lee III | Texas A&M | CB | 6’2” | 190 | RSR
Trey Zuhn III | Texas A&M | OT | 6’6” | 315 | RSR
Tyreek Chappell | Texas A&M | CBN | 5’10” | 185 | RSR
D.J. Hicks | Texas A&M | DL3T | 6’3” | 295 | JR
Cayden Green | Missouri | OT | 6’5” | 320 | JR
Kevin Coleman Jr. | Missouri | WR | 5’11” | 180 | SR
Damon Wilson II | Missouri | EDGE | 6’4” | 250 | JR
Zion Young | Missouri | EDGE | 6’5” | 265 | SR
Keagen Trost | Missouri | OT | 6’4” | 316 | RSR
Connor Tollison | Missouri | OC | 6’4” | 209 | RSR
Jalen Catalon | Missouri | S | 5’10” | 205 | RSR
Toriano Pride Jr. | Missouri | CB | 5’10” | 190 | SR
Beau Pribula | Missouri | QB | 6’2” | 212 | RJR
4 p.m. | Auburn at No. 16 Vanderbilt | SEC Network
Keldric Faulk | Auburn | DL5T | 6’5” | 288 | JR
Connor Lew | Auburn | OC | 6’3” | 302 | JR
Eric Singleton Jr. | Auburn | WRS | 5’10” | 190 | JR
Jeremiah Cobb | Auburn | RB | 5’10” | 196 | JR
Xavier Chaplin | Auburn | OT | 6’6” | 338 | RJR
Eli Stowers | Vanderbilt | TE | 6’4” | 235 | RSR
Diego Pavia | Vanderbilt | QB | 6’0” | 207 | RSR
7:30 p.m. | LSU at No. 4 Alabama | ABC
Mansoor Delane | LSU | CB | 6’1” | 187 | SR
Garrett Nussmeier | LSU | QB | 6’2” | 200 | RSR
Harold Perkins Jr. | LSU | OLB | 6’1” | 225 | SR
Aaron Anderson | LSU | WRS | 5’8” | 187 | RJR
Whit Weeks | LSU | ILB | 6’2” | 228 | JR
Patrick Payton | LSU | EDGE | 6’5” | 250 | RSR
Josh Thompson | LSU | OG | 6’5” | 301 | RSR
A.J. Haulcy | LSU | S | 5’11” | 222 | SR
Barion Brown | LSU | WR | 6’1” | 182 | SR
Nic Anderson | LSU | WR | 6’4” | 216 | RJR
L.T. Overton | Alabama | DL5T | 6’4” | 283 | SR
Kadyn Proctor | Alabama | OT | 6’6” | 369 | JR
L.T. Overton | Alabama | DL5T | 6’4” | 283 | SR
Ty Simpson | Alabama | QB | 6’2” | 208 | RJR
Domani Jackson | Alabama | CB | 6’1” | 201 | SR
Deontae Lawson | Alabama | ILB | 6’2” | 239 | RSR
Tim Keenan III | Alabama | DL1T | 6’2” | 326 | RSR
Keon Sabb | Alabama | S | 6’1” | 206 | RJR
Bray Hubbard | Alabama | S | 6’2” | 204 | JR
Germie Bernard | Alabama | WR | 6’0” | 209 | SR
James Smith | Alabama | DL3T | 6’3” | 295 | JR
Qua Russaw | Alabama | EDGE | 6’2” | 241 | RSO
Parker Brailsford | Alabama | OC | 6’2” | 290 | RJR
Kelby Collins | Alabama | DL5T | 6’4” | 278 | JR
Jaeden Roberts | Alabama | OG | 6’5” | 310 | RSR
Jam Miller | Alabama | RB | 5’10” | 221 | SR
Justin Jefferson | Alabama | ILB | 6’1” | 225 | RSR
Cameron Calhoun | Alabama | CB | 6’0” | 177 | RSO
Yore Mock
Trade Partner: RamsSent: Pick 15Received: Pick 27, Pick 58, 2027 LAR 3rd…
Pick 27. Sonny Styles LB Ohio State 6’4” 235Pick 47. A’Mauri Washington DT Oregon 6’3” 330Pick 58. Chris Johnson CB San Diego State 6’0” 195Pick 79. Zakee Wheatley S Penn State 6’2” 198Pick 97. Jonah Coleman RB Washington 5’9” 229Pick 155. Zion Young EDGE Missouri 6’5” 265Pick 225. Keionte Scott S Miami (FL) 5’11” 192Pick 229. Pat Coogan OC Indiana 6’5” 310Pick 230. Tanner Koziol TE Houston 6’6” 237Pick 233. McKale Boley OT Virginia 6’4” 302
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