J.J. McCarthy, the NFL’s youngest starting quarterback at just 22 years and eight months, is facing a significant setback following a high right ankle sprain during Sunday night’s 22-6 loss to the Atlanta Falcons. This is the injury that puts him out for about two to four weeks. It makes me question his safety and long-term development as a player.
The first two weeks of the season were tough for McCarthy. He finished in the bottom tier of NFL quarterbacks in a number of statistical categories. He averaged just 41 pass attempts per game, the lowest for any QB who started two or more full games during that time. On top of that, he never flaunted poise in the pocket, recording a league-worst 16.7% sack rate and fumbling three times, one turned into a turnover. His performance metrics were enough to sound alarm bells. He was last in expected points added per play at -0.36, and his QBR was barely above water at 20.3, second-lowest in the league after two weeks.
Even though he was under pressure often, McCarthy looked really good occasionally. He flashed with a standout 17-yard lofted throw to receiver Jalen Nailor on the run against Atlanta. His failure to be an effective game manager and possession protector has had everyone from fans to football nerds puzzled.
Even Kevin O’Connell, head coach of the division-rival Minnesota Vikings, said it’s easy to overlook all that McCarthy is having to juggle.
“For him, part of this journey is making sure you acknowledge what it felt like in the moment.” – Kevin O’Connell
Unfortunately, this injury has thrown McCarthy’s development plan into disarray, preventing him from securing the valuable playing experience he needs. He played just 95 snaps through the first two weeks of the season. This severely constrains his options for development. As he continues to heal from this latest injury, the jury is still out on what it will mean for his future prospects in the league.
Veteran quarterback Matthew Stafford spoke to just how much the younger players have to go through in navigating injuries.
“I’m not talking about one specific person, but there’s plenty of guys out there that just are unable to play through it and that’s part of it. It’s unfortunate. It’s not a fun part of the game.” – Matthew Stafford
Looking conditions For McCarthy these days, head is very bad news. He would end up missing at least 21 of the first 23 NFL games he was slated to be involved in. Only time will tell how this injury affects his confidence and development as a player.
His performance before the injury should’ve set off some pretty big alarm bells. He was superb, holding the ball for an insane average of 3.15 seconds before releasing it. This incredible timing made him qualified for the second longest tenure in the NFL. This penchant not only accounted for his 11 percent sack rate but stunted his effectiveness at a macro level. Analysts have pointed out that McCarthy’s struggles could stem from a combination of inexperience and pressure to perform in a challenging league.
As McCarthy enters recovery, he faces a critical period where he must utilize this time off to analyze his gameplay and learn from his mistakes. He started to develop a strong base through his college career at Michigan, where he threw 713 passes. If he focuses on the right areas with his decision-making and quick release, he can definitely bounce back from this blip on the radar.
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