What we saw from Kyler Murray, J.J. McCarthy in Vikings' preseason opener

Ben Goessling, The Minnesota Star Tribune on Aug 15, 2026

Published in Football

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EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Kyler Murray led the Minnesota Vikings to points on his first drive as the team’s starting quarterback in Saturday’s preseason opener against the New York Giants.

His best play was a third-and-7 completion that complemented the team’s reconfigured run game on a 10-play, 54-yard drive.

J.J. McCarthy directed three drives that ended in punts. His uneven showing did little to suggest he’s ready to run a more efficient operation than he did last year.

Here’s what we learned about both quarterbacks in the Vikings’ 13-10 win over the Giants:

Murray finished 2 of 3 for 10 yards on the Vikings’ opening drive. McCarthy went 4 of 7 for 34 yards, overthrowing Jeshaun Jones to end his first drive after he had to keep the ball on a first-down jet sweep that was derailed by a timing error.

McCarthy had a second-quarter drive short-circuited by two penalties from rookie offensive tackle Caleb Tiernan. After an illegal shift penalty on second down, the quarterback was sacked on his final snap of the day when running back Zavier Scott was pushed back into McCarthy’s lap, forcing him to scramble before linebacker Micah McFadden sacked him.

Some of the offensive issues were beyond the young quarterback’s control. His biggest moment of the day came on a 17-yard completion to Myles Price, when McCarthy hit the receiver off his back foot while retreating from pressure on play action. But for a quarterback that needs to show more timing and accuracy, there’s plenty to work on.

McCarthy could get more work in the Vikings’ second preseason game on Aug. 22 at U.S. Bank Stadium, assuming Murray doesn’t play after two days of joint practices with the Baltimore Ravens.

Murray hit Jordan Addison for an eight-yard gain on a third-and-7 in the first quarter. The play survived a challenge from John Harbaugh when the Giants coach tried to argue Addison hadn’t maintained control of the ball as he slid to the ground.

Murray threw at the top of his drop, and hit Addison coming back to the ball on a curl route. The drive, where the Vikings ran eight times for 44 yards, stalled when Murray missed running back Aaron Jones on a third-and-5 that forced the Vikings to settle for a field goal. In an interview with the Vikings’ broadcast after halftime, coach Kevin O’Connell said miscommunication might have been at the root of the incompletion.

“Had a chance to convert a third down but just time on task,” O’Connell said in the broadcast interview. “Aaron Jones sitting at the chains, checkdown, Kyler might think he’s breaking out and Aaron sits down. Little things we’re going to continue to work out as we go here. I thought Kyler commanded the offense well.”

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