Starters Starting

The Minnesota Vikings host the Las Vegas Raiders tomorrow in Preseason Game #1. Head coach Kevin O’Connell said yesterday that the Vikings projected starters will be starting. Well, other than Justin Jefferson and Harrison Smith, the starters will be starting. O’Connell isn’t interested in putting Jefferson on the field against the team that sent him to the hospital last season. I doubt that precautionary hospital trip played a role in the decision. It was a thought that just occurred to me. Jefferson would probably love to play. He’d love to play in any game, of any sort, available to him. Game of catch. Pick-up game. Preseason game. Super Bowl. He’s that sort of player and that competitive. O’Connell has no interest in putting his best player anywhere near unnecessary harm. Jefferson doesn’t need to be on the field against another team to strengthen a connection with his quarterbacks. He has a strong connection with any quarterback the moment he steps on the field. He’s that good. He’s Justin Jefferson. There’s also no reason to put Smith in a preseason game in advance of his 13th season. There is, however, a reason to see the team’s new quarterback against a different defense. Most of the attention of O’Connell’s “starters starting” announcement is, of course, on quarterback Sam Darnold. And rookie J.J. McCarthy. O’Connell said that Darnold would start and that McCarthy would come in and a play a significant amount of the game. Jaren Hall will close out the game. Nick Mullens will apparently have the day off. He’s the most experienced quarterback in the team’s system. He’s the quarterback least in need of snaps against another team. While fans, media, etc. are interested in seeing projected starter Darnold. Most everyone, if not everyone, is much more interested in the rookie. The Vikings quarterback of the future, J.J. McCarthy will step on US Bank Stadium’s new turf for the first time. It’ll be an exciting moment for him and everyone surrounding the Vikings.

The Vikings haven’t won a preseason game since 2019. They’re on a ten-game losing streak. The 2020 preseason game schedule was eliminated due to the global pandemic. So there’s four games that could’ve ended the streak before it started or lengthened it. A reason for that humbling, but pointless, losing streak is O’Connell not playing starters during the preseason. He didn’t play the starters during his first two years as the team’s head coach. So, there was a curiosity about his plans for the Raiders hanging in the Eagan air. With the change at quarterback, this has been an offseason and training camp of transition in Minnesota. That change has led to the starters starting. Other than Justin Jefferson and Harrison Smith.