We\u2019ve been watching, but not saying much about, the drip-drip of the quarterback competition in Minnesota. Much of the evidence based on completion percentages and interceptions can be misleading, for various reasons.<\/p>\n
First, the quarterback of the starting offense will usually face the starting defense. The player running with the twos will be facing the second-string defense. Two, plays can be \u201cscripted for success,\u201d aimed at making the player look better by dialing up a specific play against a defense the play is designed to beat.<\/p>\n
Three, it\u2019s not live football. The quarterback can\u2019t get hit. That introduces a real difference to the stress the player is feeling as the walls close in.<\/p>\n
That said, all online indications based on Saturday\u2019s practice are that Kyler Murray has begun to assert himself. Which makes sense. He\u2019s objectively more talented than J.J. McCarthy. If it was close at first, Murray\u2019s lack of knowledge and experience in the offense was a factor.<\/p>\n
Murray\u2019s speed and elusiveness have yet to move to the forefront. That gives him a clear advantage when it\u2019s time to play, since the threat of Murray running will keep defenses honest. Which could open up passing lanes that, in practice, defenses aren\u2019t going to abandon as quickly.<\/p>\n
The Vikings, who passed on keeping Sam Darnold and Daniel Jones a year ago in lieu of giving McCarthy a full season as QB1, didn\u2019t sign Murray to ride the bench. If he was going to be the backup, he likely would have cast his lot with the Rams, who wanted him to be the understudy to Matthew Stafford.<\/p>\n
Consider the comments of Vikings quarterbacks coach Josh McCown regarding the extra dynamic Murray brings to the position.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve all seen SportsCenter, the stuff that he does with his legs \u2014 so you can\u2019t discount that<\/a>,\u201d McCown said, via Jori Epstein of Yahoo Sports. \u201cWe want to coach him and kind of ask him, to a degree, to operate in our offense and then add his touch to it within that as those plays. The game gives you those opportunities. You don\u2019t know when it\u2019s going to happen, but those plays come up. And so we\u2019re hoping that that\u2019ll be a positive for us if\/when that does happen. But it\u2019s coaching him as if he\u2019s just another Vikings quarterback that\u2019s in our system, learning our system, trying to grow him in our system the right way. And then again, letting his God-given ability and skill set take over when he plays.\u201d<\/p>\n