J.J. McCarthy and the Vikings win after being eliminated from playoffs before kickoff at Cowboys

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — J.J. McCarthy has back-to-back wins for the first time as an NFL quarterback, and three more games to show the Minnesota Vikings that he can help get them back into the playoffs next season.

While Minnesota (6-8) was eliminated from playoff contention before kickoff of its 34-26 win at the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday night, there is still time to try to build some more momentum with and for the injury-plagued young starting QB.

“The response from our quarterback was fantastic, on the road, Sunday night football, first attempt gets batted and intercepted,” coach Kevin O'Connell said.

“I love what I do. Like I love playing ball. I realize how blessed I am to be in this position. And most importantly I love the people I do it with,” McCarthy said. “It can get very loud and very noisy and you know there’s a lot of situations that I’ve gone through in my past to kind of minimize those things. And the number one thing that does that is just love what you’re doing right in front of you, love who you’re around because that’s what matters in the grand scheme of things, and focus on that growth each and every day.”

The Vikings have alternated between making and missing the playoffs in four seasons under O'Connell, and their next chance to get into the postseason will be in 2026. They lost in the wild-card round after going 13-4 in 2022, O'Connell's first year, and 14-3 in 2024.

McCarthy completed 15 of 24 passes for 250 yards with two touchdowns to Jalen Nailor and that interception on his first attempt against the Cowboys. The 2024 first-round pick who won a national championship at Michigan also ran for a touchdown after a great fake handoff that left pretty much the left side of the field open for him to scamper into the end zone.

“His confidence is growing,” veteran center Ryan Kelly said. “He's just really taking that step forward and the kid’s shouldered a lot of weight in his first really year of starting. And what he’s been able to do the last two weeks has been really impressive.”

Minnesota went ahead to stay on fullback C.J. Ham's 1-yard touchdown run that made it 24-23 late in the third quarter on a drive that McCarthy extended with a 23-yard pass to Nailor on fourth-and-3 from the Dallas 37. Nailor's only other two catches were his touchdowns, a 20-yarder in the first quarter and a 4-yard score in the fourth.

After starting 3-2 this season, Minnesota lost six of seven after its bye week. The Vikings stopped a four-game losing streak with a 31-0 victory over Washington last week in McCarthy's return to the lineup after missing a game with a concussion, though that ended up being too little, too late.

That was the second time this season the Vikings won when McCarthy got back in the lineup after missing time.

McCarthy is 4-4 in his first season as the starting quarterback after his rookie year was wiped out by a torn meniscus in his right knee. This season, he was sidelined for five games by a high ankle sprain.

The Vikings beat NFC North rival Detroit to even their record at 4-4 in McCarthy's return on Nov. 2 before losing the next four. McCarthy struggled through the first three games of the losing streak, then missed a 26-0 loss to Seattle before a he threw season-best three touchdown passes against the Commanders and went without a turnover for the first time.

Minnesota chose to stick with McCarthy after his promising 2024 preseason, even though a breakout year from Sam Darnold resulted in a playoff trip. The Vikings let Darnold go to Seattle in free agency.

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Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jordan Addison makes a catch during the first half of an NFL football game against the Dallas Cowboys Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Jerome Miron)

Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell looks on during the first half of an NFL football game against the Dallas Cowboys Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

Dallas Cowboys running back Hunter Luepke, center, is stopped by Minnesota Vikings defensive tackle Javon Hargrave, right, and linebacker Blake Cashman during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Jerome Miron)

Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (9) throws a pass during the first half of an NFL football game against the Dallas Cowboys Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Jerome Miron)

Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy throws a pass during the first half of an NFL football game against the Dallas Cowboys Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

LONDON (AP) — Britain's Treasury chief Rachel Reeves sought Tuesday to paint a rosy picture of the state of the U.K. economy even as oil and gas prices soared and shares slid in the wake of the fast-evolving Iran war that has cast a pall over the global economic outlook.

Unveiling the latest U.K. economic forecasts compiled by the independent Office for Budget Responsibility, Reeves insisted her policies since the Labour Party returned to power in the 2024 election are bearing fruit.

Though economic growth this year is expected to be lower than predicted at the time of last November's budget at 1.1%, it's set to be higher than anticipated in both 2027 and 2028 at 1.6%. Inflation and borrowing are expected to fall more quickly than previously thought, she added.

“The forecasts today confirm that the choices this government has made are the right ones,” she said.

Reeves had hoped her statement to the House of Commons would be a relatively low-key affair, but economists are warning that the Iran war could upend the forecasts, depressing growth, stoking inflation and increasing debt.

The price of Brent international oil standard has spiked by more than 15% this week to over $80 a barrel, while global gas prices, which the U.K. is particularly reliant on, have nearly doubled. If sustained, both would certainly lead to higher energy bills and prices at the pump, fueling inflation and keeping a lid on growth. The FTSE 100 index of leading British shares closed down 2.75% on Tuesday.

“The conflict in the Middle East is already pushing up oil prices, gas prices and expectations for interest rates,” said Helen Miller, director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies. “It could yet cause more far-reaching economic disruption.”

Reeves started off her speech by acknowledging that the world has become “yet more uncertain” in the past few days following the decision of the United States and Israel to launch strikes against Iran, which saw the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as well as other members of Iran's leadership. However, she did not announce any tax or spending measures that could cushion any potential blow.

“It is incumbent on me and on this government to chart a course through that uncertainty, to secure our economy against shocks, and protect families from the turbulence that we see beyond our borders,” she said.

Opponents of the government said Reeves was in denial and that the British economy, the world's sixth-largest, remains vulnerable to outside shocks.

Her counterpart in the Conservative Party, Mel Stride, said Reeves has “undermined” the country’s potential with a slew of tax increases since she became chancellor of the exchequer.

“The chancellor has the temerity to suggest that she is creating the conditions for renewed growth," he said.

Britain’s Labour government, which has lost significant support since it won the general election in 2024, has been hoping that 2026 would be the year that it was clear the British economy was on a sounder footing than it has been for years.

Some recent economic indicators have pointed to a pickup in growth in the early part of 2026. Inflation is also set to fall sharply in the coming months, prompting the Bank of England to cut interest rates further. Last month, the bank kept its main rate unchanged at 3.75% and indicated there could be a cut in March.

It's early days, but the Iran war may have put paid to that hope.

Artist Kaya Mar poses with his newest painting edition for photographers outside Downing Street before Britain's Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves leaves to deliver the Spring Statement in London, Tuesday, March 3, 2026.(AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

Britain's Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves leaves 11 Downing Street to deliver the Spring Statement in London, Tuesday, March 3, 2026.(AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

Britain's Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves leaves 11 Downing Street to deliver the Spring Statement in London, Tuesday, March 3, 2026.(AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

A fox runs past the 10 Downing Street door before Britain's Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves leaves to deliver the Spring Statement in London, Tuesday, March 3, 2026.(AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

Britain's Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves leaves 11 Downing Street to deliver the Spring Statement in London, Tuesday, March 3, 2026.(AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

Britain's Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves leaves 11 Downing Street to deliver the Spring Statement in London, Tuesday, March 3, 2026.(AP Photo/Kin Cheung)