It’s not been going according to plan for Minnesota. The Vikings entered their latest Ravens match hoping for a statement from their young quarterback and their superstar receiver. Instead, they left with more questions than answers in a 27-19 loss that indicated a growing disconnect between J.J. McCarthy and Justin Jefferson.

Jefferson, normally the heartbeat of the offense, looked out of rhythm all afternoon. The Wide Receiver caught just four of 12 targets for 37 yards, his fewest receptions since Week 2, when he’d caught just three. Only this time, it was his body language that outshone his surprising stats.

To make things worse, Jefferson was involved in both of McCarthy’s interceptions, one after appearing to slow up on a jump ball, the other after slipping on a deep route that allowed Marlon Humphrey to snatch the pick. It was an unusually passive trait for the All-Pro, whose body language drew as much attention as his production, coupled with McCarthy’s struggles to connect with the team.

“The ball didn’t really find my hand today,” Jefferson said. “That’s a part of football, and that’s a part of our life. … We gotta go back to it and go back to work and practice. Fix the things we need to fix,” Jefferson said postgame.

In three of the four games McCarthy has started this season, Jefferson has finished with fewer than 50 yards receiving. Due to Jefferson’s hamstring injury, the two were unable to practice together for the majority of training camp.

At the heart of Minnesota’s struggles, J.J. McCarthy completed under 50% of his passes and threw two interceptions, looking uncomfortable against a Ravens defense that forced him to adjust protections and control the game’s tempo. But it wasn’t all bleak for the Vikings.

Amidst the chaos, Jalen Nailor stood out. The young wideout caught five passes for 124 yards and a touchdown, given short right, resulting in a ten-yard touchdown pass.

“Speedy was gonna show up one of these days. He’s somebody who always just sticks to his process, does all the little things right, does the dirty work, and doesn’t complain at all,” McCarthy said.

The truth was that Jefferson and McCarthy hadn’t found rhythm, leaving the Vikings’ passing game faltering. That lack of cohesion was also visible in the details. Multiple costly false starts at home were a lot, pushing coach Kevin O’Connell to the edge.

Kevin O’Connell snaps as Vikings commit eight false starts in home loss

It was certainly loud in Minnesota on Sunday, but for a few of the wrong reasons. The noise came from the Vikings’ offense, tripping over itself in a loss to the Baltimore Ravens that saw eight false start penalties inside their own stadium. The surprising fact even left head coach Kevin O’Connell visibly furious.

For McCarthy, it was a harsh dose of NFL reality. After a strong Week 9 showing, the rookie-year player struggled badly against the Ravens’ disguised coverages and physical press looks. Minnesota made history as the first team in 16 years to rack up eight false starts at home. Overall, the Vikings were penalized 13 times for a total of 102 yards, while Baltimore only faced five penalties.

“Whatever was going on with the cadence, or whatever it may be, just not acceptable in any way,” O’Connell expressed after the game.

The growing pains are clear. Rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy has shown flashes, including a comeback win over Detroit last week, but Sunday proved how quickly that progress can unravel. Even O’Connell, known for protecting his quarterbacks, couldn’t hide his frustration.

Bottom of the NFC North table with a 4-5 record, the Vikings don’t appear to have their roster ready for a playoff run. As for their QB, McCarthy, looking promising but inexperienced, now faces a steep learning curve under the brightest lights.

For a team that was earlier viewed as a contender, Minnesota’s biggest challenge right now may not be the opposing defense. It very well could be their own struggles.