Things are about as bad as they can get for the Minnesota Vikings and quarterback J.J. McCarthy.
McCarthy has had some ups this season, but those are greatly overshadowed by all the downs we've seen with the second-year signal-caller, who is trending in the wrong direction after six career starts.
McCarthy was very bad yet again in Week 12 against the Green Bay Packers, when he completed 12-of-19 passes for just 87 yards and two picks and just looked lost overall.
Through his six NFL starts, McCarthy is sporting a QBR of 24.9, which, according to ESPN's Kevin Seifert, is one of the worst marks for any quarterback to start their career in the past decade.
That QBR also ranks 33rd among NFL quarterbacks this season. McCarthy's 57.9 passer rating ranks 45th.
"I've got to be better," McCarthy said. "I've got to do a lot of things better."
The Vikings have plenty of issues that have helped them to a 4-7 record, but having a quarterback who isn't playing at a starting-caliber level is at the top of the list.
"I think you can," head coach Kevin O'Connell said when asked if the Vikings can win games with the way McCarthy is playing quarterback, "I do believe that. But it does require, as a football team, not doing things that loses games."
"I think there's a needle to thread there, and we got to just keep on building the foundation of playing the position, but also all 11 guys in that huddle doing their jobs," O'Connell added.
What makes McCarthy's showing more painful to take is the fact that the Vikings let Sam Darnold leave in free agency to the Seattle Seahawks, where he's posting another strong season.
One can only wonder how different things would be right now if Minnesota kept Darnold instead of putting all of its eggs in the McCarthy basket.
While the Vikings and their fans should definitely be concerned, it's only fair to give McCarthy more time, seeing as how this is his first season as a starter.
But if things continue down the path they are on, the Vikings are going to need to do something at the quarterback position in 2026 that provides insurance for the Michigan product.