ST. PAUL — The Vikings are off the mat, and it’s not just because quarterback J.J. McCarthy played the best game of his nascent NFL career.

No one who has been watching the Vikings knew exactly what to expect from McCarthy in his third NFL start on Sunday, but there were no doubt some diehards out there who earnestly believed he would be better than he was in his first two games, way back in September.

Finding someone who would have predicted the defense would confound a Lions offense in a 27-24 victory in Detroit would have been difficult. The Vikings had just been torched by Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts — 326 yards, three touchdowns — in a 28-22 loss on Oct. 19, then thoroughly embarrassed in a 37-10 loss to Justin Herbert and the Los Angeles Chargers in a Thursday night game in Ingl

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