Sam Darnold had an excellent season, reviving his career as a starter and leading Minnesota to one of the NFL’s best records. A deep playoff run was expected next. However, a disappointing performance in the desert knocked Darnold and the Vikings out of the postseason.
In his first playoff start, Darnold struggled, losing two turnovers and taking nine sacks, tying an NFL record, in the Vikings’ 27-9 loss to the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC wild-card round on Monday night.
“I clearly didn’t play well enough the past couple weeks,” Darnold said after the game. He finished 25 of 39 for 245 yards with a touchdown and an interception. “Just left too many throws out there that I usually make. I’ve got to take better care of the football.”
This was not the ending the Vikings had hoped for. Coach Kevin O’Connell earned praise in his third season for leading Minnesota (14-4) back to the playoffs after a 7-10 season the year before. Darnold was the key to O’Connell’s offense after being placed in a backup role.
Darnold, the third overall pick in the 2018 NFL draft, spent three average seasons with the New York Jets, two years with Carolina, and was a backup to Brock Purdy in San Francisco last season. When he joined the Vikings, he wasn’t expected to make a big impact, but after rookie J.J. McCarthy’s season-ending knee injury in the preseason, Darnold took over.
He posted career-high stats, earned his first Pro Bowl selection, and became the first quarterback to win 14 games in his first season with a new team.
“I think it’s very important we all think about Sam’s body of work, what he was able to do this year when not very many people thought he would be able to,” O’Connell said.
Despite his strong season, Darnold’s performance, and Minnesota’s, ended with two disappointing losses.
A week earlier, Minnesota had a chance to secure the top NFC seed against Detroit. Darnold struggled, holding the ball too long, finishing 18 of 41 for 166 yards and no touchdowns. The Vikings lost 31-9, which forced them to play on the road instead of at home. They faced the Rams in a game moved to Arizona due to wildfires in Southern California.
Another rough performance followed in the desert. Darnold again held the ball too long and became the first quarterback this century to be sacked six times in the first half of a playoff game. Two sacks were especially costly.
With Minnesota trailing 10-3 in the second quarter, Darnold held the ball too long and was stripped by Ahkello Witherspoon. The ball went straight to Rams linebacker Jared Verse, who ran it back for a 57-yard touchdown.
“All the plays he does make off schedule, a lot of guys around the league can make those plays, but there is a level of understanding the situation of hey, we can’t allow such a game-changing play to happen,” O’Connell said.
Trying to spark his team just before halftime, O’Connell decided to go for it on fourth-and-2 from midfield. Minnesota turned the ball over on downs when Darnold was sacked. Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford then threw a 13-yard touchdown pass to backup tight end Davis Allen, giving Los Angeles a 24-3 halftime lead.
“When there are people coming off the edge, it’s up to me to find a window to throw it,” Darnold said. “I felt like there were a lot of sacks I was responsible for.”
Darnold managed to make some good throws in the third quarter, including a 26-yard touchdown pass to T.J. Hockenson. However, the Vikings’ 2-point attempt failed, leaving them with a 27-9 deficit and their playoff hopes over.
