Just two weeks ago, Sam Darnold was having an incredible season and was set to earn a big contract.
But after two poor performances in the most important games of his career, his future in football is now uncertain.
Darnold struggled on Monday night in his first playoff game. The Los Angeles Rams beat his Minnesota Vikings 27-9, knocking them out of the playoffs. This loss ended the Vikings’ 14-win season with a disappointing result and no playoff victory.
The Rams came into the game with a clear plan: put pressure on Darnold early and see how he would handle it. They succeeded right from the Vikings’ first drive. Darnold was unsure of himself all night and often missed his targets when he did manage to throw the ball.
With everything on the line, Sam Darnold didn’t rise to the occasion on Monday night. (Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images)
Rams pass rush sets tone early
The Rams sacked Darnold on the Vikings’ second play, setting up a third-and-21 and forcing a quick three-and-out. Another sack on the Vikings’ second drive slowed them down and limited them to just a field goal.
On Minnesota’s third possession, Darnold threw an interception. Rams cornerback Cobie Durant read Darnold’s pass to Jordan Addison and jumped in front of it near midfield.
Minnesota’s next drive was even worse. Cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon blitzed from the left side and hit Darnold, causing a strip-sack. Darnold didn’t see him coming. Rookie linebacker Jared Verse picked up the fumble and ran down the sideline untouched for a 57-yard touchdown, giving the Rams a 17-3 lead.
By halftime, the Vikings had sacked Darnold two more times, making a total of six sacks. According to ESPN, that’s the most first-half sacks in a playoff game since Washington did it to the Vikings in the 1988 NFC Championship game.
The sixth sack, by Rams player Kobie Turner, resulted in a turnover on downs in the Vikings’ territory. The Rams took advantage with a 39-yard touchdown drive, extending their lead to 24-3 before halftime.
Another disappointing high-pressure performance
Darnold played a little better in the second half and led the Vikings to a touchdown drive in the third quarter. However, it was too little too late. The deficit from the first half was too large to overcome. A sack in the fourth quarter ended any hope of a comeback, and the Rams won easily.
Darnold finished the game completing 25 of 40 passes for 245 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. He was sacked nine times, losing 82 yards, and he also lost a fumble. This was the second straight poor performance for Darnold in critical games.
The Vikings had a chance to skip the wild-card round and secure the NFC North and the No. 1 seed in the playoffs in a winner-take-all regular-season finale against the Lions. They lost 31-9, and Darnold struggled with his accuracy, completing only 18 of 41 passes (41.9%) for 166 yards and no touchdowns.
What do the Vikings do now?
After these disappointing performances, the Vikings now face a tough decision in the offseason about their most important position. Should they re-sign Darnold, or let him go as a free agent and give the starting role to J.J. McCarthy?
Darnold was never supposed to be in this position. The Vikings had drafted McCarthy in the first round last year as their quarterback for the future. They signed Darnold as a veteran backup to help until McCarthy was ready to start.
A meniscus injury ended McCarthy’s rookie season before it even began, and Darnold was forced into the starting role. He had struggled in past starting chances with the Panthers and Jets after being selected by the Jets as the No. 3 overall pick in 2018.
But this time, in his third chance as a starter in his seventh NFL season, Darnold played well. He led the Vikings to a 14-3 record, the third-best in the league, and made his first Pro Bowl, completing 66.2% of his passes for 254.1 yards per game, with 35 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.
It was a redemption story for Darnold in a sport that loves those kinds of stories. But the 2024 season ends with a big question mark that the Vikings can’t ignore. That question mark will likely cost Darnold money and could even cost him another year as the Vikings’ starting quarterback.
