Getty Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold approaches receiver Justin Jefferson during a 2024 NFL regular season game vs. the Houston Texans.
The Minnesota Vikings have weathered the Sam Darnold experience two weeks in a row and managed to escape with narrow wins over opponents they should have pummeled.
Regardless of the results, Darnold is causing concern in Minnesota. The 27-year-old has turned the ball over six times in the past two weeks and leads the NFL with 13 turnovers on the year.
The Vikings’ 12-7 win in Week 10 over the Jacksonville Jaguars was an anomaly.
According to The Athletic, only 1 out of 100 times has a team whose quarterback threw three interceptions and zero touchdowns come out victorious since 2000.
Minnesota overcame those odds with a stifling defensive performance, however, the worries are bound to continue for the Vikings, according to CBS Sports Jeff Kerr.
In his weekly overreactions piece, Kerr dubbed the Vikings’ worries about Darnold a reality.
“Sam Darnold just hasn’t been the same quarterback since the Vikings’ 5-0 start. The completion percentage is still high (74.2%), but the turnovers are significantly up. Darnold has thrown six interceptions in the four games since that 5-0 start — to only six touchdown passes — and has a 94.5 passer rating,” Kerr wrote, adding that Vikings are not a true contender if Darnold cannot clean up the turnovers.
“The numbers aren’t bad, but the turnovers are reminiscent of the Darnold of old,” Kerr added. “The Vikings are a good team and are winning games in spite of Darnold’s turnovers (he had 11 touchdowns to four interceptions in the first five games). Minnesota is a playoff team, but the Vikings aren’t an NFC title contender if Darnold keeps playing this way.”
Vikings’ Kevin O’Connell Stands By His Decision-Making With Darnold
GettyHead Coach Kevin O’Connell and quarterback Sam Darnold #14 of the Minnesota Vikings.
After the Vikings’ win over the Jaguars, head coach Kevin O’Connell was adamant that there was not a single thought about benching Darnold.
“Not one all day long,” he said. “In fact, I was looking at it as a great opportunity to see growth and continue to move the team. We’re going to check back on this moment and use it the right way, and Sam is going to be better off for it. I truly do believe that.”
O’Connell has stood by Darnold’s aggressive tendencies throughout the season — and there’s evidence to suggest it’s largely played in the Vikings’ favor.
Despite not putting away Jacksonville and Indianapolis early, the Vikings offense has dominated.
They’ve set season-highs in plays run and time of possession the past two weeks with T.J. Hockenson‘s return from injury. It’s added a new exploit underneath defenses that Darnold generally made the right call on.
But once the field condensed inside the Jaguars’ 30-yard line, where he threw all three of his interceptions, is where Darnold ran into troubles.
Whether Darnold can clean up his decision-making in these scenarios is debatable. He’s thrown seven of his 10 interceptions inside the opponents’ 30-yard line. Three have come in the end zone and another two were inside the 10-yard line.
Vikings Cannot Afford to Leave Points on the Board Against Playoff Teams
Darnold’s turnover issues in the red zone are the biggest concern for the Vikings moving forward.
The offense has the talent to move the ball effectively, currently ranked 13th in total yardage.
But if Darnold cannot start cashing in on his chances or know when to settle for three points, playoff-worthy teams are going to take advantage of those missed opportunities.
Trevor Squire is a sports journalist covering the NFL and NBA for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Minnesota Vikings, Minnesota Timberwolves and Milwaukee Bucks. Trevor studied journalism at the University of Minnesota — Twin Cities, making stops at the Star Tribune and the St. Paul Pioneer Press. You can reach him at [email protected] and follow him on Twitter @trevordsquire. More about Trevor Squire
