Through six games, Sam Darnold has given the 5-1 Vikings more than they should or could have expected from the quarterback spot.
RandBall: Sam Darnold is at the top of five biggest Minnesota sports questions
The narrative on Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold’s season is shifting, and Thursday is a big moment for him. Questions about the Wild, Timberwolves and others aren’t far behind.
The Minnesota Star Tribune
October 23, 2024 at 8:56PM
It also is undeniable that his first three games were better than his next three games.
And it is interesting that while Darnold is No. 7 in passer rating (104.0) in the NFL, he is No. 18 in QBR, an ESPN statistic that aims to get a clearer picture of a quarterback’s impact on winning beyond raw numbers.
Vibes are unscientific and unspecific, but the vibes on Darnold feel like they are shifting. You hear Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell talk more frequently lately about missed opportunities on offense, many of which circle back to Darnold.
You sense the Vikings let one slip away against a very good Detroit team, unable to take advantage of two huge plays (stopping a fake punt and scoring another defensive touchdown) because they couldn’t make enough small ones.
In that game, Darnold finished a very respectable 22-for-27 for 259 yards along with one TD and one interception. The eye test was a little less impressive, but the game also seemed like the baseline for what the Vikings should reasonably expect from Darnold for the rest of the season.
As such, this question is the biggest one in Minnesota sports right now: How much above or below the level he played at in the Lions game will Darnold play the rest of the season?
He gets a quick opportunity to start answering that question Thursday in Los Angeles against the Rams. Traveling two time zones west on a short week doesn’t seem like a recipe for offensive efficiency or precision, but Darnold said Tuesday there is an advantage to playing again so soon.
“Kind of the beauty of a short week is you don’t have a ton of time to think about narratives or anything that’s going on around the media,” said Darnold, who doesn’t say much.
Indeed, players often have on blinders. We are the ones trying to interpret the big picture and fashion stories around it.
Darnold certainly has played well enough to have job security, though I have allowed myself to wonder what the narrative would be if J.J. McCarthy was healthy.
But the Vikings are in the midst of a potentially special and certainly surprising season. Their floor is being in the playoff hunt all year even if Darnold declines dramatically. Their ceiling is true championship contention if he can become “Samtember” Darnold again.
I have a feeling we’ll learn a lot Thursday night about which direction things are headed.
Here are four more big Minnesota sports questions:
- Are the Wild for real? There wasn’t a bigger surprise in Minnesota sports than the Vikings until the Wild started playing. They have 10 points in six games and haven’t trailed in regulation all season. Goaltender Filip Gustavsson has been superb, but even if he starts giving up an extra goal here and there, the scoring variety has been surprisingly good. Maybe they’re better than we thought and as good as GM Bill Guerin hoped?
- What’s the level of concern after the Timberwolves’ opening night clunker? Columnist Patrick Reusse was dead on with his postgame column Tuesday after a 110-103 loss to the Lakers: “It was one game out of 82, but when much is expected and you start off with a pathetic effort — that does make an impression.” Let’s say mild concern at this point. Let’s check back after 25 games and see if some of the issues have smoothed themselves out.
- Should a Twins fan be optimistic or pessimistic about 2025? Phil Miller’s end-of-year roster assessment is packed with wit and information. What it didn’t leave me with — not his fault — is a clear impression of how the Twins stack up in 2025. The pitching staff in particular feels volatile. Factor in a possible sale of the team, which could have negative or positive consequences, and it’s a hard team to project.
- Can the Lynx do it again? The Lynx were a few seconds away from their fifth WNBA title when their two-point lead vanished — or was stolen, if you prefer — and was replaced by an overtime Game 5 loss to the Liberty. Minnesota was an absolute surprise team all year, going 30-10 when some projections had them barely winning half that many games. The Lynx’s team-first mentality carried them through a mighty playoff run, too. The chemistry on this year’s team was impeccable. It seems like they should be able to duplicate it next year; history also suggests it will be difficult.
Associate head coach Kristen Kelsay said it took a “dream come true” to get her to depart after two seasons with head coach Keegan Cook.
