Vikings Again Fall Short in Opening Round of the Playoffs

One of the most shocking upsets to emerge from this past week’s NFL Wild Card round was the Rams handing the 14-3 Vikings a first-round loss. A considerable amount of the blame has been placed on first-year Vikings starter Sam Darnold, who, rather surprisingly, revived his career this season after signing with Minnesota. Coming into this matchup, Darnold had mostly thrived, showcasing his potential and resilience throughout the campaign. However, his performance faltered significantly during the crucial last week of the regular season against the division rival Lions, where he struggled mightily in a disheartening 31-9 loss in Detroit. In that game, he completed only 18 of 41 passes for a mere 166 yards, registering his third-worst passer rating of the year at 55.5—a statistic that spoke volumes about the pressure he faced from the Lions' defensive unit.

Unfortunately for Darnold and the Vikings, the troubles persisted against the Rams, where the stakes were even higher. His final numbers—25 completions on 40 attempts for 245 yards, accompanied by one touchdown and one interception—belied the level of discomfort that marked his performance. While these figures might suggest a semblance of productivity, they failed to capture the frequent misfires Darnold experienced throughout the game. Time and again, he misplaced throws, failing to connect with his receivers with the precision he had often demonstrated earlier in the season. Darnold, who had been praised for his pinpoint accuracy and ability to read defenses effectively, seemed rattled, throwing behind receivers and missing open targets that could have shifted the momentum in favor of the Vikings. The culmination of these struggles not only highlighted Darnold's newness to high-pressure playoff scenarios but also cast a shadow over an otherwise promising season.

A loss like this is unquestionably the worst outcome the Vikings could have asked for coming out of their tremendous regular season for a few reasons. To start, the most obvious reason is being one of the best-record teams in the NFL and still losing in the opening round. That alone speaks for itself when looking at the disappointing ending of this year. However, one extra piece of the puzzle is the ongoing situation at quarterback. The Vikings drafted J.J. McCarthy in the first round of last year's draft, but he ultimately missed the entire season due to an injury sustained before Week One, thus ultimately thrusting Sam Darnold into the starting role, where he excelled with flying colors and had an All-Pro-esque season. That said, Darnold is now a pending free agent who will be looking to cash in on the season he just had in Minnesota. This places the Vikings in an unusual situation, as the team has a young quarterback in J.J. McCarthy, who has real potential to be great in the NFL, while also having a quarterback who was a legitimate top-10 player at his position this season. I believe this playoff loss will weigh heavily on the Vikings front office as they debate how to tackle this issue that all 31 other teams would wish to have. If Darnold demands money that the Vikings believe is not feasible, I do believe they will move on; however, I wouldn’t be surprised if they gave Darnold a short-term $30+ million deal if they feel strongly about the former USC quarterback.