Things have become interesting for Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold now that teammate Daniel Jones is on the 53-man roster. Darnold’s Pro Bowl – and at times MVP-caliber – season has had its ups and downs, but he appears to have overcome them early on.
Darnold’s situation is precarious following his collapse against the Detroit Lions in Week 18.
Jones’ role with the Vikings remains uncertain after he was added to the active roster. Kevin O’Connell, the Vikings’ head coach, would not limit the former New York Giant. “He definitely has progressed,” O’Connell told reporters on January 9. “He’s gotten a lot of really good work in both running scout team looks and doing extra work here and there with Josh [McCown].”
“The best.”
Simply put, we’re doing everything we can to make Sam ready to depart. But at the same time – whether you know Nick [Mullens], Daniel, or Brett [Rypien], all of those guys are absorbing the game plan as usual. And for the rest of the way, things are quite fluid. We are going to do whatever we believe would offer us the best chance of winning.” Jones completed 68.5% of his throws for 305 yards, two touchdowns, and zero interceptions against the Vikings in the 2022 Wild Card Round. Being QB2 over Mullens would put him one snap away from entering the game if something happened to Darnold.
“The timing of the anticipated transition is significant. Darnold had his worst game of the season last Sunday night in Detroit, missing at least three receivers open for touchdowns and finishing with a 34.5% off-target rate, the second worst of his career, in a 31-9 defeat to the Lions,” ESPN’s Kevin Seifert reported on January 9.
“If nothing else, having Jones on the 53-man roster for at least one week ensures that he will be part of the Vikings’ compensatory draft pick formula if he signs elsewhere.”
Despite Darnold’s accomplishment, the Vikings have big problems at quarterback.
Kevin O’Connell Shows Support for Sam Darnold Ahead of Vikings Playoff Debut
Darnold is a free agent after the season, and J.J. McCarthy, a rookie first-round pick, is recovering from a season-ending injury. When asked if his comments suggested Jones could be the backup quarterback to Darnold against the Los Angeles Rams on Monday, O’Connell emphasized his final point.
However, the coach does voice his support for Darnold. He discussed how the Vikings moved on from his Week 18 debacle, assigning blame to everyone, including himself.
O’Connell later lauded Darnold’s approach to both his achievements and setbacks.
“He’s got a level of mental toughness to just be consistent about his routine,” O’Connell told me. “Understanding that there’s really nothing Sam’s doing differently than saying, ‘Where I am. Throughout the week, I will be focusing on what I’m doing. But the mental fortitude to implement some severe coaching or to accept personal responsibility for things that may not have gone his way in one game. “Sam Donald is a major reason why we won 14 games. His teammates are aware of this. We know it. And that’s the mental toughness of it, recognizing the confidence he should have to put together another solid week of preparation and go play.” “It’s not like I didn’t expect it,” O’Connell explained. “I think his approach to success this year has been excellent. The way he’s handled adversity and then promptly rebounded to lead us to another four-plus win streak?
“That is due to the consistency of that position. That is really crucial to your entire staff. When you combine it with a defense we’re really pleased of, an offense we’re proud of, and a special teams group that’s been really effective all season, it puts you in a fairly good position to just move on and attempt to win a game using a lot of the things that got you here.”
Even yet, the Vikings have a more experienced quarterback behind Darnold than in Week 18.
Sam Darnold Gets Honest About Daniel Jones
Darnold discussed his excitement ahead of his first postseason appearance. He also highlighted how he will take what he learned from his Week 18 performance to this game. “This is my first playoff experience, so I’m very excited,” he told reporters on January 9.
“It’s just a matter of, for us, just being prepared and being able to have a clear mind going into the football game.”And that’s it. Throughout the week, we do everything we can to prepare for the environment, the noise level, and other factors. So just keep preparing that way, and we’ll be fine.”
Darnold was also asked about Jones’ presence in the Vikings’ quarterback room.
“DJ’s been excellent, man. Having someone with his experience in the room is beneficial for brainstorming ideas. And even just different systems that he’s been in and being able to, as I previously stated, bounce ideas off of him. It’s been great fun.
“He’s been fantastic to have in the room and to watch tapes with. And, yeah, he’s just been awesome.”
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