Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold (14) escapes from Green Bay Packers defensive end Kingsley Enagbare (55) on Sunday, September 29, 2024, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis. The Vikings won the game, 31-29. Tork Mason/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin.
To say it has been a tumultuous couple of weeks for Sam Darnold would be putting it lightly. The Minnesota Vikings quarterback has looked shaky to start the second half of the season, and it’s been a struggle for him to protect the football. That wasn’t a reality on Sunday, and Kevin O’Connell will surely sign up for more of that.
The Chicago Bears were expected to present a formidable challenge to the Minnesota Vikings passing game. While plenty has gone wrong for Matt Eberflus this season, his secondary has been among the shining stars. Sam Darnold didn’t get that memo, or he didn’t care.
The Vikings were methodical on Sunday, and the quarterback excelled.
When the dust settled, following an overtime game that didn’t need to get there, Darnold threw 34 passes and completed 22 of them. His 330 yards were a sizable total, and he found the end zone a pair of times. Most importantly though, Darnold didn’t throw an interception and he didn’t cough up a fumble. Protecting the rock has not always been a given for him, and this was a very positive development.
Minnesota could have gotten down on themselves early after running back Aaron Jones failed to get into the end zone. Not only did he get stuff again on a goal-to-go carry, but the football was pried from his hands as well. The Vikings made sure to make that their only turnover of the day, and it’s largely why the game never felt like it got away from them.
There’s no denying that Darnold has thrown his fair share of interceptions this season. With 21 touchdowns and 10 picks though, he’s doing enough positive to take away the questionable chances. His inability to hold onto the football when feeling pressure or taking sacks may be more problematic, but even in going down three times Sunday, the football never left his possession.
As the Vikings continue to stack wins down the stretch, they will need a strong level of leadership from their quarterback. That starts with him putting them in positive positions, and doing what he can to protect the football. Against a tougher secondary on Sunday, Darnold rose to and above the occasion.
The Vikings have already surpassed expectations so there’s no reason for them to stop achieving now.
Ted Schwerzler is a blogger from the Twin Cities that is focused on all things Minnesota Twins and Minnesota Vikings. He’s active on Twitter and writes daily for Minnesota Sports Fan. As a former college athlete and avid sports fan, covering our pro teams with a passion has always seemed like such a natural outlet.