Vikings QB Made a Naughty List

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Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold would never encounter completely smooth sailing in his first year with the purple team, and onlookers hope Week 10 was his valley.

Vikings QB Made a Naughty List

Darnold tossed 3 interceptions last weekend during a Vikings win over the Jacksonville Jaguars while tossing no touchdowns. He played well otherwise, but the turnovers were damning — so much so that some fans on social media called for QB2 Nick Mullens’ entry into the game, a request that was not obliged.

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Brad Rempel-Imagn Images.

And weekly, CBS Sports posts a report of items that website liked and didn’t like in the NFL, and unfortunately, Darnold made the naughty list. Zachary Pereles called Darnold “bad” for the week and wrote, “Speaking of not finishing, Sam Darnold threw three interceptions, including two in the red zone. This easily could have been a four- or five-interception day for Darnold, who has 10 interceptions on the season and five in the last two weeks.”

There was no enthusiasm from the Vikings coaching staff to explore Mullens’ services, with the theory shot down by Kevin O’Connell dead in its tracks after the game.

Brad Rempel-Imagn Images.

Pereles continued, “This is against a woeful Jaguars secondary, and it’s a product of a super-aggressive approach plus some really bad ball placement. Darnold has simply failed to see some defenders over the past few weeks, and of his five recent picks, four have been when targeting Justin Jefferson. I’m not saying he or the Vikings’ offense has been figured out, but Minnesota needs its quarterback to be safer with the ball.”

Of course, Darnold is allowed a bad game or two per season; every quarterback has such outings. It’s just that Darnold played so well in September that fans changed their expectations of the 27-year-old. Suddenly, some onlookers decided Minnesota wasn’t just playing in a “house money” season anymore and that Darnold needed to maintain a Top 10 clip for all 17 games.

The problem is that he simply isn’t that good.

Fans Have the Worst
Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports.

Reporters asked O’Connell if he had a moment when he considered tossing Mullens into action, and he replied, “Not one. Not one all day long. 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.”

Darnold ranks 11th among all qualifying quarterbacks per EPA+CPOE, an efficiency metric measuring expected wins added. He’s smushed between Patrick Mahomes (No. 10) and Kirk Cousins (No. 12).

O’Connell added, “We’re still 100% confident in Sam. It would be craziness not to be.”

Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images.

Darnold may have made CBS Sports‘ weekly naughty list, but the Vikings will give him every chance to redeem himself.

The Vikings travel to Tennessee this weekend for a date with the Titans and are expected to win by six.


Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. The show features guests, analysis, and opinion on all things related to the purple team, with 4-7 episodes per week. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band). He follows the NBA as closely as the NFL. 

All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.