Questions Answered: Best-Case Vikings Scenario in Playoffs, Will Reichard Fears, Will Darnold Bounce Back?
The following questions are about current Minnesota Vikings topics, answered by VikingsTerritory. Today is the January 8th edition, addressed in a from-the-hip fashion. If you have questions, please email them to [email protected].
Questions Answered: Best-Case Vikings Scenario in Playoffs, Will Reichard Fears, Will Darnold Bounce Back?
Also, please note: These are opinion-based responses. Some answers will be incorrect from time to time. But we’ll try to keep that to a minimum.
Q: What’s the Vikings’ best path in the playoffs?
Answer: It’s a bit complicated, so we’ll just list it out:
- Vikings over Rams (WC)
- Packers over Eagles (WC)
- Commanders over Buccaneers (WC)
- Commanders at Vikings (Divisional)
- Packers at Lions (Divisional)
- Packers at Vikings (NFC Title Game)
This is a lot of “cheering for the Packers,” but if you want Minnesota to play at home, the easiest route is for Green Bay to pull off some upsets.
Otherwise, defeating the Rams on Monday and heading to Tampa Bay in the Divisional Round isn’t a terribly daunting assignment, all things considered. Again, though, this will require a Packers upset.
If no upsets occur, and the Vikings prevail at SoFi Stadium, Minnesota will return to Detroit in the Divisional Round.
Q: Are you worried about Will Reichard?
Answer: No.
We didn’t expect him to be perfect from cover to cover during his rookie season. And last weekend, he missed a 51-yarder at Detroit. That happens. It just does.
His kick out of bounds late in the 2nd Quarter stunk, but such is life.
We’re more excited about Reichard getting back on track in the postseason than we are apprehensive about more misses.
Reichard will be fine.
Q: Will Sam Darnold bounce back this week against the Rams?
Answer: Yes.
The Vikings’ front office and perhaps 5-7 onlooking general managers from afar will monitor Darnold’s performance after the Week 18 stinker. Many have theorized that Darnold has a contract north of $40 million waiting on him in the offseason from a quarterback-needy team.
Another woeful individual showing could slash that figure to $20 million or so. Perhaps less. It’s almost as if one game alone determines Darnold’s long-term trajectory as an NFL player and businessman.
Darnold has delivered and rebounded every step of the way in 2024. We expect this week to be no different.
He may not toss five touchdowns, but he won’t fire up a Detroit-style clunker.
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 MIN 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.
You must be logged in to post a comment.