The Minnesota Vikings fell flat despite being set up for arguably the greatest regular season game in NFL history. They got throttled to a 31-9 score, and everything looked as ugly as the scoreboard.
The Vikings have succeeded all season long because Sam Darnold plays exceptional football. On Sunday night, however, he did anything but. The veteran quarterback consistently overthrew wide receivers, failed to settle in, and couldn’t put the ball in ideal catch scenarios at any point.
The Vikings had ample opportunities for T.J. Hockenson and Justin Jefferson to convert big plays. Darnold couldn’t put them in a position to succeed, and it showed. Jordan Addison found himself wide open in the end zone, and Darnold failed to look his way. It was a house of horrors by all measures.
Then there was the coach. Kevin O’Connell has been among the best in the NFL this season. He should win the 2024 Coach of the Year award and is incredibly valuable to the Minnesota organization. On Sunday, though, it was amateur hour.
Not only did O’Connell fail to keep a balanced gameplan, but he was tactically behind at virtually every step. Minnesota couldn’t find the end zone the closer they got to it, and O’Connell was continuously chasing his tail. Maybe Dan Campbell spooked him from the opposite sideline, but the Vikings got away from their identity.
Minnesota has struggled to succeed all season long with the interior running game. They completely abandoned it as they got closer to the goal line on Sunday. That may have been understandable if there were conversions through the air, but Darnold couldn’t generate those either. The amount of points Darnold left on the board was staggering, and it continued to compound as the scoreboard left them in the dust.
The Vikings and Lions are certainly not divided by the same gap they saw in primetime, but you’d be hard-pressed to sell that narrative this week. For now, Minnesota will need to pick themselves up and win a game on the road. It’s not the ideal scenario for a team with 14 wins, but adversity hasn’t held them back thus far. Time to get to work.
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.