One Viking Has Absolutely Everything on the Line at Rams
The Minnesota Vikings, as 1.5-point favorites, depart for Los Angeles this week, taking on the Rams on Monday Night Football in the Wildcard Round of the postseason.
One Viking Has Absolutely Everything on the Line at Rams
The purple team flopped last weekend, losing the No. 1 seed in the NFC to the Detroit Lions, and now must face a road gauntlet (probably) to reach the Super Bowl.
In that Week 18 contest, quarterback Sam Darnold played terribly, unable to complete passes and generally appearing shell-shocked by the moment. Thankfully for Darnold and the Vikings’ sake, the loss to Detroit was not lose-or-go-home, so Darnold has a shot at redemption this Monday.
And, my, oh my — it’s for all the marbles from Darnold’s perspective.
Millions on the Line for Darnold
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 relegate that figure to $20 million or so.
It’s almost as if one game alone determines Darnold’s long-term trajectory as an NFL player and businessman.
A Win? Right Back on Track.
Vegas expects Minnesota to win, and so long as Darnold doesn’t fire up an interception festival, he can return to the fancy next-contract talks if his team visits the postseason’s Divisional Round.
The NFL puts a lot of stock into “quarterback wins,” and Darnold will need one in Los Angeles to prove his mettle.
It’s unclear what would happen to Darnold’s 2025 market if he personally delivered approximately 3 touchdowns while Minnesota lost. To be determined if applicable.
Another Stinker? Back to Pedestrian QB Money.
The flip side? A performance akin to Week 18 would automatically show the world that Darnold thrived in a limited sample only.
That judgment may be unfair, but the NFL is about quarterbacks’ play and response in the playoffs. To an extent, nobody cares about the regular season. General managers need passers who can excel in the tournament, which separates men from boys.
Darnold could stand to lose $40-$50 million in one game, believe it or not.
The Track Record
Darnold produced a rather underwhelming game at the Jacksonville Jaguars in November. Minnesota won because of an accurate field goal kicker, but Darnold dimed 3 picks trying to force the rock to Justin Jefferson ad nauseam.
Shortly thereafter, though, the 27-year-old bounced back and later went on a heater in December. He has the track record to rectify a bad game. He’s already done it as a member of the purple team.
Now, the bounceback is about Darnold’s wallet. He must improve from the Week 18 debacle, and if his team wins, he could be an upper-echelon earner on the 2025 free-agent market or even with the Vikings.
It’s one single game for Darnold that decides his path as QB1 with staying power in the league.
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.
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