Former Vikings QB Topples the Boogeyman
This spring, Sam Darnold parted ways with the Minnesota Vikings after leading the team to a 14-3 record in 2024.
A main reason for the departure was the three-year contract worth $100 million that the Seattle Seahawks offered Darnold. At the time, many Vikings fans were fine with the divorce despite the 14-3 record.
The shoulder shrugs regarding Darnold’s departure were due to a couple of reasons. For one, Minnesota had the allure of J.J. McCarthy waiting in the wings to take over the QB1 job. On top of that, the Vikings finished their season with devastating losses in Week 18 and then the Wild Card round of the playoffs.
However, on Thursday Night Football, the former Vikings QB toppled his greatest boogeyman that haunted him in 2024.
Former Vikings QB Topples the Boogeyman
The boogeyman for Darnold throughout his stint in Minnesota largely was one team: the Los Angeles Rams.
Darnold and the Vikings played the Rams twice in 2024. The first time around, Darnold played relatively well. He completed 72% of his passes for 240 yards and a pair of touchdowns. However, he effectively ended the game by being sacked for a safety while the Vikings tried to mount a final two-minute drill while down 28-20. Minnesota ended up losing 30-20 following that safety.
Then, the Rams were the team that Minnesota went up against in the Wild Card round of the playoffs following their 14-3 regular season. Darnold again put decent box score numbers with 245 yards and a touchdown while completing 62.5% of his passes.
However, Darnold also threw an interception, lost a fumble, and was sacked nine times on the way to a 27-9 beatdown by the Rams in that playoff game.
Darnold has now gone to Seattle, and heading into Thursday, led the Rams to an 11-3 record, similarly to what he’d done with the Vikings.
However, those losses came against NFC playoff contenders: the San Francisco 49ers, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and of course, another loss to the Rams in which he threw four interceptions compared to zero touchdowns.
On Thursday night, Darnold got another chance against his boogeyman, and it seemed like things were going the same old way they always have. Early in the fourth quarter, Seattle trailed 30-14, and Darnold had thrown a pair of interceptions, including one from the Rams’ six yard line.
Things changed from there, though. A punt return touchdown from Rashid Shaheed and then a two-point conversion pass from Darnold to Cooper Kupp made it a one-score game, and then, Darnold hit A.J. Barner for a 26-yard touchdown before a wild play resulted in another two-point conversion, evening the game at 30-30 heading into overtime.
The Rams quickly moved down the field to score a touchdown on the opening drive of overtime, retaking the lead 37-30.
However, Darnold followed that up by putting all the big game demons behind him, leading a 65-yard touchdown drive while completing five of his six pass attempts. Then, he put the final nail in the coffin of his boogeyman by hitting Eric Saubert for a two-point conversion, securing a 38-37 win.
Darnold has put his boogeyman behind him, and his new team now has the No. 1 seed in the NFC with a 12-3 record. The Seahawks have to be considered one of the main Super Bowl contenders heading into the final few two weeks of the regular season, and it may be a bandwagon many Vikings fans are willing to jump on to root for Darnold… even if it is the Seahawks.
Editor’s Note: Statistics for this article were found via Pro Football Reference.
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