Sam Darnold highlights huge win over Kirk Cousins by setting a Vikings franchise record
Is there any quarterback in the National Football League playing better than Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold? It's been an up-and-down season for the Vikings signal caller who is in his first season with the franchise. He's thrown multiple interceptions on two separate occasions this season and has shown some issues when it comes to […]
Is there any quarterback in the National Football League playing better than Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold?
It's been an up-and-down season for the Vikings signal caller who is in his first season with the franchise. He's thrown multiple interceptions on two separate occasions this season and has shown some issues when it comes to turning over the football but those have mostly been mitigated with just one turnover in the last four games, a fumble against the Tennessee Titans.
His performances have been incredible this season and he set a franchise record while doing something that hadn't been done since Daunte Culpepper.
Sam Darnold sets a team record
Darnold's numbers from Sunday's 42-21 win over the Atlanta Falcons were exemplary.
- 22-28 completions
- 347 yards
- 12.4 yards per attempt
- 5 touchdowns
- 157.9 passer rating
- 84.2 QBR
It was the passer rating that ended up setting a franchise record, as it was his 11th game with a passer rating above 100.
It's not easy to have a passer rating above 100 in 11 games in a season, let alone doing so in just 13 games. In fact, only five quarterbacks currently have an average career passer rating over 100.
- Aaron Rodgers: 102.7
- Patrick Mahomes: 102.3
- Lamar Jackson: 100.8
- Joe Burrow: 100.3
- Russell Wilson: 100.1
It's truly remarkable what Darnold is doing and the fact that he's in his first season with the franchise makes all the more impressive.
It also wasn't the only impressive things he did on Sunday, as Darnold threw for five touchdowns this season. It was the first time since Daunte Culpepper did it in back-to-back weeks in 2004: week four against the Houston Texans and week five against the New Orleans Saints, both Vikings victories. He also did so in week one against the Dallas Cowboys that season.
As a rule of thumb, touchdowns are inherently random. You can get your team down to the one-yard line and the touchdown gets vultured by a running back. Ask those who play fantasy football about that.
The fact that Darnold is doing this for the Vikings is very impressive and it shows the talent he has and the coaching ability of Kevin O'Connell and his staff.
Sam Darnold and Jordan Addison highlight Studs and Duds with career days, send Kirk Cousins home with a double digit loss
It was a huge day for the Vikings’ offense
