NFL Power Rankings continue to misevaluate Minnesota Vikings due to preconceived notions about QB Sam Darnold
It's noteworthy that the Minnesota Vikings are both 7-2 and played arguably their weirdest game in some time against the Jacksonville Jaguars. They gained 402 yards on offense but scored just 12 points thanks to three interceptions from quarterback Sam Darnold in Jaguars territory. On defense, they were as dominant as ever, allowing seven points […]
It's noteworthy that the Minnesota Vikings are both 7-2 and played arguably their weirdest game in some time against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
They gained 402 yards on offense but scored just 12 points thanks to three interceptions from quarterback Sam Darnold in Jaguars territory. On defense, they were as dominant as ever, allowing seven points and a paltry 143 yards.
Meanwhile, NFL analysts aren't quite sure what to make of the team. Should the be ranked highly due to their impressive wins and elite defense, or do they not buy into the team because of their quarterback situation? Only one analyst has the Vikings in the top five with one pushing them outside of the top 10.
ESPN's NFL Nation
Last week: 6
This week: 8
Non-QB MVP: Running back Aaron Jones
Receiver Justin Jefferson is the Vikings' best player, but Jones' impact on the offense has been enormous this season. He ranks No. 6 in the NFL in yards from scrimmage per game (101.2) and has provided crucial support as the Vikings look to make a playoff run with Sam Darnold at quarterback. Most importantly, Jones has proved exceptionally durable, having started all nine games while averaging 18.9 touches — the highest rate through Week 10 in any season of his career. — Kevin Seifert
Yahoo! Sports' Frank Schwab
Last week: 9
This week: 11
Sam Darnold now leads the NFL with 10 interceptions. The Vikings still have a good coach and a good cast led by Justin Jefferson, so there’s hope that Darnold can turn his turnover slump around. But the last two weeks is why Darnold never took off with the Jets or Panthers.
CBS Sports' Pete Prisco
Last week: 7
This week: 7
Sam Darnold needs to get back playing good football. That showing in Jacksonville was bad with his three picks. Good teams will make him pay for it.
NFL.com's Eric Edholm
Last week: 6
This week: 6
Kevin O'Connell gave Sam Darnold a postgame vote of confidence, both to the media and to Darnold himself in the locker room victory speech. KOC called it a game he'll remember for a long time for the struggle; not too many teams turn it over three times, fail to score a touchdown and win on the road. Sunday was the first of three straight road games for Minnesota, and almost all of the Vikings' remaining opponents are still in contention. This week's foes, the Titans, are only nominally in contention, but they have caused some issues for opposing quarterbacks this season. Minnesota could be in a vastly different situation if J.J. McCarthy hadn't been injured in August, but that's neither here nor there now. The Vikings know they have to throw their full weight behind Darnold if they're going to shake this post-bye malaise. He's really their best shot, warts and all, but it's nice to know the defense can still bail out the offense.
USA Today's Nate Davis
Last week: 6
This week: 8
Per NFL Media, they're the first team in 18 years to win despite turning the ball over three times and failing to score a touchdown. Too bad the Vikes don't reside in the AFC South, whose teams they've beaten by an average of 13.3 points. They can complete a divisional season sweep Sunday in Nashville.
The Sporting News' Vinnie Iyer
Last week: 8
This week: 8
The Vikings had a sloppy game with Sam Darnold passing poorly in the red zone, but they got a break with their defense getting to operate vs. Mac Jones and the Jaguars. Darnold needs to clean up his play to keep his job and keep Minnesota on the fast track to the playoffs.
Bleacher Report's NFL Staff
Last week: 6
This week: 8
The 7-2 Vikings should be headed to the postseason following last year's absence. However, I have two big concerns with this squad.
The first is an inconsistent secondary that is incredibly turnover-dependent when facing QBs not named Mac Jones. The second is the bad decision-making we've seen from Sam Darnold over the past few weeks.
Darnold is better than anything Minnesota had at quarterback following Kirk Cousins' injury in 2023. When he's taking care of the football, the Vikings look like a team that can beat anybody. When he's not, the Vikings look like a team destined to be one-and-done in the playoffs. — Kristopher Knox
Sports Illustrated's Conor Orr
Last week: 6
This week: 5
I enjoy how Sam Darnold has just his second game of the season in which his quarterback rating is under 100 and we’re now treating him as if he’s the Cinderella carriage that has been turned back into a pumpkin. Really excellent quarterbacks routinely slump but our margin of error for Darnold is somehow razor thin as we try to swallow him back into this narrative of underperformance. The Jaguars bracketed Justin Jefferson. Darnold still tried his alpha No. 1 wideout. We’d be all over him if he ignored Jefferson and hadn’t targeted him at least nine times.
The Ringer's Diante Lee
Last week: 9
This week: 10
The efficient passing numbers from the first half of Minnesota’s season feels like ancient history, and now Minnesota has run out of ways to work around quarterback Sam Darnold’s turnover-prone tendencies. His first of three interceptions on Sunday was an asinine throw intended for Justin Jefferson, who was blanketed so tightly he was barely able to run his route, let alone compete for the ball. Darnold’s second pick came on another forced target to Jefferson in the end zone, and that time the ball was thrown too late and too far behind Jefferson. But Darnold’s worst interception was the third, when he again tried to force the ball to Jefferson in spite of the free safety leaning over the top of Jefferson’s route from the beginning.
I’m not certain what else there is for head coach Kevin O’Connell to do here. Darnold’s execution from the pocket is getting messier and less accurate by the week, and the Vikings’ run game isn’t as dominant as it was to start the season. Minnesota has been winning in spite of Darnold, but that won’t be so easy coming down the stretch.
Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio
Last week: 8
This week: 8
The more time Sam Darnold has to throw, the less accurate the throws seem to be.
The Athletic's Josh Kendall
Last week: 7
This week: 8
QB confidence rating: 5
Sunday was the game the Sam Darnold skeptics have been waiting for. Darnold threw three interceptions and had a passer rating of 48.2 against a Jacksonville defense that had been very generous to opponents all season. Darnold is 21st in EPA per dropback (.01). After the first month of the season, he was 11th (.09), but fading in the second half has been a hallmark of Darnold’s career. It appears now more than ever that he’s just keeping the job warm for J.J. McCarthy (No. 10 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft), who suffered a season-ending knee injury in training camp.
Vikings Film Room: Do they have a major problem with QB Sam Darnold?
Sam Darnold nearly threw five interceptions. Do they have a problem at quarterback?
