The Minnesota Vikings had a rough exit in the 2024 NFL Playoffs, with Sam Darnold getting sacked nine times in the 27-9 loss to the Los Angeles Rams in the Wild Card round. After a 14-3 regular season, it is a bitter exit, and Darnold reflected on the game, noting that he could have done better when it comes to managing pressure.
“It's up to me to be able to feel that and either step up, move, go run for a first down or just simply throw it away,” Sam Darnold said, via Kevin Seifert of ESPN. “I felt like there were a lot of sacks that I was responsible for, where I was just holding onto the football and taking sacks where I could have dirted it at someone's feet or simply thrown it over someone's head.”
Darnold elaborated on why he was unable to evade and prevent the nine sacks from happening, saying that he was just unable to get the ball away when pressure mounted.
“Just an in-the-moment decision, trying to get away and wasn't able to get the ball out,” Darnold said, via Seiftert.
Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell noted that “there were some completions to be had” from Darnold throughout the game. He said that Darnold could have done a better job checking down and keeping the Vikings on schedule.
“You've got to find a way to check the ball down and just keep moving the ball forward,” O'Connell said, via Seifert. “Completions have negative effect on defenses. They just do. Those moments when you're holding that ball, and your reaction is try to make a play.”
The Vikings have a decision to make now, as Darnold is scheduled to be a free agent this offseason. After what was overall a great season, the Vikings could justify bringing him back, but the performances against the Rams and Detroit Lions over the last two weeks give some doubt as to whether the team should pay him, especially with JJ McCarthy likely being healthy next season.
It will be interesting to see how the Vikings handle things, and if the performance in these two big games impacts the decision at all.