The Minnesota Vikings (7-2) pulled out an ugly victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars (2-8) in Week 10, winning 12-7 in one of the season’s hardest watched games. Quarterback Sam Darnold had his worst performance of the year by far, but the Vikings still managed to escape with a victory.
If not for the Vikings' typically stingy defense—and with Mac Jones filling in for an injured Trevor Lawrence on the struggling Jaguars—Minnesota might have taken its third loss of the season. The Vikings' defense allowed just 143 total yards and held Jacksonville to a single touchdown, matching their season-best for points allowed.
Many would argue it’s this defense that has propelled the Vikings to their current standing in the NFC, where they sit in second place behind the Lions in the NFC North. While Darnold has performed better than expected and exceeded all preseason expectations, Sunday’s three-interception outing may signal some cause for concern. As the Vikings move forward, they may need to monitor their 27-year-old quarterback closely to ensure this game is just a blip on the radar.
The Jaguars have one of the worst passing defenses in the NFL
Statistically speaking, Darnold didn’t face much of a challenge against the Jaguars’ defense. He and the Vikings went up against the NFL’s No. 31 team in opposing completion percentage (69.8%), No. 30 in yards per pass play (8), No. 30 in passing yards allowed (261.2), and No. 25 in takeaways.
Before facing Darnold, the Jaguars’ defense had recorded just two interceptions all season. Had it not been for a penalty that recalled a fourth interception by the Vikings’ signal caller, the Jaguars would have doubled that total in Week 10.
The Vikings also became just the second team this season to not throw a passing touchdown against the Jaguars. The other was the Browns, who then had a struggling Deshaun Watson under center.
Sam Darnold has most turnovers this season
Darnold has certainly seemed to turn his career around since working with Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell. Heading into Week 9, he had just five interceptions on the season compared to 14 touchdowns. However, in the two games since—including the one against Jacksonville—he’s more than made up for his earlier ball security. Now, Darnold leads the league in turnovers with 13.
Since the Week 9 matchup with the Colts, Darnold has matched his season total in interceptions—the most by any quarterback over that span—while throwing three touchdowns, none of which came against the Jaguars. Also, over the last three games, the Vikings have posted their lowest scoring totals of the season (20, 13, 7), though only one resulted in a loss. Previously, they were averaging 28 points per game in their last six.
Sam Darnold has never played a full season
It’s hard to believe that Darnold has been in the league for seven years and is still just 27 years old. He has 75 games under his belt, with 65 of those as starts. His record, however, is 28-37, which isn’t particularly impressive. Darnold has also never played or started a full season in his entire NFL career—a potential concern as the Vikings head down the stretch.
Darnold’s longest stint was his first three seasons with the New York Jets, where he started in all 38 of his appearances. He only played in 13 games in first two seasons and then 12 in his third, but never a full 16-game slate. Beginning with his time with the Panthers, which carried over to his one season with the 49ers last season, he started just 18 games while appearing in 28.
Now, Darnold is off to the best stretch of his career with nine starts for the Vikings this season. But as the season moves into the later months, one has to wonder if he can sustain the success he’s found in the early part of the year. Seeing him struggle, throwing three interceptions with a passer rating of 48.2 that saw the Vikings score a season-low 12 points in their ninth game is definitely a cause for concern.
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