The Minnesota Vikings are off to a strong 2-0 start, having just defeated the defending NFC champions despite missing key players. Their second- and third-best pass catchers were sidelined, and star wide receiver Justin Jefferson left the game early with an injury.
Despite quarterback Sam Darnold’s solid performance over the past two weeks, ESPN’s Benjamin Solak remains skeptical about Minnesota’s status as a true contender.
“I wish they were contenders. It would be so cool if they were contenders. But Sam Darnold falls below the bar of quarterback play necessary to be a true contender,” Solak wrote on September 17. “The only way I’d buy into the Vikings is if I were certain coach Kevin O’Connell is such a brilliant offensive mind that he can pull off what Sean McVay did with Jared Goff in 2018 and Kyle Shanahan with Jimmy Garoppolo in 2019. It’s harder now than it was then, and I’m just not there yet.”
Solak’s doubts are understandable given Darnold’s struggles during his five seasons with the New York Jets and Carolina Panthers. A former No. 3 overall draft pick, Darnold had been labeled a bust before joining the San Francisco 49ers as a backup last year. Though he flashed potential in limited time behind Brock Purdy, it wasn’t enough to erase doubts formed over his previous 55 starts, where he compiled a 22-33 record.
This season, however, Darnold has been performing like one of the league’s better quarterbacks, completing 72% of his passes for 476 yards, 4 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions — with one turnover not entirely his fault.
Still, two games is a small sample size, and the Vikings face a challenging stretch ahead with matchups against the Houston Texans (home), Green Bay Packers (away), and New York Jets (home) before an early bye in Week 6.
On a positive note, Jefferson, who suffered a quad contusion against San Francisco, expects to return for the Week 3 game against Houston. “Just a little thigh bruise, contusion, whatever you want to call it,” Jefferson said, according to Andrew Krammer of the Star Tribune. “Something that happens a lot in the game.”
Second-year receiver Jordan Addison, currently out with an ankle injury, may not be ready for Week 3 but is expected to return by Week 4 or 5. Tight end T.J. Hockenson likely won’t return until after the Vikings’ Week 6 bye, when they face the Detroit Lions on October 20.
If Darnold can lead the Vikings to a 4-1 or 5-0 record heading into the bye, the narrative surrounding him and Minnesota’s playoff chances could change dramatically.
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