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Sam Darnold has done something his predecessor, Kirk Cousins, now of the Atlanta Falcons, never could. He has gotten the Minnesota Vikings off to a 2-0 start.
Darnold has so far delivered on the faith Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell expressed having in him during the offseason. Through two games, Darnold has completed 72% of his passes for 476 yards with 4 touchdowns and 2 interceptions.
If there is a concern, it is that he has absorbed 4 sacks through two weeks.
Most importantly, though, the NFC North-leading Vikings have a 2-0 record with Darnold at the controls after their 23-17 win over the San Francisco 49ers.
It is a drought that extended back to the 2016 season. And while Darnold was less efficient in Week 2 than he was in Week 1, a step up in the caliber of opponent surely factored into the equation.
The former No. 3 overall pick (2018) completed 65.4% of his passes for 268 yards and 2 scores.
“Can the Vikings be a serious threat in the NFC? Sunday’s 23-17 win over the 49ers suggests that they might,” the BR staff wrote on September 16. “The Vikings had a dominant 28-6 victory over the New York Giants in Week 1. However, that was easy to write off, given New York’s status as one of the worst teams in the NFL last season.
“It’s much harder to dismiss Sunday’s victory as a fluke. The 49ers were on the road and suffered several self-inflicted wounds. However, the Vikings took advantage of virtually every opportunity they could get.”
Darnold hit several splash plays versus San Francisco, including a 97-yard touchdown to Justin Jefferson and a clutch fourth-quarter third-down conversion to Jalen Nailor.
Nailor also caught a touchdown pass.
Sam Darnold, Baker Mayfield Thriving in New Situations
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GettySam Darnold (R) #14 and Baker Mayfield #6 of the Carolina Panthers.
Darnold’s success came amid a similar story for former Carolina Panthers teammate Baker Mayfield, now of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Mayfield and the Bucs earned a 20-16 victory over the Detroit Lions in Week 2.
That gave the former Panther duo wins over the two teams from the 2023 NFC Championship game. The 49ers were the Super Bowl runner-up.
Mayfield’s success story began in 2023.
The No. 1 overall pick of Darnold’s draft class, Mayfield was selected by the Cleveland Browns and has spent time with the Los Angeles Rams. His journey in Tampa included a 31-23 playoff defeat to the Lions to reach the championship game.
Mayfield signed a three-year, $100 million contract over the 2024 offseason.
Sam Darnold’s Start With Vikings Making Kevin O’Connell Look Good So Far
GettyHead coach Kevin O’Connell of the Minnesota Vikings.
Comparisons between the former teammates’ situations were common during the offseason with Darnold landing in one of the most well-regarded landing spots for QBs in the league.
Darnold, who spent the 2023 season with the 49ers, signed a one-year, $10 million pact in free agency. The Vikings traded up with the New York Jets to select J.J. McCarthy with the No. 10 overall pick of the 2024 draft.
However, O’Connell had every intention of Darnold starting this season from the outset.
With McCarthy out for the season following knee surgery, Darnold’s performance reinforces what his head coach said about him having his best football ahead of him.
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