Aaron Glenn may have done Vikings a huge Sam Darnold favor in regular-season finale

Sam Darnold was on an unbelievable run with the Minnesota Vikings this season. He led them to a 14-2 record going into the final NFL regular season game and even stirred up conversations about the Vikings keeping him long term and trading J.J. McCarthy to a quarterback-hungry team. 

Then Darnold ran into Aaron Glenn and the Detroit Lions’ defense. And in an instant, he looked like the Darnold that was passed around the NFC before this season. It was a reminder to Kevin O’Connell and the Vikings fan base why Darnold was on a one-year, prove it deal. 

And Sunday night’s embarrassing loss to the Lions, which cost Minnesota a first-round bye, the No. 1 seed and homefield advantage throughout the NFC playoffs, was a reality check on whether Darnold truly is the answer for the Vikings. 

The Vikings just might have to thank Glenn and Detroit's depleted defense. Without that wake up call, it might have cost them a Kirk Cousins sized problem.

Sam Darnold came back to earth thanks to defensive masterclass by Aaron Glenn, Detroit Lions

It always felt like a matter of when Darnold would be knocked off cloud 9 after he led the Vikings to 14 wins this season. And of course, of all teams, it was the most beat up defense in the NFL that managed to thwart Darnold and O’Connell’s system offense. 

Ignore the numbers for a second. Ignore how he went 18-for-41 with 166 yards. Ignore how he didn’t throw any touchdown passes or posted his second lowest QBR of the season with 17.1 – only four higher than his season-opening game against the New York Jets. 

Go back to the Lions game when the Vikings were in the red zone on four-straight trips and scored two field goals. Save for the first drive of the second half, the Vikings had the ball inside the 50 yard line and were still kept out of the endzone. 

Darnold’s bad decision making when it came to finding his receivers was the biggest red flag. He overthrew Justin Jefferson who cooked a practice squad cornerback on a goal line fade.

That stretch of drives by the Vikings should be the only reminder the front office needs when it comes to Darnold's contract negotiations.

Darnold had a chance to prove he is worth every penny he’s going to get this summer. And it was the perfect opportunity against a defense that was literally on its last limb. Instead, he regressed to the quarterback that was in New York and in Carolina. 

He looked like the quarterback that got bench to Baker Mayfield in Carolina and then was a reserve in San Francisco. And he looked like the quarterback the Vikings didn’t originally believe in when they drafted McCarthy last year. 

Minnesota should reference that Lions game when Darnold and his agent counter with an absorbent offer. Because when it’s bad, it’s bad. And they have to decide if they want to overpay for those problems or go back to the original plan of giving McCarthy the keys to the offense. 

On the bright side, if O’Connell can revive Darnold’s career, he shouldn’t have any problem developing McCarthy. And if that doesn’t work, they still have Daniel Jones as an option too.