Sam Darnold revertigo could haunt the Vikings playoff hopes

Not only have the Minnesota Vikings come back down to earth, but so has quarterback Sam Darnold. The Vikings have cooled off since their 5-0 start to the 2024 season and it looks like Jacksonville is about to hand them another humbling loss. 

In the first half of the Vikings game against the Jaguars, Darnold reverted to his old self, throwing two first-half interceptions and being held to just three points. 

A third loss in the last four games and one to the Jaguars at that, who’s starting Mac Jones in place of injured Trevor Lawrence, would certainly put a damper on Minnesota’s playoff hopes. 

Sunday’s game is a stark reminder that it’s a long season. And Darnold is quickly reminding Minnesota he’s human too. And he could quickly run the Vikings out of the playoffs. 

Sam Darnold has to improve his game play or the Vikings will wonder what happened this season

A loss to Jaguars, who are without their starting quarterback, would be a humbling moment for the Vikings this season. They started the season 5-0 with high expectations. A third loss would diminish those. 

Darnold looked like he turned a new leaf in Minnesota. But after starting out as one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL this year, he’s underperformed. 

Since starting the year with 11 passing touchdowns and just three interceptions through the first five games, he’s thrown just six touchdowns and three interceptions. And before the Jaguars game was over, he already had a season-high three interceptions thrown. 

For Minnesota’s sake, they hope Darnold hasn’t reverted back to his old self. The version that got him sent out of New York, moved from Carolina and thrown out of San Francisco. They liked the version that started the 2024 season. 

And if they want to make the playoffs, they’ll need that version to return. Because it looks like he’s quickly going back to his old ways. And when he struggled most, his teams weren’t winning. 

The Vikings can’t afford another playoff-less season. They put too much stock in what Darnold did at the beginning of the season. They put the necessary pieces around him at the trade deadline. 

They believe in Darnold and feel he’s the best chance to help them win. He can’t make them look like a fool for that.