Vikings first half report card: Grading Sam Darnold, Justin Jefferson, the Minnesota defense, and more

As most didn't think the Minnesota Vikings would notch more than six or seven wins during this entire 2024 NFL season, the fact that they were the last team in the NFC to take a loss and are 5-2 as the midway point of the campaign approaches is nothing but a good thing for fans of the Purple & Gold.

Kevin O'Connell's crew obviously hasn't been perfect — well, outside of rookie Will Reichard anyway, to whom we'll give an A+ right here at the get-go, as he's yet to miss a kick as a professional.

For the most part, the Vikings' offense has been solid, as O'Connell has struck a nice balance between the run game and the pass game. There have been some hiccups here and there, of course, but from an overall standpoint, this unit has done what it's supposed to do.

That's not always been the case with Brian Flores' defense, however, but we'll get to that in just a moment.

First, let's kick things off with a little offense as we hand out some first-half Vikings grades.

Sam Darnold: B+

It's hard not to be impressed with what Sam Darnold has done thus far. Essentially only brought in to serve as the starter until first-round pick J.J. McCarthy was ready to take over, Darnold obviously had to change his mindset when McCarthy went down with a season-ending knee injury. And for the most part, he's performed beautifully.

Heading into Week 9, Darnold is tied for 13th among all quarterbacks in completion percentage (67.2%), ranks 16th in passing yards per game (230.0), is tied for fifth in touchdown passes (14), and ranks fifth in passer rating (107.2). Take Russell Wilson, who's only played two games for the Pittsburgh Steelers, out of the mix, and that passer rating rank is one slot higher.

A dozen QBs have also thrown more interceptions than Darnold, who has five on the season.

Had these grades come out at the end of September, Darnold likely would've gotten an A+, as 11 of his 14 TD passes came in the first four games. He's slowed down a touch and now seems like more of a game manager, playing more like Jimmy Garoppolo than Kirk Cousins.

But that could obviously change again, especially with the imminent return of T.J. Hockenson looming. Nobody could have expected Darnold to do what he's done thus far overall, so he certainly deserves his flowers here.

Justin Jefferson: A+

Darnold's primary target, of course, has been Justin Jefferson, who once again looks like one of the best receivers in the NFL after dealing with some injury issues a season ago.

Jefferson may only be tied for 12th in receptions, but he's made the most of his 41 catches, as his 646 receiving yards are good for second among all pass-catchers.

And it needs to be noted that the leader in that category, Ja'Marr Chase, who sits at 674, has played one more game as the Cincinnati Bengals have yet to have their bye week.

Jefferson's five touchdown catches are currently good for a tie for fourth, trailing only Chase (seven), San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle (six), and Tampa Bay Buccaneers wideout Mike Evans (six). There's nothing to complain about here.

Aaron Jones: A+

Just as Darnold's play has been a pleasant surprise for the Vikings, so has the overall performance of running back Aaron Jones.

After a down year with the Green Bay Packers in 2023, the soon-to-be 30-year-old has looked reenergized this season, posting a team-high 728 yards from scrimmage in his first seven games wearing purple, good for 10th among all NFL players.

Jones has rushed for 501 yards and a touchdown on 104 carries and has added another 227 yards and a score on 22 receptions. If he can stay healthy, a career-high in total yards isn't out of the question.

Run defense: A

On the defensive side of the football, the Vikings have been excellent against the run overall. It was more so in their first five games than the last two, but nevertheless, Minnesota has allowed just 83.9 yards per game on the ground, the third-fewest in the league.

Their worst performance in this regard came in the Week 7 loss to the Detroit Lions, who posted 144 rushing yards, 116 of which came from Jahmyr Gibbs.

The only other running back to hit the century mark against the Vikes this year was Jordan Mason, who recorded exactly 100 yards for the 49ers in Week 2. Those turned out not to matter, of course, as Minnesota took a 23-17 victory.

Pass defense: B-

The pass defense has been a bit of a different story, as the Vikings have allowed 263.0 yards per game through the air, the third-most in the NFL.

So, how does a team that does that still get a B-, you may be asking? Well, that's because Minnesota leads the league in interceptions with 12, one more than they had all of last year. So, that's how, as the picks have been able to offset some of the damage.

Truth be told, the Vikings could use some upgrades at both cornerback and safety ahead of the trade deadline, and there are some viable options out there.

Overall Vikings grade: A-

Sure, the recent loss to the Los Angeles Rams was a little unexpected and probably shouldn't have happened.

But again, this team should be pleased with where it's at heading into a Week 9 Sunday Night Football showdown with the Indianapolis Colts, especially given the difficulty of the schedule in the early weeks of the season.

Sure, the victories over the New York Giants in Week 1 and the New York Jets in Week 5 in London don't look that impressive, seeing as how those teams are a combined 4-12. But the consecutive wins in Weeks 2-4 over the Niners, the AFC-South leading Houston Texans and the Packers were impressive. And they were right there against the Lions, who look like the best team in the NFC right now.

Still with four division games remaining, two with the Chicago Bears and one each with the Lions and Packers, the Vikings have their work cut out for them and must take advantage of their schedule before those games, specifically the next three weeks.

Overall, this is a good football team with a lot of strong pieces on both sides. Again, they could use some upgrades in the secondary and will certainly have to deal with the loss of Christian Darrisaw on the offensive line. But Minnesota is in a good spot as we near the midway point.