Vikings have emergency ripcord to pull if Sam Darnold’s Week 18 bleeds into playoffs

Kevin O’Connell and the Minnesota Vikings got an unanticipated wake-up call after the embarrassing loss to the Detroit Lions to end the NFL’s regular season. Sam Darnold had looked like a quarterback ready to be a franchise cornerstone for most of the season — but on the biggest stage with the brightest lights, he was a no-call, no-show. And (whether officially or not) it prompted O’Connell to make an insurance move in case the spotlight becomes too big for Darnold again. 

How likely is it that the Vikings unleash Daniel Jones for his Vikings debut in the most important game of the season? Well, I guess that’s entirely up to Sam Darnold. If he looks like he did against the Lions, Jones could make his debut as early as halftime, I’d think. 

That said, it’s not likely Jones plays for the first time with the Vikings in the playoffs barring any major injuries. Nick Mullens has been Darnold’s backup all season and Jones was activated to the lineup presumably as an emergency option. 

Minnesota Vikings have Daniel Jones at their disposal if Sam Darnold is a no-show again

O’Connell hasn’t tipped his cap to what role Jones will have — if any — in the postseason, simply stating he’s going with whatever gives the team the best chance to win, per an ESPN story. Which is coach speak for, “Even if I did know what I was going to do, I ain’t telling you.”

While Jones could work his way into being the new backup for Darnold, I doubt that happens week one. I think they’ll give Darnold one playoff game to prove he can win. 

If he loses to the Rams after having an elite season, well, Minnesota is all but sending him to free agency without batting an eye this spring. If he struggles, but the Vikings find a way to win, there’s a chance Jones becomes the quarterback in waiting, barring a continued slump. 

The Vikings got Jones and waited until the end of the season to activate him to show how important it is to wait to unleash him. They aren’t in any rush to trot Jones out to start his rehabilitation under O’Connell. 

But activating him means they’re getting close to feeling like he’s ready. And if nothing more, activating him gives him more of a role on the sideline on game day in preparation for next season. 

O’Connell knows how fragile the quarterback position is and knows how important it is to get it right. So don’t expect to see Jones this week. But he could be inching closer to seeing the field again. 

Darnold is the Vikings guy — and one bad game won’t change that. But it will give them a lot of clarity moving forward if he can’t even manage one playoff win. It would also be deja vu during the Kirk Cousins era.