Sam Darnold chose the wrong day to have his worst performance in a Vikings jersey.
The Minnesota quarterback recorded a season-low 166 passing yards and completed just 43.9% of his throws, failing to score a touchdown for the first time since Week 10. The Vikings suffered a lopsided 31-9 defeat in Detroit, with red-zone inefficiency playing a critical role. The team failed to capitalize on key scoring opportunities, turning the ball over on downs twice and settling for short field goals on four trips inside the 20-yard line.
“You can’t afford to kick field goals in the red zone against a team like the Lions,” Darnold stated, via the Associated Press. “Our defense did a great job keeping us in the game, but we couldn’t finish when it mattered most.”
The Vikings’ inability to close out drives early shifted the momentum in favor of Detroit. The Lions’ offense found its rhythm, scoring three consecutive touchdowns in the late third and early fourth quarters, turning a close game into a runaway victory.
Darnold had been impressive leading up to Week 18, earning a Pro Bowl selection and helping transform a team that few expected to make a playoff push. However, Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn’s aggressive game plan left Darnold struggling. The Lions applied relentless pressure, making the veteran quarterback appear rattled and reminiscent of his earlier struggles with the New York Jets.
“We didn’t execute the way we have all season,” Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell remarked. “This game came down to finishing in the red zone, making key plays on third downs, and handling pressure situations. We fell short in all those areas.”
Darnold’s passes missed their mark throughout the night, particularly inside the red zone. Detroit’s defense disrupted the pocket, forcing him to speed up his decision-making and making him visibly uncomfortable. According to Next Gen Stats, the Lions blitzed Darnold on over half of his dropbacks (55.6%) in both meetings this season, generating pressure on 48.9% of his attempts—the third-highest rate he faced all season. The Lions also deployed a Cover 0 blitz 14 times, the most by any team in a single game this season, holding Darnold to just five completions on those plays.
Despite Darnold’s struggles, the blame wasn’t solely on his shoulders. Minnesota’s defense couldn’t contain Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs, who had a strong performance down the stretch. Additionally, O’Connell’s play-calling came under scrutiny, as he was slow to adjust to Glenn’s defensive tactics.
The head coach emphasized that one bad game doesn’t define the Vikings’ season.
“This loss doesn’t take away from what we’ve accomplished,” O’Connell said. “You don’t win nine straight games by accident. But this also doesn’t mean we can’t improve. Sometimes you face adversity, and it’s how you respond that matters. I believe in this team’s ability to bounce back.”
Instead of enjoying a bye week, the Vikings will now travel to Los Angeles to face the Rams in the Wild Card Round next Monday night.
“Losing always stings, but we’re not done yet,” Darnold commented. “We’ve achieved a lot this season, and now we have a chance to prove ourselves in the playoffs against another tough opponent. That’s the focus now.”
Darnold’s resurgence in 2024 rewrote the narrative of his career. His next challenge—and opportunity for redemption—will come against the Rams. The quarterback aims to show that this latest setback was a mere bump in the road, not a sign of deeper issues.
