LOL, if DH11 actually read his own linked article, the author doesn’t even agree w/ the cited “insider” data analyst’s take. 
https://www.si.com/nfl/vikings/news/sam-...jhr5ttygt1
McCarthy may be an unknown, but he was competing for first-team reps before suffering a preseason knee injury. O’Connell admitted the Vikings weren’t sure how the rest of the preseason would’ve unfolded if McCarthy had stayed healthy. This suggests Darnold’s remarkable regular season might never have happened had the rookie been available.
Now, McCarthy enters his true rookie season in 2025 with a year of mental reps under his belt. The Vikings must be optimistic, especially considering how recent college quarterbacks like Houston’s C.J. Stroud, Washington’s Jayden Daniels, and Denver’s Bo Nix have become instant stars in the NFL.
Meanwhile, Lions fans questioning Jared Goff after his poor showing against the Rams should raise even more concerns about Darnold. Like Goff, Darnold excelled during the regular season but folded when it mattered most.
In 10 career playoff starts, Goff has thrown for more than one touchdown just once, and that was a two-touchdown game in last year's divisional round against the Buccaneers. And yes, he was the quarterback when the Rams lost to the Patriots in the Super Bowl in 2019, but he completed just 50% of his passes and didn't throw a touchdown in that game.
There's literally nothing in Darnold's history that says he will be different.
What good is a 14- or 15-win regular season if the quarterback at the helm collapses under postseason pressure? It might seem harsh to judge Darnold on a single playoff game, but the Vikings’ championship window is wide open. They can’t afford to get the quarterback decision wrong—and going forward with Darnold feels like a gamble they might not want to take.
https://www.si.com/nfl/vikings/news/sam-...jhr5ttygt1
McCarthy may be an unknown, but he was competing for first-team reps before suffering a preseason knee injury. O’Connell admitted the Vikings weren’t sure how the rest of the preseason would’ve unfolded if McCarthy had stayed healthy. This suggests Darnold’s remarkable regular season might never have happened had the rookie been available.
Now, McCarthy enters his true rookie season in 2025 with a year of mental reps under his belt. The Vikings must be optimistic, especially considering how recent college quarterbacks like Houston’s C.J. Stroud, Washington’s Jayden Daniels, and Denver’s Bo Nix have become instant stars in the NFL.
Meanwhile, Lions fans questioning Jared Goff after his poor showing against the Rams should raise even more concerns about Darnold. Like Goff, Darnold excelled during the regular season but folded when it mattered most.
In 10 career playoff starts, Goff has thrown for more than one touchdown just once, and that was a two-touchdown game in last year's divisional round against the Buccaneers. And yes, he was the quarterback when the Rams lost to the Patriots in the Super Bowl in 2019, but he completed just 50% of his passes and didn't throw a touchdown in that game.
There's literally nothing in Darnold's history that says he will be different.
What good is a 14- or 15-win regular season if the quarterback at the helm collapses under postseason pressure? It might seem harsh to judge Darnold on a single playoff game, but the Vikings’ championship window is wide open. They can’t afford to get the quarterback decision wrong—and going forward with Darnold feels like a gamble they might not want to take.
![[-]](https://vikefans.com/forums/images/duende_v3_local/collapse.png)
