Not the most accurate game for Mr. Darnold....

[medaille]

I thought it was a pretty solid game. Maybe not Darnold showcasing an elite game full of highlights, but certainly well within the realm of what top QBs output. Almost every game is going to have some chunky throws no matter who the QB is and every QB is going to have games similar to this. It certainly wasn’t a Bad Kirk performance, where you end the game with 120 passing yards and 13 points.

I totally agree that this is what a team win looks like. If some player isn’t 100% on point, the other players carry some of the load and the team still gets the W.

One thing I find interesting is just how deep our throws end up being. It’s like every throw is trying to get a first down every time, and if your QB is only completing at 50%, but every other pass is a first down, that still ends up being productive.

[MaroonBells]

I kid Jimmy, but he knows he's a curmudgeon.

Vikings didn't play perfectly, but dominated. The game was never, ever in any kind of doubt.

Yep, but that's the NFL. No team is perfect all the time. I say this a lot but when the Rams won the Super Bowl they were 0 fer November. Same with KC last year. They lost to the Raiders, barely beat a bad Jets team and were blown out by a horrible Broncos team.

People talk about how great the Bills and Lions are this year, but is it really "controlling the line of scrimmage" when your defenses are being gashed for over 1100 yards combined?

I really do believe the Vikings have just as much chance to win a title this year as anyone else.

[purplefaithful]

But holy %$#k on this throw:

https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1868858103439278167

4 f'ing defenders around that too...I marveled at that last night and do so again this morning.

[MAD GAINZ]

I thought it was a pretty solid game.  Maybe not Darnold showcasing an elite game full of highlights, but certainly well within the realm of what top QBs output.  Almost every game is going to have some chunky throws no matter who the QB is and every QB is going to have games similar to this.  It certainly wasn’t a Bad Kirk performance, where you end the game with 120 passing yards and 13 points.

I totally agree that this is what a team win looks like.  If some player isn’t 100% on point, the other players carry some of the load and the team still gets the W.

One thing I find interesting is just how deep our throws end up being.  It’s like every throw is trying to get a first down every time, and if your QB is only completing at 50%, but every other pass is a first down, that still ends up being productive.

I think that has been the biggest difference between Kirk at QB in 2022/2023 and Darnold in 2024.

Kirk is more of a calculated QB.  Reads the defense, makes the right, safe read and generally keeps drives alive, but we don't get as many explosive plays or convert many 3rd and longs.  Great at using his check down or hot read to keep the team in manageable down and distances.  Offense is good (top 8-10),  not great.

Darnold is the opposite.  Not as strong at reading defenses pre-snap, but is more willing to take chances and use his legs to extend plays.  Passes up check downs and safer throws looking for explosive plays.  Leads to more sacks and drives that stall out, but he also can get you a quick 7 with a deep throw or pressuring CBs into DPIs.

Darnold is playing a lot like Jordan Love did last year.  Wants to get the chunk gains in the middle and deep down the field.  Takes some chances, but makes the defense play good coverage all the way down the field. If they don't, it's a DPI or a big play.  But if he's not hitting those big plays, the offense can go through dry stretches and some 3 and outs unless the ground game is working.

---

You can get away with that style of play when you have a good defense.

[purplefaithful]

Typical Vikings v Bear game...Slobberknocker

Little to no style points, but I'm good with a win, no major injuries and doing it in a greasy, ugly way.

I have no idea if they have 3/0 left in em, just celebrating 12/2.

You know, its been since 98 since these guys had a record near 12/2. I just knew it was going to be that kind of season back in August too.

The season is so long, these guys gotta be feeling it by now.

---

I think that has been the biggest difference between Kirk at QB in 2022/2023 and Darnold in 2024.

Kirk is more of a calculated QB.  Reads the defense, makes the right, safe read and generally keeps drives alive, but we don't get as many explosive plays or convert many 3rd and longs.  Great at using his check down or hot read to keep the team in manageable down and distances.  Offense is good (top 8-10),  not great.

Darnold is the opposite.  Not as strong at reading defenses pre-snap, but is more willing to take chances and use his legs to extend plays.  Passes up check downs and safer throws looking for explosive plays.  Leads to more sacks and drives that stall out, but he also can get you a quick 7 with a deep throw or pressuring CBs into DPIs.

Darnold is playing a lot like Jordan Love did last year.  Wants to get the chunk gains in the middle and deep down the field.  Takes some chances, but makes the defense play good coverage all the way down the field. If they don't, it's a DPI or a big play.  But if he's not hitting those big plays, the offense can go through dry stretches and some 3 and outs unless the ground game is working.

---

You can get away with that style of play when you have a good defense.

I am trying to remember a Viking QB who stands in the pocket like Darnold. Sometimes I think he holds the ball too long, but I wonder how many of those are Sam just waiting for a long or intermediate route to unfold?

[hogjowlsjohnny]

Darnold's throws weren't as accurate as we are used to seeing. He didn't have a great game. Despite that the rest of the team was good enough, the Vikings won anyway. Been on board all year because this is the most complete, and well coached, team the Vikings have had in quite awhile. It's not all on Darnold!
The real key to continued success is the defense. A number of games were won by the defense this season.
One concern I had last night was the number of mistakes and unforced errors that occurred this late in the season. That needs to improve going forward.
The next game will be a challenge even if Geno is out. The last time they went to the west coast on a short week they looked tired and flat, and things didn't go so well.
I believe they can beat anybody, but they need to take it one game at a time. Just win the next one!

[DeepFreeze05]

They said something about Darnold having a pinkie issue on his throwing hand.  I wonder if that was bothering him.

It certainly could. I believe not long after the announcer made that comment, there was a play where the replay showed his hand contacting a helmet just after a release. He must have been fine because nothing else was said about it and he didn't show signs of discomfort.

[MaroonBells]

Typical Vikings v Bear game...Slobberknocker

Little to no style points, but I'm good with a win, no major injuries and doing it in a greasy, ugly way.

I have no idea if they have 3/0 left in em, just celebrating 12/2.

You know, its been since 98 since these guys had a record near 12/2. I just knew it was going to be that kind of season back in August too.

The season is so long, these guys gotta be feeling it by now.

---

I am trying to remember a Viking QB who stands in the pocket like Darnold. Sometimes I think he holds the ball too long, but I wonder how many of those are Sam just waiting for a long or intermediate route to unfold?

Brad Johnson was like that. Not sure he had quite the tools as Darnold, and he never played in an offense this good, but he stood strong in the pocket. Probably the best I'd seen up to that point at being able to ignore the pass rush. Of course, we've had the opposite of that too in one Christian Andrew Ponder.

[MaroonBells]

But holy %$#k on this throw:

https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1868858103439278167

Orlovsky breaks it down...volume up.

[rf54]

I disagree that he was "way off" or "missed badly on many throws" he did miss 2 or 3 but he was also throwing darts like the one shown in the clip above, the TD to JJ, and the TD dropped by JJ were all darts. Even the INT was not as bad as some saw it. It was 4th down, Sam had to throw or get sacked so he threw it were it might have a chance of being caught. If it was picked, it was picked inside the 10 yard line so it was a good "punt" If he was sacked or incomplete the Bears would have gotten the ball outside the 35.