Same ol' Sam?

MaroonBells wrote:
I keep coming back to the idea that maybe we should've seen Darnold's 2024 season coming and signed him for two years instead of one. Former 3rd overall pick with all the tools that go with it coming into the kind of offense, coaching and surround he's never before had. If we HAD signed him for two years, he either would've been a Viking in 2025, unquestionably taking the Vikings to the playoffs, and giving JJ another year in the oven, or we could've traded him for some serious draft capital in the 2025 draft. 

Sure, hindsight and all that. But it just would've taken a little bit of foresight to maybe realize that JJ McCarthy was super young and giving him two years of development would not have been a bad idea. Worst case is you have Darnold at 10M per as a solid backup to JJ in 2025.

Yah, as you say, its clear as day in the rear view mirror...

ITs possible they pushed hard for that - and he pushed back harder?

We'll never know now.

purplefaithful wrote:

Yah, as you say, its clear as day in the rear view mirror...

ITs possible they pushed hard for that - and he pushed back harder?

We'll never know now.

Yeah, not sure he was going for a lowball multi year contract.  Guys like that are looking for a prove it deal.

greediron wrote:

Yeah, not sure he was going for a lowball multi year contract.  Guys like that are looking for a prove it deal.

And weren't we in kind of a bidding war with another team at the time? I think so, but forget who?

Its possible a 1 year from us was the deciding factor too?

Either way, I too wish he would have signed for 2 years here...JJM was greener than I imagined and 2 years could have helped him a bunch in hindsight - ala Packers with Love and Rogers.

MaroonBells wrote:
I keep coming back to the idea that maybe we should've seen Darnold's 2024 season coming and signed him for two years instead of one. Former 3rd overall pick with all the tools that go with it coming into the kind of offense, coaching and surround he's never before had. If we HAD signed him for two years, he either would've been a Viking in 2025, unquestionably taking the Vikings to the playoffs, and giving JJ another year in the oven, or we could've traded him for some serious draft capital in the 2025 draft. 

Sure, hindsight and all that. But it just would've taken a little bit of foresight to maybe realize that JJ McCarthy was super young and giving him two years of development would not have been a bad idea. Worst case is you have Darnold at 10M per as a solid backup to JJ in 2025.

I was sold by about week 5 last season that the team should be working to extend him. Of course at that point it wasn't going to be for one additional year, so your plan is better, but even then at least you have him in the fold for another year or two. I'm one of the seemingly few fans who is perfectly fine with how things have worked out. But having Sam around would have been nice this year too. Like others have said, we'll probably never know how hard the team tried (or not) to keep him.

StickierBuns wrote:

He's a very skilled thrower. But he has a narrative to get past and he can do it in this year's playoffs.

Which kinda reminds me, I think Jameis is who they probably should pursue as backup to JJM.  Because if JJM is not going to work out then a guy who can chuck the deep balls that KOC loves is probably the best alternative.  He's under contract to the Giants but maybe he could be gotten for a low round pick.

JR44 wrote:
I do not get all of the absolutes with Darnold.  He played one year in our offense and turned his career around and based on what he is doing this year, it was not a fluke.  He very may have continued to improve in our offense as he continued into year two and gained more familiarity in the offense and with KOC.  I think we would have seen an ever better version this year. 

The narrative that he can't win a big game or he chokes is a complete joke.  What is it based on?  Until last year he had never played in a playoff game or any game of great significance.  Sure, he did not play great in the last two games, but the entire team was awful, he had no protection.  So we are basing the narrative on 2 games?  Go check the game tape of the MNF agains the Rams and tell me how he can't win a big game.  He has the Seahawks at 13-3 and has won plenty of big games in the process as he did here last year in taking us to 14-3.

Not trolling but I'm curious-- Do you think Darnold is gonna play well against SF this weekend then?

Inquiring minds want to know: Did yesterday's game qualify as a "big game" for Darnold? On Darnold's injury, some idiot said "it sounds like the set up for an excuse." Does any QB get the shit that Darnold gets? It really is unbelievable.

MaroonBells wrote:
Inquiring minds want to know: Did yesterday's game qualify as a "big game" for Darnold? On Darnold's injury, some idiot said "it sounds like the set up for an excuse." Does any QB get the shit that Darnold gets? It really is unbelievable.

He'll never have to carry that team with that D and that running game...But that was a really badly beat-up 49'er squad...

Sam makes some throws I can only dream of JJM being able to do some day. 

I think Sammy gets his ring this year. Good coaching staff in Seattle too.

I am embarrassed by how wrong I was about Seattle going into this season.

purplefaithful wrote:

He'll never have to carry that team with that D and that running game...But that was a really badly beat-up 49'er squad...

Sam makes some throws I can only dream of JJM being able to do some day. 

I think Sammy gets his ring this year. Good coaching staff in Seattle too.

I am embarrassed by how wrong I was about Seattle going into this season.

That throw to JSN in the corner of the end zone was a remarkable throw. But I've seen JJ throw similar passes. JJ's tough passes are dimes. It's the easy ones he struggles with.

MaroonBells wrote:

That throw to JSN in the corner of the end zone was a remarkable throw. But I've seen JJ throw similar passes. JJ's tough passes are dimes. It's the easy ones he struggles with.

I know exactly the pass you are talking about...The TD to the TE from JJM is one that is reminiscent, I forget which game that was...A later one in the season.

Dayum, I hope the kid shows he can stay on the field & makes a big leap in 26.

The game plan by McDonald the last two games was smart for Sam, limiting his passing to limit exposure to his mistakes.

In the season finale and playoff versus San Fran, Darnold threw a combined 43 times with 32 completions. The team ran the ball 72 times. The run/pass ratio last night was 2-1, 33-17. In the first game it was 39-26.

In the 2024 finale at Detroit, Sam was 18/41 while the team ran it 19 times, for a pass/run ratio of 2-1, the opposite of McDonald's method. A very different way of handling Sam which didn't work out.

For all the whining (and, of Vikings' pages on FB and elsewhere, it's a TON of whining) about Sam leaving...again, he turned down the offer given and bet on himself. He'd looked like hot garbage for us against Detroit and LA, so his departure wasn't surprising to the attentive, at all.

All the "ifs" mean nothing. There's no way to know how he would've done if he'd stayed...he could've been on IR after 3 snaps, he could've been QB deep into the playoffs, there's equal possibility of both: zero. He ain't on the team anymore, and all the grousing is nothing more than noise.

Seattle is carrying Sam, via their defense and running game. He's made great plays, but he's also made a ton of forgettable plays that just get...forgotten.

If Chicago/LA can disrupt his timing, like any QB, he'll look pretty average pretty quickly. Seattle is smart to keep a lot of focus on their ground game.

Zanary wrote:
For all the whining (and, of Vikings' pages on FB and elsewhere, it's a TON of whining) about Sam leaving...again, he turned down the offer given and bet on himself. He'd looked like hot garbage for us against Detroit and LA, so his departure wasn't surprising to the attentive, at all.

All the "ifs" mean nothing. There's no way to know how he would've done if he'd stayed...he could've been on IR after 3 snaps, he could've been QB deep into the playoffs, there's equal possibility of both: zero. He ain't on the team anymore, and all the grousing is nothing more than noise.

Seattle is carrying Sam, via their defense and running game. He's made great plays, but he's also made a ton of forgettable plays that just get...forgotten.

If Chicago/LA can disrupt his timing, like any QB, he'll look pretty average pretty quickly. Seattle is smart to keep a lot of focus on their ground game.

Absolutely correct. He threw for 120 yards. Darnold had really nothing to do with the win.

If sesttle were to win it all,  sam darnold just replaces Trent dilfer as the poster child for lucky guy in the right place at the right time.  I think SD is a decent QB,  but hes not a difference maker in most games.

StickierBuns wrote:
CJ Stroud: playoff turnover machine.

Maye says hold my beer.

JimmyinSD wrote:

Maye says hold my beer.

And Stroud says,  I am the Greatest,  you hold my beer.

StickierBuns wrote:

(Silently, CJ Stroud gives Maye his beer back to hold....)

Beat ya to it.

comet52 wrote:
The game plan by McDonald the last two games was smart for Sam, limiting his passing to limit exposure to his mistakes. 

In the season finale and playoff versus San Fran, Darnold threw a combined 43 times with 32 completions.  The team ran the ball 72 times.  The run/pass ratio last night was 2-1, 33-17.  In the first game it was 39-26.

In the 2024 finale at Detroit, Sam was 18/41 while the team ran it 19 times, for a pass/run ratio of 2-1, the opposite of McDonald's method.  A very different way of handling Sam which didn't work out.

This. 

Great post.