A “Crazy” Vikings QB Theory Gets Ignited by National NFL Analyst
I like Mike Florio.
Yes, he can be quite opinionated, but I mostly see that as a strength rather than a weakness (at times, it’s both). He commonly ventures into all kinds of possibilities both on Pro Football Talk, the site that he started and has grown into a powerhouse, and the social media for PFT. Recently, Florio used the social media portion of things to jump into a “crazy” Vikings QB theory.
A “Crazy” Vikings QB Theory
Before going too far, the theory under consideration.
The official PFT social media account sent out this thought: “Is it crazy to wonder what Kevin O’Connell could do with Ryan Tannehill down the stretch? Because it really looks like the Sam Darnold chariot has turned back into a pumpkin.”
The voice of the Vikings, Mr. Paul Allen, jumped into the comments. The answer? Quite simple: “No thanks.”
Florio and Allen know each other quite well, so it’s no surprise that there was a response from PFT: “Ceiling once again is [the] divisional round.”
Step back a bit from the social media back and forth. So, too, do we need to step back from the initial declaration from Florio. What’s prompting the idea of onboarding Ryan Tannehill — a veteran free agent QB — at this stage in the season? After all, we’re talking about a Vikings team that is 7-2 and coming off a Week 10 victory.
Well, it would be fair to say that Mr. Darnold didn’t exactly play well Sunday afternoon. On the contrary, Minnesota’s QB1 played a brutal game of football, tossing a trio of interceptions. During the game, I was wondering if one more interception would lead to the insertion of Nick Mullens, the veteran QB2 who is never daunted by a big moment.
Minnesota stuck with Darnold, though, and was (kind of) rewarded for doing so. The Vikings dominated the time of possession battle and moved the ball with relative ease, as many have pointed out. The issue was finishing with touchdowns rather than turnovers or field goals.
By the time it was all said and done, Darnold finished his day having gone 24/38 for 241 yards, 0 touchdowns, and 3 interceptions. The passer rating came in at an ugly 48.2.
Is it crazy to think about replacing him with Tannehill? In a word: yes.
At this stage, the Vikings are full steam ahead with Sam Darnold. No one thinks he’s the perfect QB, but he’s the passer who best gives Minnesota a chance to compete in 2024. After all, the team is even sitting on 6% Super Bowl odds, so things aren’t completely dire in Eagan, MN.
The team’s leadership has consistently articulated support for Darnold, so there’s very, very little reason to believe that they would go back on those earlier proclamations of confidence at this stage.
The only thing that could plausibly get Mr. Tannehill over to Minnesota is an injury. So far, though, the only QB injury in 2024 has been to J.J. McCarthy, who suffered a knee ailment that sidelined the rookie passer before the season got underway. Otherwise, Darnold has needed to catch his breath for a few moments — not in the Anthony Richardson manner — but has otherwise been healthy and available.
Next up for Minnesota is a date with the Tennessee Titans. Pulling off another road win would mean climbing up to an impressive 8-2 record, firmly positioning the Vikings in a spot where they can push for a spot in the final tournament in the NFC.
Once there, we’ll learn what kind of ceiling the Viking truly do have with Sam Darnold leading the charge.
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K. Joudry is the Senior Editor for Vikings Territory and PurplePTSD. He has been covering the Vikings full time since the summer of 2021. He can be found on Twitter, as a co-host for Notes from the North, and as the proprietor at The Vikings Gazette, a humble Vikings Substack.