The Impressive Aspect of Sam Darnold’s Game-Winning Drive
Minnesota’s passing attack remains the driving force of the offense, although Aaron Jones has been an excellent running back for the purple team. However, it’s Kevin O’Connell’s system, and he surely enjoys calling a pass-first offense. Quite frankly, he also has the personnel for it, considering the weapons the Vikings have assembled.
The Impressive Aspect of Sam Darnold’s Game-Winning Drive
Three men carry that passing game: O’Connell and his play-designs and play-calls, quarterback Sam Darnold, whose career year has turned heads, and wide receiver Justin Jefferson, the 2022 Offensive Player of the Year and weekly record-breaker.
In one of the crucial moments of Sunday’s game, however, Darnold had to make it happen without any help from the favorite to win Coach of the Year.
The technology failed the Vikings, as O’Connell’s headset went out during the game-winning drive that started with 4:21 to go in the fourth quarter, with a four-point deficit.
Darnold improvised, scrambling for a nine-yard gain, the head coach revealed after the game.
“My headset went out completely, which I thought was curious in that moment, but Sam was able to — he scrambled on the play before, so I was able to talk to him on the sideline and get that play called, and by the time the next snap was called, I had a new (battery) pack on,” O’Connell said at his post-game presser.
He added the buzzword “dealing with adversity.”
On the final play of that drive that ultimately gave the Vikings the lead after a fantastic bomb from Darnold to Jefferson, the receiver adjusted on the route. Thankfully, Darnold recognized it, too.
O’Connell mentioned, “It was a route adjustment, those guys were on the same page.”
He explained that they expected the coverage to shift over to Jefferson to open up T.J. Hockenson or Jordan Addison on the other side, but the “clean release on the inside” allowed him to run a vertical route, putting his hand in the air Randy Moss-style once he had cornerback Tariq Woolen beat.
Darnold has increased his touchdown total to 32 (plus one rushing score) while keeping a clean slate in the turnover column this week. Eleven of his throws have landed in opposing hands, but only one in the last six games, and that was a prayer under pressure on fourth down. It is truly a remarkable career turnaround for the former third-overall pick.
Jefferson, meanwhile, had the best game of the season, producing 144 yards and two touchdowns. O’Connell has become the overwhelming favorite to win Coach of the Year. He’s Minnesota’s first head coach to win 13 games in a season twice. The added games obviously help, but three seasons into his tenure, it can’t be overstated how good of a coach he truly is.
This passing offense seems to always have a solution drawn up by O’Connell, paired with the right playmakers to bring his ideas to life.
Next on the docket: the Green Bay Packers on Sunday.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference helped with this article.
Janik Eckardt is a football fan who likes numbers and stats. The Vikings became his favorite team despite their quarterback at the time, Christian Ponder. He is a walking soccer encyclopedia, loves watching sitcoms, and prefers Classic rock over other genres. Follow him on Twitter if you like the Vikings: @JanikEckardt