Sam Darnold MVP Odds Dropping…?

Earlier this season the Minnesota Vikings employed a quarterback in clear contention for the 2024 NFL MVP award. Just a couple weeks later, Sam Darnold is still the Vikings QB. His odds to take home MVP honors, however, have started to come down.

Through September, Sam Darnold was a top-5 MVP candidate. The Minnesota Vikings were coming off a win against the Green Bay Packers and they owned a 4-0 record. Since then, they went overseas and beat the New York Jets, improving to 5-0, then enjoyed a bye week.

Sam Darnold MVP odds falling…

The Minnesota Vikings beat the Jets, but New York’s defense kept Sam Darnold in check, for the most part. Darnold went 14-of-31 for 179 yards, with ZERO touchdowns and an interception, to boot. Despite the team win, his individual performance has resulted in a slide at the sportsbooks. Sam’s less than stellar play, in London, combined with the bye, has hurt his MVP odds… but not terribly.

There’s no reason to all the cold water on what Darnold has accomplished this season. He is still having the best year of his career, and the 11-to-4 TD/INT ratio is light years better than anything he has previously shown, during his 7-year NFL career. If he wants to climb back into the MVP conversation, though, he’ll have to be better.

DARNOLD TO JJETTAS FOR 44 YARDS

THATS A DOT BY DARNOLD
pic.twitter.com/jGH3vIC7FH

— JPAFootball (@jasrifootball) September 8, 2024

What’s next for Darnold, Minnesota Vikings

This weekend represents a huge opportunity for Darnold to succeed against a defense that is prone to allowing big passing performances. The Lions are 27th in the league, in terms of passing yards allowed.

With Minnesota’s running back situation in flux due to Aaron Jones’ recent injury, it could be a prime opportunity for Darnold to get back to prime form in week 7. The Lions game represents among the most anticipated regular season games in recent memory. And Sam Darnold’s play could very well decide who wins.

Related: 4 Stats to Know for Detroit Lions vs Minnesota Vikings Matchup, Analyzing Impact

The Minnesota Vikings don’t need Sam Darnold to win the MVP for this season to be a success. Hell, nobody thought he’d be in the conversation, after 6 weeks of football. But now that he’s there and the Vikings are 5-0, he might as well play good football and see what happens. Either way, it’s been a storybook turnaround for the 27-year-old USC alum.