Pressure is on Sam Darnold vs Raiders

By Ted Schwerzler |

Updated: Aug 9, 2024

Kirk Cousins is gone. The Minnesota Vikings have turned over the quarterback position. The expectation is that Sam Darnold will start the season. If he wants to revive his career, then it all starts Saturday against the Las Vegas Raiders.

What Sam Darnold does in his limited time this weekend won’t determine his regular season status. Still though, you can bet that Minnesota Vikings fans will be hanging onto every pass.

It would behoove Sam Darnold to play well on Saturday

What will every MN Chuck, Joe, Larry and Shirley be talking about for the next week if Sam Darnold goes 3-for-8 with an interception and fumble. Then, JJ McCarthy replaces him and plays well vs the Raiders 2nd team? Because that doesn’t feel like a horribly unrealistic reality…

That why it is imperative for the 27-year-old QB1 to start things off on the right foot. That’s exactly why The Athletic’s Alec Lewis named Darnold as the Viking with the most to lose on Saturday. Without a doubt, he is correct.

“This isn’t some grand statement. Darnold’s play in an Aug. 10 preseason game is not likely to have any real bearing on his role or season as a whole. Struggle mightily, though, and the wheels will start spinning. Neither O’Connell nor the Minnesota locker room is likely to overreact, but the fans assuredly will — even more so if McCarthy excels. For the record, Darnold has been everything the Vikings would have hoped since training camp began. His arm talent surfaces daily. His athleticism is surprisingly impressive up close. O’Connell wanted him to feel a real game week and the game day processes that come with his system. Darnold is playing for that reason, and it should be a nice litmus test.“
Alec Lewis on Sam Darnold against the Raiders

Darnold probably won’t get more than a few series for the Minnesota Vikings on Saturday. What he does with those snaps will be highly scrutinized. The league has seen Darnold in multiple stops, and this is his chance to turn the tide of his career.

Minnesota Vikings need Darnold to avoid Russell Wilson scenario

More than a decade ago the Seattle Seahawks signed Matt Flynn to a sizable contract. They also drafted Russell Wilson out of Wisconsin that year. There was no expectation the rookie would play.

Wilson developed momentum during the preseason, and took the highly-paid quarterback’s job. The Minnesota Vikings have to be hoping that Sam Darnold can avoid a similar fate. This situation isn’t the same. Darnold isn’t making an exorbitant amount of money.

Nonetheless, J.J. McCarthy was a first round pick and Kevin O’Connell has Darnold, a veteran, listed atop the Vikings’ depth chart. As of now, Sam is on the depth chart as QB1. That means, there isn’t a lot for him to gain, in that regard.

Saturday will be a telling afternoon

Meanwhile, the rookie will come into the game, with nothing to lose and everything to gain. This, after McCarthy has already had a very impressive training camp. By all accounts, Sam Darnold has looked really good, too. But if the veteran were to struggle against the Raiders tomorrow, the door would start to swing open for McCarthy.

And there is still three weeks left before the Minnesota Vikings’ week one regular season matchup vs the Giants. O’Connell made it clear that their No. 10 overall pick will be given ample opportunity, once Darnold exits on Saturday. It would behoove Sam to hit his reads for a couple of drives, show KOC what he wants to see, then get out of there.

.@JwPalms tells @ColinCowherd why Sam Darnold can win comeback player of the year in Minnesota:

"I've been waiting for this." pic.twitter.com/fjRWeA5sUL
— Herd w/Colin Cowherd (@TheHerd) August 8, 2024

Darnold has been mediocre at best to this point in his career. He has a near-even touchdown-to-interception ratio, and he needs Minnesota more than the Vikings need him. If Darnold is going to capitalize on the golden goose that is the Vikings offense, it starts with a solid showing out of the gate.