• Sam Darnold wasn’t afraid to let it rip: Darnold accomplished 4 of his six makes an attempt focused greater than 20 yards, producing 163 passing yards and three big-time throws.
• Improbable in each space: Darnold thrived within the purple zone resulting from his anticipation.
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Estimated Studying Time: 5 minutes
Sam Darnold and the Minnesota Vikings got here away with their eleventh win of the yr — and sixth straight — in Week 14, dominating by way of the air on their technique to defeating the Atlanta Falcons. Minnesota continues to provide the Lions no room to breathe within the NFC North and the race for the convention’s No. 1 seed.
Darnold completed the sport with a 90.9 PFF total grade, the very best of his season and profession. He nearly couldn’t miss Sunday, posting an 88.0% adjusted completion share with a ridiculous 12.2-yard common depth of goal. Sometimes, that prime of an adjusted completion charge is paired with brief, straightforward passes, however that wasn’t the case; Darnold consistently ripped the ball downfield.
After Kirk Cousins left in free company this offseason, the Vikings have been seemingly trying to go the rookie quarterback route till top-10 choose J.J. McCarthy suffered a season-ending harm earlier than the yr began. That left them with Sam Darnold, and whereas he has at all times been extraordinarily proficient, it’s laborious to think about anybody thought his stint in Minnesota would go this effectively.
Darnold is PFF’s sixth-highest graded passer by way of Week 14, and he confirmed precisely why towards the Falcons.
Sam Darnold ripping a dig with anticipation. I am a sucker for all these throws pic.twitter.com/28sZ6vH2Cw
— Nick Akridge (@PFF_NickAkridge) December 9, 2024
A great way to inform how effectively a quarterback sees the sector is by specializing in the center of the sector. The home windows are tighter, and quarterbacks must play with anticipation by committing to throws earlier than they’re open. That’s precisely what Darnold does on this third-and-long within the above clip.
The Falcons are scrambling on protection however ultimately settle right into a Tampa 2 protection. It’s primarily a typical Cowl 2, however your ordinary “gap” participant is now enjoying with extra depth and carrying routes up the seams. The issue for the protection is that that deeper “gap” participant has to choose a facet to open, and Darnold is aware of that. With him opening to the extensive facet of the sector, Darnold simply must beat the bailing linebacker, Kaden Elliss. He trusts that the beneath route will occupy Elliss and that he’ll have room to seek out Justin Jefferson. He’s proper, and the Vikings convert an extended third down.
Darnold received’t flip down the power to take a shot downfield. He’s tied for probably the most big-time throws within the NFL, with 29.
Darnold dime pic.twitter.com/7lzZkGwZgT
— Nick Akridge (@PFF_NickAkridge) December 9, 2024
Within the above clip, after a heavy play-action faux, the Falcons’ protection rotates to a model of Cowl 3. Darnold reads the middle-of-the-field security, considering he’ll keep deep and canopy the deep submit. Darnold initially appears to be like to be setting as much as hit the deep over to Jefferson, however with the security coming right down to take that, he rapidly flips to the deep submit to Jordan Addison. It’s a ridiculous show of arm expertise. He flips and throws the ball greater than 55 yards within the air. Whereas it falls incomplete, it lands instantly in Addison’s palms, who can’t make the catch after being interfered with.
Much like the center of the sector, the purple zone is an space the place a quarterback has to play with anticipation to beat the tighter area.
Dart pic.twitter.com/uS37wHwGoz
— Nick Akridge (@PFF_NickAkridge) December 9, 2024
On this play, Darnold and the Vikings get a touch of the protection the protection can be working with the pre-snap movement. Jefferson goes in movement, and the Falcons defensive again follows him — displaying Darnold that it’s seemingly man protection regardless of the two-high security look. It does find yourself being man protection, so Darnold is aware of precisely the place to go together with the ball. He has Jefferson one-on-one and is aware of he’ll get a step of separation because of the cornerback’s leverage. He throws an excellent ball in a rapidly collapsing pocket for an additional landing.
Darnold’s arm expertise was at all times there, and as beforehand talked about, he’ll use any excuse to point out it off.
Darnold dime (x2) pic.twitter.com/RJV1SrmovY
— Nick Akridge (@PFF_NickAkridge) December 9, 2024
This finally ends up being a reasonably easy determination for Darnold after the Falcons present they’re enjoying man protection. He is aware of he’ll have Addison one-on-one working a deep fade, so he merely wants to maneuver the middle-of-the-field security together with his eyes earlier than throwing it. He does precisely that, making the security a bit late — however probably the most spectacular half is the gap he will get on the throw with no room within the pocket to step up. Darnold throws flat-footed and with a defender starting to wrap him up, and the ball travels almost 50 yards within the air, proper into Addison’s palms.
The Vikings can have fairly the selection to make this offseason. Do they proceed to go together with the pending free agent Darnold, who continues to be solely 27, or do they offer the keys to top-10 choose J.J. McCarthy, coming off a severe knee harm? It’s a tough query that they are going to ultimately must reply.
However proper now, the Vikings are having fun with the model of Sam Darnold that many individuals thought would tear up the NFL from the onset of his profession. He has the Minnesota Vikings sitting comfortably at 11-2 and one sport out of the NFC’s high seed.
