So much on the line this SNF game...

I cant remember a regular season game with as much at stake since 12/2009 at the Bears to end the season. 

Win that? We get The Saints at home and probably no Bountygate. 

This one is that big - and that important. 

Have I missed one in-between somewhere?

A different Sam Darnold? Vikings’ rematch with Lions has quarterback playing at the top of his game


O’Connell said Wednesday he has seen an increasingly comfortable and confident Darnold, who has formed the two longest winning streaks of his seven-year NFL career this season: the current nine-game win streak and the five-game win streak to begin the season.

“Just experience,” O’Connell said of his quarterback. “Both the experience of the success he had leading into that [first Lions] game itself [on Oct. 20] and then as we’ve moved forward throughout the season. There were some moments throughout the year where I thought there was some real growth from him; post-Jacksonville and what he’s really done since then. … Ascending in his comfort in the plans every week, his routine digesting the plans.

“You can tell a guy what it’s going to be like and you can tell a guy a lot of things,” O’Connell added, “but only the player is responsible for getting himself to where Sam has gotten himself to, which the team has a lot of confidence in him. Probably a good question for Sam, but I would imagine he’s got a lot of confidence in himself.”

Since throwing three interceptions in the 12-7 victory over the Jaguars on Nov. 10, Darnold has tossed 18 touchdowns to two interceptions over the past seven games.

So, Sam, are you more confident seeing the Lions this time around?

“I’ll say this: it’s fun,” Darnold said. “That’s really all it is. Just having a ton of fun playing football right now. Again, whatever happened last week and the week before that, it doesn’t matter right now. All that matters is this game and this opportunity, and that’s all I’m thinking about.”

The Lions are all anybody will talk about at TCO Performance Center in Eagan, where the football side of the building isn’t entertaining questions about the future at quarterback. The more games won by Darnold, the more questions are asked about his standing as a pending free agent currently teammates with 10th overall pick J.J. McCarthy, who continues to rehab a season-ending knee injury.

“It would go totally against how I’ve coached the team to be spending any time, for me right now, focusing on the answers to those questions,” O’Connell said. “Because I know that the things that mean a lot to me are getting Sam ready to play, getting our team ready to play each and every week.”

Darnold’s routine, the minute-by-minute tedious minutiae from weekly massages to post-practice footwork and film time, is something the 27-year-old quarterback and his coaches continue to reference regarding his sudden emergence as a winning NFL starter.

“Might be an exaggeration,” O’Connell said, “I think I know exactly where he is right now.”

Sunday against the Packers, for the sixth time in 16 games, Darnold threw at least three touchdown passes. He threw a trio of scores in each victory over Green Bay this season.

He had tossed three touchdowns in only four of 56 starts before signing in Minnesota.

Darnold pointed to his stop in San Francisco, where he backed up Brock Purdy last season, got a chance to breathe, and reset his process in how he prepares for games.

“Last year was a huge part for that for me, just being able to figure out my routine and figure out what the best study habits are,” Darnold said. “Being a backup quarterback, that’s the best way to learn what the best way is to study. … [Bringing] those study habits to what we do now has been a huge key for me.”

Coaches credited Darnold’s study habits for helping the Vikings offense give up only one sack against Green Bay. There have been games, including the Dec. 1 victory vs. the Cardinals when Darnold took five sacks, when blitzes caught their protection plans off guard. 

They have seen growth from Darnold having better command of the presnap adjustments needed.

“Well, you better know the protections first and foremost,” offensive coordinator Wes Phillips said. “You’ve got to know who they can bring where they’re not going to be blocked.

“You got maybe a second play that I’m getting to, and then I still have to motion a guy, and I got to make sure I’m good with the protection. 

It takes a lot of study on the front end to make it look simpler when they get out there and play.”

The Lions defense, while injury-ravaged, remains aggressive under coordinator Aaron Glenn, as they send blitzers at the third-highest rate (33%) in the league, per Pro Football Reference. And they will be doing so under the earsplitting noise at Ford Field, where Lions fans haven’t seen a game of this magnitude in some time.

The Vikings had a good test run during their Dec. 22 victory at Seattle.

“I was kind of thinking maybe it’s not going to be as loud,” center Garrett Bradbury said, “but there were some plays we couldn’t hear anything. … It’s a confidence builder, you feel good about it. I think we had one false start and they had four. That’s huge, you build off of that.”

All season, Darnold has thrived against the blitz, with a league-high 145.2 passer rating against five or more pass rushers, per Sports Info Solutions.

“I just feel like getting lost in the routine is the best way to do things,” Darnold said, “and I feel like I’ve really done that this year, and I’m just going to continue to stick with my routine and keep it that way.”

Source: Startribune

Offensive coordinator Wes Phillips is in his 18th NFL season as an assistant coach, and that experience led the 45-year-old grandson of former Oilers and Saints head coach Bum Phillips to point out an unheralded reason for this 14-2 season. 

Phillips credited the bottom of the Vikings roster for continually bringing effort on the “scout team,” which is the group of players who don’t often play on offense or defense, but they are asked to mimic the upcoming opponent as best as possible during practices.

“This has been the best look team, group that I’ve been a part of since I’ve been in the league,” Phillips said. “We were fortunate to have some vets over there at times, Bobby [McCain] being one of them. ... 

We got guys that give great effort up front, Bo Richter, Levi [Drake Rodriguez], [Jalen] Redmond, who has shown now what he can do in games. I think these things do correlate.”

startribune

Nothing definitive here, but I'm on board with this. While I love Bynum and think he's earned a top safety salary, I'm also a big believer in spending money efficiently. In other words, spend big at more impactful positions (QB, Edge, Corner and OT) and spend small on less impactful positions (safety, IOL). 

The College Football Playoff quarterfinal game at the 2025 Sugar Bowl has been postponed after at least 10 people were killed and more than 30 people were injured early Wednesday morning in New Orleans when an armed man drove a pickup truck into a large crowd on Bourbon Street in a deadly attack.

Jeff Hundley, Sugar Bowl committee CEO, announced that the game will now be played on Thursday night after consultation with officials from all parties involved. "All agree it's in the best interest of everybody and public safety that we postpone the game for 24 hours," Hundley told reporters.

The CFP No. 2 seed Georgia and No. 7 seed Notre Dame were originally scheduled to kick off at 8:45 p.m. ET on Wednesday in the Sugar Bowl game. The winner still advances to face No. 6 seed Penn State in the Orange Bowl on Jan. 9 as part of the CFP semifinals.

“There’s just too much stuff we don’t know. It’s just not worth it,” Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) said during a news conference with state, city and law enforcement officials, addressing the decision to postpone the game.

Source: USA Today

My question is about Daniel Jones, really.

How long do the Vikings have to announce their active roster for game day?
Would he be moved to the Active Roster (53) or does he have to be one of the 48 to dress?
Does the new rule about allowing teams to have a 3rd QB active on game days impact his roster spot counting?

I don't really care if he plays or not, I want that compensatory draft pick not if, but when, he signs elsewhere.

A quiet 104 yards last night against a Big Boy D...

I still got major respect for the guy (he damn near broke Barry Sanders NCAA record). 

But I do wonder if last night might have cost a few teams to pause - at least a little bit?

Tier 1: The top 3 can leave you 'scarred'

Kansas City (57 points)

Seattle (41.5)

Minnesota (28.5)

It was a snowy, mid-December game in 2019, and Denver Broncos rookie tight end Noah Fant figured the elements would make an impact on the crowd at Arrowhead.

"You figured it's a blizzard, won't be as many fans there," said Fant, currently with the Seattle Seahawks. "And it was still super loud, and they were going crazy."

Not only are they loud, but several players said Chiefs fans are knowledgeable about the game and how to make things difficult on the opponent. It might be because of the multiple playoff runs they've witnessed. The Chiefs haven't missed the playoffs since drafting Mahomes, and they're trying to become the first team in NFL history to win three Super Bowls in a row. After a first-round bye, they'll be hosting a divisional-round game.

The Seahawks were eliminated from playoff contention Sunday, and they're not as successful as they were during their "Legion of Boom" days a decade ago, but Lumen Field remains a tough location. The crowd is called the "12," because it serves as a 12th man, but Washington Commanders linebacker Frankie Luvu said it might as well be called the 13 or 14 considering the impact it makes.

"The way the stadium is shaped, the noise just comes right back down on top of you," 49ers tight end George Kittle said. "I also think they're louder against us because they hate us the most, which is awesome. I think that just adds to the environment."

Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Jamel Dean remembers being thrust into a starting role because of a teammate's injury at Seattle as a rookie in 2019, and he was covering DK Metcalf. He said the atmosphere contributed to his jitters in a 40-34 overtime loss.

"It makes your nerves bad," Dean said. "I finally understood the saying, 'Be prepared, as you never know when your time is going to come up.' And I was not prepared for that moment."

Minnesota's U.S. Bank Stadium is an indoor facility, but even without the weather, the atmosphere is uncomfortable for opponents.

"You feel it," New York Giants receiver Darius Slayton said. "As soon as you walk in there, everything is purple.

"You feel like you're out of place there. That is what a good atmosphere does. It makes you feel like you're in the wrong place. If you're in a different color, you feel like you don't belong in there."

San Francisco 49ers All-Pro linebacker Fred Warner said the fans in Minnesota had a profound effect on him.

"They made me think differently about how I approach just being on the sideline, just staying focused on the game and not worrying about everything else," said Warner, who is 0-3 at U.S Bank.

One AFC South player who wished to remain anonymous remembered what it felt like when the Vikings jumped out to a quick lead.

"I heard that 'Skol' chant early and often," he said. "Kind of scarred from that. But it's a cool place."

Source: ESPN

Tier 2: Hostile environments

Philadelphia (18.5)

Buffalo (18)

New Orleans (16.5)

One big difference on Sunday will be Cashman, who was the Vikings' leading tackler when he went down with turf toe just before the Week 7 loss to Detroit.

This time, Cashman is playing and playing well. He led the Vikings with 11 tackles against the Packers, including 1.5 sacks and an impact that went beyond the box score.

“Natural leadership,” Flores said of Cashman. “A way of bringing people together. He’s very smart. He knows how to communicate with the various people ... whether it’s D-line, whether it’s an edge guy, whether it’s a safety, whether it’s a corner. 

So, his position is one that he’s involved with coverage, involved with the run game, he’s involved with some of the pass rush. ... He’s been a key member of the defense and will continue to be that.”

Cashman is also a leading mind for a shapeshifting defense that prides itself on confusing quarterbacks and offensive line protection plans. The Lions offense also likes to trick opponents from time to time.

But the Vikings linebacker said this time of year isn’t about subterfuge.

“That’s the thing with the season,” Cashman said. “All the film is out there for the most part. But what it comes down to late in the year is play style [physicality] and execution. Because everything is in. Every team, their identity is formed. It all comes down to play style and execution.”

Meaning: Just stop Jahmyr Gibbs.


Startribune