The Minnesota Vikings have gotten the best out of Sam Darnold for two weeks, but whether he can be as consistent of a quarterback as his predecessor Kirk Cousins remains to be seen.
Colin Cowherd gave a fitting comparison of the two quarterbacks after Darnold led the Vikings to their first 2-0 start to the season and Cousins led the Atlanta Falcons to their first win of the season with a game-winning drive against the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday Night Football.
“I always felt if you compare Sam Darnold to Kirk Cousins it would be like comparing a bake off to the ‘Iron Chef.’ Baking is more formulaic, following directions, precise, more science. Chefs, it’s more about improvisation, adapting, freestyling. It’s more art. Both are fine,” Cowherd said. “Kirk Cousins is a baker, Darnold is more the chef — a little reckless, a little more juice and flare and art. Cousins is about intense preparation. Getting to his spot. Again steady results. That’s not what you get with Darnold.”
Darnold’s improv in the pocket has proven reliable so far. He flashed his pocket presence and mobility on a 97-yard touchdown connection with Justin Jefferson and also scrambled for 18 and 16-yard gains on third down to keep drives alive in their Week 2 win over the San Francisco 49ers.
The Vikings offense has a higher upside with Darnold, but whether that can be realized will lean on whether Darnold can continue to make the right decisions with the ball and avoid “ugly games.”
“He’s an athlete, he improvs, he ad libs, more dramatic upscale touchdowns, but more ugly games. By the way, he’s not obviously Brett Favre, but Brett Favre when he was in Minnesota was sort of like that. Brett Favre was a chef… There’s no question this offense has more juice. Kirk Cousins was steadier.”
Sam Darnold Made the Throw Kirk Cousins Declined on 97-Yard TD vs. 49ers
After a 23-17 Week 2 win over the 49ers, head coach Kevin O’Connell revealed that Darnold and Jefferson’s touchdown connection was a nearly identical play he ran against San Francisco in 2023.
“It actually goes back to a look we ran on them last year,” O’Connell said after the game, per the Minnesota Star Tribune. “Similar presentation, similar everything. That one has been in the hopper for a little bit. Did not know I would call it, backed up with our feet in the paint like that.”
The difference: Cousins opted to hit K.J. Osborn on an intermediate route instead of leading Jefferson deep.
The play is emblematic of Darnold’s upside as a passer over Cousins but also is the rollercoaster the Vikings must ride if Darnold does not convert on those riskier throws.
Vikings Must Keep Sam Darnold Reeled In
Darnold’s reputation as a reckless passer is partially from playing on bad teams that were playing from behind.
So far, the Vikings running game has been more effective and helped create more space and open up the play-action game. The Vikings also have far and away the best supporting cast of Darnold’s career.
The comparison of a game manager at quarterback acting as a point guard is fitting, but it feels like O’Connell as a play caller is who is really at the point for the Vikings. O’Connell deploys the right plays at the right time to set up his shooting guard, Darnold, to hit from opportune spots.
Darnold has played exceptionally well so far, ranking third in passing grade by Pro Football Focus (PFF). How much of his past recklessness with the ball was a product of him or the poor offenses he played for is up for debate.
But if the Vikings can continue to create open looks for him and he makes the right decisions, he could reinvent his career and lead the Vikings to a playoff berth.
