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Sam Darnold As Vikings Franchise Quarterback?

The Minnesota Vikings are still in the hunt for the NFC North title and the top seed in the NFC Playoffs. While several players have contributed to their success, quarterback Sam Darnold’s emergence has a massive impact on their good fortunes.

As the NFL on CBS account on X/Twitter pointed out, Darnold has 3,299 passing yards, 28 touchdowns, and ten interceptions through Week 14. He has more passing yards than Lamar Jackson, more passing touchdowns than Josh Allen, and fewer interceptions than Patrick Mahomes.

In Minnesota’s latest game, Darnold completed 78.6 percent of his throws (22 of 28) for 347 yards and five touchdowns against the Atlanta Falcons. The former USC standout established season highs in passing yards and yards per completed throw (12.4) in one game.

More importantly, the Vikings solidify their claim to a postseason ticket. Given how Darnold’s early years unfolded, nobody saw Minnesota winning 11 of their first 13 games. In addition to his talent, being under head coach Kevin O’Connell elevated his game.

With Darnold playing exceptionally, the Vikings have a good problem. While J.J. McCarthy is envisioned as the future franchise quarterback, Darnold could be their best option in the near future. However, if the Vikings plan to keep Darnold, they must act fast because he will be a free agent once the 2024 NFL season ends.

-Lance Fernandez

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